I was on social media earlier this month and a particular post caught my eye. The article suggested that the Mount Rushmore of Women’s Rock should have Janis Joplin, Joan Jett, Pat Benatar and the Wilson sisters of Heart on it. Needless to say, the post generated a lot of angst, anger and discussion from readers about who was left off the list. Personally, the fact that the pioneering group, Fanny, was left off and not mentioned invalidates the list to me. Fanny is the unsung heroine of rock ‘n roll.
Fanny was an all-female rock band that emerged in the late 1960s. Formed by sisters June and Jean Millington, along with Alice de Buhr and Nickey Barclay, Fanny was one of the first all-female rock bands to sign with a major record label, Reprise (owned by Warner Bros. Records), and gain actual mainstream recognition.
The band’s sound blended hard rock, blues, and funk, earning them favorable comparisons to male-dominated acts of the time. Their self-titled debut album, Fanny, released in 1970 showcased their impressive musical talents and harmonies. Over the next several years, Fanny released a string of albums, including Charity Ball (1971), Fanny Hill (1972), and Mother’s Pride (1973), solidifying their reputation as a powerful rock act.
Still, Fanny never got the public recognition they deserved and needed for enduring success, despite their talent. However, they gained respect among their peers, with David Bowie famously praising them in Rolling Stone, stating, “They were extraordinary… They’re as important as anybody else who’s ever been, ever.” The group toured with rock legends Deep Purple, Humble Pie, and Slade. They were also the studio backing band for the Barbra Streisand 1971 album: Barbara Joan Streisand. They can be heard playing and singing backup on the track, Where You Lead.
Fanny was like any other rock band. They had their issues and their fights. And it’s apparent, based on Nickey Barkley’s interview on the FannyRocks site, that their management company really screwed them over and ultimately contributed to the breakup of the band.
Although the band disbanded in 1975, their influence endured. Recently, there has been a resurgence of interest in Fanny’s contributions to rock history. In 2018, the documentary Fanny: The Right to Rock was released. In 2022, a reformed version of the band, Fanny Walked the Earth, featuring the Millington sisters, released new music. Sadly, Jean Millington recently had a stroke and as I write this still has not fully recovered.
Fortunately, YouTube has some of Fanny’s early live performances grouped together here. Without the group having the foresight to video record some of their performances, this music and the legacy of the group might have been lost forever.
When most people talk about Fanny today, if they talk about them at all, they talk about the group’s 1971 superb cover of the Beatle’s hit, Hey Bulldog. While I encourage you to click on the link to look at that outstanding performance, I have another performance for consideration below. It is Fanny playing their 1971 composition, Blind Alley. Written by Alice de Buhr (on drums) and Nickey Barclay (on keyboards), it is pure rock ‘n roll at its best.
The group Fanny challenged a male-dominated industry and proved that women could not only play rock music but excel at it. They were ahead of their time and pioneers who kicked the door open for the women of Rock today.
