Part of the problem is mission creep. Allison Krause: NOT a CWAG. Plus, she doesn't suck. Patti Smith: Sometimes a CWAG, but her essence is really electric, isn't it? 2 names were not really requests for exemptions, but suggested as examples of liminality, CWAGWITUSBSAN (CWAG-who inhabit-the-uneasy-space-between-suckiness-and-nonsuckiness): Iris Dement: nonsuckiness: good debut, totally doesn’t take herself seriously; suckiness: one good song since debut and I forget what it is Tish Hinojosa: nonsuckiness: mex-tex, saw her at the same concert as Michelle Shocked and she was definitely better than that; suckiness: lapses into 60’s coffeehouse mode too much. Others Melissa Auf Der Mer: Sucks, if only because of her stupid name Dixie Chicks: stupid name X 3, they suck Patty Loveless: good name, some good stuff, a CWAGWITUSBSAN Emmylou Harris: solid, gold-plated nonsucky CWAG Janis Ian: At Seventeen-good, Society’s Child-uh, okay given the era; that whole bandwagon lesbian thing? Sucks Aimee Mann: not enough data, but the name is borderline (parents probably named her after Aimee Semple Mcpherson, which means they were weirdos or drips, which means…) Dido: um…too easy Tracy Chapman: some of her stuff is downright boring, but “Fast Car” makes her an untouchable: free pass to nonsucky status Kelly Willis: not enough data Ani Difranco: pisses too many people off to suck, she must be doing something right Joni Mitchell: like Allison Krauss, doesn’t really fit the category. Joan Baez: helped establish the CWAG type, sounds like she sings with her eyes squeezed shut, engages in Cause Hopping, warbles, doesn’t write her own stuff…in a word, sucks. Might be the MOACWAGWS.
She's not a chick with an acoustic guitar per se, though. And besides, Til Tuesday were decent enough and she sang backing vocals on a Rush album.
Actually, what are the rules on performers who aren't guitarists but still fit the 'annoying girls with acoustic guitars' category, e.g. Tori Amos?
Yes, Tori Amos would definately fit this thread, perhaps a mod should rename it "Annoying Chick Musicians"
Going back to the chicks-with-basses-that-rock sidethread, I'd like to recommend Fontaine Toups of Versus (I think she was also in Air Miami for awhile). I had a humungous crush on Fontaine for a long time. Versus is a good band but I saw an inordinate number of Versus' shows due to my admiration of the lovely Ms. Toups. Plus, Fontaine Toups is a great name. Murf