Cris Williamson, born February 15, 1947 in Deadwood, South Dakota, is an American feminist singer-songwriter. She began her musical journey at a young age, taking piano lessons and developing a style influenced by Judy Collins. At sixteen, she released her first album, The Artistry of Cris Williamson. After graduating from the University of Denver, Williamson collaborated with other women musicians. In 1973, she co-founded Olivia Records, an independent label aimed at giving gay women a voice in the cultural mainstream. The label's first release was The Changer and the Changed (1975), which became one of the best-selling independent albums of all time and is considered a groundbreaking album within the women's music genre.
