The Best And Baddest Female Bandleaders 

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Pioneers.  Trailblazers.  Goddesses.  Badasses.

The musicians in this category broke countless barriers for themselves and other women, paving paths that defy old stereotypes about the kinds of instruments and genres of music women can and should play.  Whether they lead their own bands or write and perform their own material, their work is beloved by countless fans, has been sampled by numerous artists and reminds us why music is such a powerful, healing, beautiful tool of expression.  And, they prove that women truly make the baddest drummers, percussionists and band leaders!

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Sheila E

The Oakland native and former Prince protégé hails from a musical family, the Escovedos.  Sheila E has been performing and creating music since she was a toddler and made her concert debut at the age of 5 alongside her legendary father, Pete, of the band Azteca.  A master of the timbales, drums and all forms of percussion, “The Glamourous Life” singer’s music is a combination of soul, funk and Latin jazz.

Patrice Rushen

A composer and bandleader, Rushen began her musical career as a jazz pianist and went on to become a vocalist with jazz, pop and R&B fusion flavor.  She made many firsts, notably as the first female Musical Director for the Grammys, Emmys and the NAACP Image Awards.  You can learn more about her fabulous career via Unsung.

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Teena Marie

Considered the Ivory Queen of Soul, the late singer-songwriter Teena Marie, who began her career at Motown, wrote, produced and arranged most of her music and played the piano, guitar and congas.  With so many hits (“Fire & Desire,” “Portuguese Love,” “Square Biz,” and “Lovergirl”), it’s easy to see why people called her Lady T.

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Cindy Blackman Santana

A bandleader and drummer, Cindy Blackman Santana has been rocking out for decades. Simply watching her play is an experience in and of itself.  She has had her own group, Another Lifetime, and has recorded and performed with the likes of her husband, Carlos Santana, Cassandra Wilson, Joss Stone and Angela Bofill, to name a few.

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Alice Coltrane

As a bandleader, Alice Coltrane recorded more than 20 albums.  Jazz being her muse, Coltrane was a harpist (one of few in the world of jazz) and pianist who sought to infuse her spirituality into her music.

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Mary Lou Williams

A self-taught pianist and arranger, Mary Lou Williams not only wrote her own genre-bending music, but she also wrote and arranged for musicians like Duke Ellington and Benny Goodman and mentored greats like Miles Davis and Charlie Parker.  One of jazz’s greatest musicians, she was one of the first women to found her own label, Mary Records.

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Esperanza Spalding

Another jazz maven, four-time Grammy Award-winning Spalding is a composer, bassist and vocalist with five solo albums under her belt at the age of 31.

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Terri Lyne Carrington

A composer, drummer and bandleader, this Grammy Award-winning artist has collaborated with musicians like Peabo Bryson, Siedah Garrett, Herbie Hancock and Dianne Reeves.

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Eva Despaigne

Eva is director of Obini Bata, a Cuban, all-female bata (a type of drum) orchestra.

Blanche Calloway

Big sister of Cab Calloway, Blanche was a bandleader, composer and jazz singer.  She also happened to be the first woman to lead an all-male orchestra.