Odes To the Semi-Serious

Part 4: the songs continue

The Rainbow Girls are about more than sweet harmonies and audience interplay.


Caitlin Gowdey with some folky hardtime blues.

In collaboration with Jeremy Lyon of King Dream, this is Caitlin’s first public debut - last September - with a new instrument: drums. A cover of a Pixies tune. (A slight lowering of the volume may be necessary.)

From an in-home original in January 2017 about the Standing Rock protests.

Jeremy Lyon takes the lead here with a King Dream original he wrote. The video notes include “featuring sneak attack cameo by Lorenzo Loera of The California Honeydrops.” July 2020.

A flashback to an earlier time (March 2015) when a harder rock prevailed and shortly before drummer Savannah Hughes left the band.

And an earlier offering (Oct 2012) when Savannah and Cheyenne Methman (here on vocals, keyboards, kazoo and washboard) were part of the original quintet. Might aptly be defined as Rock with a distinct Spaghetti Western flavor.

Fast forwarding to a Josh Ritter cover from last October. Quite the change, like the Andrews Sisters, but more playful.

It’ll be rare that I’ll highlight such an extensive playlist in this newsletter. As the light at the end of a pandemic comes into view, their vast array of genres and musicians covered, their multi-instrument mastery, a good selection of oldies classics and Rainbow Girls originals plus their personalities offer a respite many of us need.

I don’t know any of them personally and there’s no financial incentive in displaying their works. I’m sure Marlene would find them fun, too.

Vanessa May takes the lead in this release from last July, an original song first released in 2017.

A Dr. Dog cover from last July at the height of the pandemic’s summer wave.

And let’s close out this newsletter with two well-knowns. This one a naptime special also released last July, a cover of an Everly Brothers classic but with a closing twist that’s pure Rainbow Girls.

And how about a classic Sam Cooke song he released in 1962? Again with a pair of musicians residing in their covid bubble on a ranch in northern California. Jeremy Lyon joins in and Lorenzo Loera of the California Honeydrops adds a nice piano solo. Also a release from last July, perhaps their most productive with at least 8 new videos.

Be forewarned. The next will be the longest, but will also contain many of their best efforts. Some will delight and some will wow you. It’ll sure grant you a great selection you can listen to all weekend.

Still meant as a tribute to the talents and accomplishments of women.