Suffragette City's 12-Year Old Concert Promoter
Women's Right to Rock!

By Margaret Michniewicz

This is an excerpt of an article we originally published in March 2004. Now twelve years old, Marissa Legott’s involvement with Women’s Rights 2 Rock continues; so please enjoy this encore publishing of the article outlining Marissa’s role in founding and promoting Women’s Rights 2 Rock.

Marissa Grace Legott has become a concert
promoter in the name of
Women's Rights and Rock and Roll.
Marissa Grace Legott recalls how she came home from school one day and declared: “Dad — we have to throw a concert in the park, like the ones you organize—but with just female artists.”
He said, “Marissa, you’re a genius!”

This genius, who was eight years old at the time, is bright-eyed and all smiles as she tells the history of the annual rock concert that bears her name. Female-fronted bands or women musicians perform along the riverfront as Seneca Falls celebrates “Convention Days” in July. “My hopes for the first one was just that a bunch of people would be coming down to see some of the great entertainment! We had acts from Rochester and Syracuse coming all the way here, so I just hoped for a good turnout!”

The reaction from Marissa’s friends was “WOW, that’s cool! That’s a great idea!”

Legott’s dad, Mark, says that they have been receiving “tons of press kits & promotional packages from tons of musicians all over the Northeast, since this thing began.” Marissa and Mark share in the selection process. If she could invite anyone in the world to play at the event, Marissa answers “it would be Sandy Stones formerly of Vermont, but she is already coming!!! So, I guess it would be either Avril Lavigne or Natalie Merchant. I have always loved Natalie Merchant because my Dad used to put me to sleep listening to her when I was around 2. And I love Avril Lavigne because ‘She Rocks!’”

The enthusiasm for music that both Legotts share is matched by an obvious appreciation of the historic importance of their community. The cover of the program describes it as “A Celebration of Seneca Falls, New York, Birthplace of the Women’s Rights Movement.” Marissa refers to living “here at our home in Historic Seneca Falls, N.Y.” She credits the inspiration of her idea for the festival as learning in school about her community’s history. “I love growing up in Seneca Falls, we are very proud of our community. Besides Elizabeth Cady Stanton organizing the 1848 Convention, I know she must have been a very important woman, because they named my school after her!”

“My favorite moment of the “Women’s Rights 2 Rock” is when I get to introduce some of the acts during the concert, it is so exciting!” Legott continues, “As for the future of the “Women’s Rights 2 Rock”, I just want it to continue to grow to where everyone knows about it, and maybe that’s what it would take for people to finally come here to Seneca Falls and learn about all of the women’s history and witness some of the best female artists in the Northeast, perform for FREE!”

Rock on, Marissa.

The 5th annual Women’s Rights 2 Rock will be held on July 14 – 16 in Seneca Falls, NY and will feature in its lineup former Vermont woman rocker Sandy Stones. For info call (315) 568-1219 or visit myspace.com/womensrightstorock.