Reprinted from The L-word Music

Everyone's already talking about the Season 2 closing song, "Testimony," covered by Sweet Honey in the Rock. However, we have to focus on the writer and original performer of that song, Ferron. With so much focus on contemporary music in the show, it was great to see a tip of the hat to one of the favorite on the lesbian music scene since the late 1970s.

Like many artists Ferron is a jill of all trades. She has been a cab driver, waitress, factory worker, and many other different things all so she could pursue her art. She was born June 2, 1952 and grew up in Vancouver, British Colombia. When she was fifteen she moved out to become a starving musician and came out with two albums, both in the late seventies ("Ferron" and "Ferron Backed Up") while supporting herself with her various jobs.

She then met her first manager, Gayle Scott, and released two more albums, "Testimony" in 1980 and "Shadows On A Dime" in 1984. She gained a large following and a four star rating from "Rolling Stone" for her 1984 album. Not being used to the all the attention she retreated from the music scene to write what was in her heart and get back to who she truly was. She took up her practice of supporting herself with various types of jobs, and then moved to the United States where she released four more albums; "Phantom Center" in 1990, "Resting With the Question" in 1992, "Not A Still Life" also in 1992, and "Driver" in 1994.

She had a short lived contract with Warner Bros. Records which released "Still Riot" in 1996, but the deal soured. Ferron then took to touring and songwriter workshops until she gathered her feet back under herself to release, "Turning Into Beautiful" in 2005. This album was truly a biographical needle pointing straight to the core of Ferron's life. Anyone interested in hearing the story of a artist who has traveled the extent of the artist's journey need look no further. The quality of her work alone recommends her, but there is such an honesty to her lyrics that the listener can not help but be touched by their message.

In the closing scene of the Season 2 finale of The L Word, Bette and Tina's baby is introduced to her "family"ÑBette and Tina's extended family. The season ends with the baby being passed to each woman, ending with these lyrics from the title track of Ferron's Testimony cd:

Listen, there are waters
Hidden from us
In the maze we find them still
We'll take you to them
You take your young ones
May they take their own in turn
But by your lives be you spirit
And by your hearts be you women
And by your eyes be you open
And by your hands be you whole

Two other tracks from the Testimony album, "Our Purpose Here" and "Ain 't Life a Brook" resonated deeply with lesbians. "Ain't Life a Brook" was thought of as THE lesbian break up song of its day. It's the story of the breakup of a long term couple who go through the pain of the separation end up being friends.