Lowell Lecture & Performance — June Millington & Emm Gryner: Music & Activism

Join rock pioneer June Millington and acclaimed indie artist Emm Gryner for an enlightening discussion and performance.

This program will happen in-person and over Zoom webinar. To register for in-person attendance, visit the "Registration Required" box on our event website. We plan to open doors fifteen (15) minutes in advance for our in-person audience. To attend online, please visit this Zoom webinar registration page.

June Millington—guitarist and founding member of all-female rock band Fanny—will converse with Emm Gryner—independent singer/songwriter, bassist, and pianist—about Fanny, music, and activism. The main content will conclude with a musical performance. This program is part of our Lowell Lecture Series and our “Revolutionary Music: Music for Social Change” programmatic theme.

Registration is required on our event website. We plan to open doors fifteen (15) minutes in advance of the program. Following the main program, the presenters will have copies of their books available for purchase.

If you would like to attend the preceding 6/1/24 in-person only program "Film Screening — Fanny: The Right to Rock" from 1:00 to 2:45 PM, please visit this link. Please note that registration for this program does not guarantee entry for that program. You will need to register for both programs on their respective event listing if you would like to attend both programs.

About June Millington

June Millington “one of the hottest female guitarists in the industry” (Guitar Player Magazine) has been making music since she was a child playing ukulele in her native Philippines. Having moved from Manila to California in the early sixties, she and her sister, bassist Jean, turned in their folk guitars for electric guitar and bass and formed a succession of all-girl bands.

By 1969 they were in Hollywood with their band Fanny, one of the first all women’s rock bands to be signed to a major label (Reprise). Through five successful albums and extensive touring of Europe and North America, Fanny served notice that women could do more than simply sing, they could write and play passionate rock ‘n roll.

June released her autobiography Land of a Thousand Bridges: Island Girl in a Rock ‘n Roll World in 2015, and her latest CD, “Snapshots,” is now available ~ with “Girls Don’t Dream” a particular favorite of hers. Finally, Bobbi Jo Hart’s documentary, Fanny: The Right to Rock was just released and aired on PBS amid much excitement.

For more biographical information, please visit this website.

About Emm Gryner

Emm Gryner is an independent recording artist with a career that spans more than 25 years. Her albums Asianblue and Girl Versions were nominated for Pop Album of The Year at the Juno Awards. Emm appears on albums by David Bowie and Rob Zombie.

In 2013, Emm helped make the first music video in outer space when she helped arrange a new version of “Space Oddity” for astronaut Chris Hadfield. The song was recorded partly on earth and partly aboard the International Space Station. This collaboration has received more than 200 million views on YouTube.

In 2023, Emm was sought out by Def Leppard to contribute her cover of “Pour Some Sugar On Me” to their Drastic Symphonies album featuring the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. Emm contributes lead vocals to the track and performed the collaboration on BBC’s Piano Room programme.

For more biographical information, please visit her website.

This program is produced in partnership with the GBH Forum Network.

This program is part of the Lowell Lecture Series sponsored by the Lowell Institute.

“Revolutionary Music: Music for Social Change” is a year-long overview of how music has spurred social change in the United States. It is the first in a series of three thematic years leading up to the 250th anniversary of the American Revolution. "Revolutionary Music" will use a combination of programs and examples from BPL's collections to celebrate music's rich history of catalyzing social change, acting as a powerful conduit for dissent, unity, awareness, and cultural influence. From spirituals to jazz, folk, reggae, punk, and hip-hop, various music genres have echoed societal shifts and served as a voice for some of the protests and movements that have changed the course of history. Through captivating performances and discussions, curated booklists and playlists, and thought-provoking displays, the BPL is set to explore and celebrate the transformative impact of music on social change throughout the year.

Accessibility Notice: We strive to make our events accessible. To request a disability accommodation and/or language services, please contact the Adult Programs Department at [email protected] or 617-859-2129. Please allow at least two weeks to arrange for accommodations.

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