Why don't more people know about Alice Stuart? The question holds weight, given that she ranks among the earliest women in rock. She became one of the first to handle every role herself, serving as guitarist, fronting her own group, and appearing on international rock tours, all while matching the intensity of any peer. In earlier decades Stuart joined Van Morrison for a tour across Great Britain and shared stages with Frank Zappa & the Mothers of Invention. California-based guitarist Stuart has been named by Bonnie Raitt as one of her key influences.
After leaving Chelan, WA, Stuart moved to Seattle once high school ended. Her first opportunities came at the folk venue Pamir House, followed by a regular slot on the weekly Seattle-area television show Hootenanny. She also played the World's Fair in 1961. Exposure to the work of Furry Lewis, Blind Willie McTell, and Bessie Smith convinced her that blues was the direction she wanted to pursue. At the Berkeley Folk Festival in 1964 she struck up a friendship with Mississippi John Hurt, returned to the event in 1966, and appeared once more four years later. Over the ensuing period she shared bills with Hurt, Rosalie Sorrells, Jack Elliott, Doc Watson, Jerry Ricks, Phil Ochs, and Joan Baez.
Stuart eventually made her home in Berkeley, where she assembled a band in 1968 and often performed alongside blues figures that included Hurt, Jesse Fuller, and Lightnin' Hopkins. During the Mothers of Invention's formative period she aligned herself with Zappa both professionally and romantically after meeting him in California. Their contrasting musical approaches led to the end of the relationship. When it dissolved, Stuart withdrew from view and relocated to Virginia City, NV. Years afterward she returned to Berkeley and began working with guitarist John Shine. Her songwriting flourished at that time, prompting her to send a demo to Fantasy. She soon formed the band Snake, recruiting bassist Karl Sevareid and drummer Bob Jones. Her trailblazing efforts cleared ground for later female artists such as Raitt, Joan Jett, Melissa Etheridge, and Chrissie Hynde. Several performers have covered Stuart's material, among them Kate Wolf, Irma Thomas, and Jackie DeShannon.
