June Millington and her sister Jean have been playing music since they were children strumming ukuleles in the Philippines. When they moved to the US in the ’60’s they turned in their acoustic guitars for electric and formed a succession of all-girl bands that eventually became Fanny, one of the first all- female rock bands to be signed to a major label. Fanny soon began recording and touring worldwide with bands like Chicago and Dr. John. It was while recording in major studios with engineers like Apple’s Geoff Emerick that Millington began to study the art of sound recording and producing.
After Fanny, June became involved in the women’s music movement when she was asked to play on and tour behind Cris Williamson’s The Changer and the Changed, which would become the defining album of that genre. “Women’s music” quickly evolved into an independent feminist music network that included (often collectively run) production companies,venues, festivals, record labels, and distribution networks. It was in that genre that Millington began to produce albums for, among others, Williamson, singer-songwriter Holly Near and jazz pianist and composer MaryWatkins.
June and Jean continued to record and perform throughout the 80’s and 90’s – with Jean taking time off to raise her two children and June, together with her partner Ann Hackler, founding the Institute for the Musical Arts (IMA). The Institute is a teaching, performing and recording facility dedicated to supporting women and girls in music and music–related business. Millington is the Artistic Director of IMA, which, as part of its mission, runs summer rock PROGRAMS
for girls and young women. June and Jean’s latest CD, Play Like a Girl is for the girls.
