Paid my dues 1974–1980

Founded by Dorothy Dean of Milwaukee in 1974, Paid my dues is an important document of women’s music of the 1970s. A major focus of the zine was women folk musicians and singer-songwriters, especially those who directly confronted political concerns in their lyrics, such as Betsy Rose, Jane Voss, Willie Tyson, Vera Johnson, and Margie Adam. Other articles delved into women’s jazz and classical music, covering “foremothers” like Hildegard von Bingen and Clara Wieck Schumann alongside living artists such as Vivian Fine and Mary Watkins. Each issue featured sheet music for songs contributed by women composers, and articles on practical matters—reading sheet music, guitar-playing technique, chord substitutions—were also included. Paid my due’s profiles, interviews, reviews, and editorials provide insight into the evolution of second-wave feminism more broadly.