Maxine Feldman
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Born Name:
Maxine Adele Feldman
Born Date: December 26, 1945
Born Place: Brooklyn, New York City
Died Date: August 17, 2007
Died Place: Albuquerque, New Mexico
Occupations: Singer-songwriter, comedian
Brief Biography: Maxine "Max" Adele Feldman famously identified as a "big loud Jewish butch lesbian". Feldman is widely credited with writing and recording the first openly distributed lesbian song of the modern women's music movement.
Early Life and Education:
Feldman began performing at a young age, appearing in theater and child-focused TV shows.
Education: Feldman attended the High School of Performing Arts in New York and later studied theater at Emerson College in Boston.
Expulsion: In 1963, Feldman was expelled from Emerson for being a lesbian. Following this, her parents sent her to an aversion therapist, an experience she later dismissed by saying, "to me, being queer is like breathing".
Musical and Activist Career:
"Angry Atthis": Penned in May 1969, just one month before the Stonewall riots, this song was a raw response to the societal mistreatment of queer people. It was later released as a single in 1972, making it a historic first for lesbian music.
"Amazon": In 1976, Feldman wrote "Amazon," which became a long-standing anthem for the Michigan Womyn's Music Festival, often used to open the event each year.
Performance Style: Known for performing in men's clothing and mixing music with comedy, Feldman refused to be silenced, even when coffeehouses denied her bookings or stage managers tried to remove her from performances.
Major Works: Beyond her singles, Feldman released the full-length album "Closet Sale" in 1979.
Legacy:
Feldman passed away in August 2007 at the age of 64. She is remembered as a "gate opener" who helped countless women find community and confidence through her music and visibility. More in-depth interviews and audio can be found at archives like Queer Music Heritage and the Jewish Women's Archive.
Born Date: December 26, 1945
Born Place: Brooklyn, New York City
Died Date: August 17, 2007
Died Place: Albuquerque, New Mexico
Occupations: Singer-songwriter, comedian
Brief Biography: Maxine "Max" Adele Feldman famously identified as a "big loud Jewish butch lesbian". Feldman is widely credited with writing and recording the first openly distributed lesbian song of the modern women's music movement.
Early Life and Education:
Feldman began performing at a young age, appearing in theater and child-focused TV shows.
Education: Feldman attended the High School of Performing Arts in New York and later studied theater at Emerson College in Boston.
Expulsion: In 1963, Feldman was expelled from Emerson for being a lesbian. Following this, her parents sent her to an aversion therapist, an experience she later dismissed by saying, "to me, being queer is like breathing".
Musical and Activist Career:
"Angry Atthis": Penned in May 1969, just one month before the Stonewall riots, this song was a raw response to the societal mistreatment of queer people. It was later released as a single in 1972, making it a historic first for lesbian music.
"Amazon": In 1976, Feldman wrote "Amazon," which became a long-standing anthem for the Michigan Womyn's Music Festival, often used to open the event each year.
Performance Style: Known for performing in men's clothing and mixing music with comedy, Feldman refused to be silenced, even when coffeehouses denied her bookings or stage managers tried to remove her from performances.
Major Works: Beyond her singles, Feldman released the full-length album "Closet Sale" in 1979.
Legacy:
Feldman passed away in August 2007 at the age of 64. She is remembered as a "gate opener" who helped countless women find community and confidence through her music and visibility. More in-depth interviews and audio can be found at archives like Queer Music Heritage and the Jewish Women's Archive.