I, too, have thought a bit about my relative my lack of connection with female artists, Dan. I really got into the debut discs by The Pretenders and Lone Justice, but they lost me over the long haul. And I think no one on my list exceeds Lucinda Williams for talent and tenacity. I really enjoy the Spector produced "girl groups"; there's no more euphoric Christmas album than A Christmas Gift For You. I'm not sure where and why admiration tips into the personal connection column. But I'm hopeful there's a young lady out there, strumming alone in her bedroom to the Velvet Underground and Nico, just waiting to freak her folks out with her interpretation of Heroin, or There She Goes Again.

Peter T.