The document discusses blues guitarist Etta Baker who challenged the notion that women did not make significant contributions to the blues tradition of the American South from the 1920s-1950s. While a few women like Ma Rainey and Bessie Smith achieved fame, most female blues artists like Baker were overlooked as record producers primarily recorded male blues artists. Baker performed throughout her region but was never recorded commercially. After retiring from factory work, she began performing publicly in the 1970s, bringing overdue recognition to the important role women played in early southern blues.