Winning Women Wednesdays: Brittany Howard, Alabama Shakes

       I've decided to start something positive, which I hope will catch on: a day celebrating awesome ladies doing their thing and doing it well. My first inductee: my favorite singer,  Brittany Howard of the Alabama Shakes. With fierce lyrics, a voice that can kill, soothe, growl, dip soul low or swing to the highest heights, this lady just has it. And I think that's rare: to just be this good at something, with practice, of course, but also with pure joy. If you've ever seen this woman perform, it's like you're not there. She loves where she's at, what she's doing and she does it exceptionally on stage and on albums. 
    There are so many women who doctor their voices, follow  a poppy formula, slap on some sexy clothing and make money. I'm not saying there's anything wrong with that formula, especially if your goal is fame and fortune. I'm not even saying that works for everyone who wants to do that, but it's a formula that is followed by many successful women, and I'm more than okay with it. It just isn't what I dig.
     But when a woman comes along, a woman who makes faces like Dave Matthews, looks unassuming, even a geek-chic, and just belts out music with a fire that melts you...it's a treasure and a thing worth sharing. Brittany Howard is one of those women. For more about Brittany Howard, sAnger extraordinaire, see this BET interview or check out the Alabama Shakes website. But, really, seeing/hearing is believing, in this case. Please enjoy two of my favorite songs, embedded below, by the Alabama Shakes and #WinningWomenWednesday feature: Brittany Howard.  

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