After two years in the works, Ellen Rosner's latest CD Ready, Steady, GO! started its engines at a release party June 4 at the Hideout nightclub.

Although she has the timeless rock 'n' roll and soulful sound of a young Chrissie Hynde, Chris Isaak or Melissa Etheridge on most of the album, Ellen delivers blues flavoring on the songs 'Same Old' and 'Simple Release,' showing her influences courtesy of Ruth Brown and Chicago's own Mavis Staples.

While the Midwest has produced outstanding female singer-songwriters like Etheridge and Sheryl Crow, Rosner is Chicago through and through. Born and raised in the Windy City, as a teenager Ellen would play guitar along Lake Michigan in Rogers Park. Like her material, she sports the approachable attitude that Midwesterners are renowned for.

'Princess' and 'The Traveling Song' are two exceptional cuts from Ready, Steady, GO! Rosner feels she is in bloom with this being her best work to date. On this her third album, Ellen adds that this set has a sense of continuity, 'the biggest themes are about growing up and coming to terms with mundane everydayness.' Unlike some artists with albums lacking coherence, Rosner describes Ready, Steady, Go! as covering the ideas about how it is a 'big sin to be average—there is something special about being average, this is my reconciliation with that.'

The Chicago rocker returns on GO! with her creative counterpart, Chuck Harling, her drummer of six years and one of the album's co-producers. The band is completed with bassist Melissa Kempfer and there is a special guest appearance by guitarist Tom Valenzano of the band Loomis. John Abbey adds masterful co-production and engineering—the project was recorded at his New Soup Studios here in Chicago.

As a singer, guitarist and songwriter, Rosner fittingly was one of the contributors to organize Ladyfest Midwest, a chapter of the international showcase of female musicians and poets.

The online shop at cdbaby.com will be acting as the sole carrier of Ready, Steady, GO!, where it is currently in stock.

On Saturday, June 11, Ellen will be opening once again for Sophie B. Hawkins at the House of Blues Back Porch Stage.

The out and loud chanteuse and comedian, Lea DeLaria, will be co-hosting the Out Music Awards with Chicago's very own Jinx Titanic. Lea is scheduled to make an in-store appearance at the Lakeview Borders on June 11 to promote her latest CD Double Standards. As a Broadway veteran, DeLaria performed in On the Town, even sang the musical's 'I Can Cook Too' on the compilation My Favorite Broadway—Leading Ladies among standard staples like Julie Andrews, Linda Eder and Jennifer Holiday. Lea also portrayed both Edie and Dr. Scott in the 2000 Broadway Revival of The Rocky Horror Picture Show. On Double Standards Lea reinterprets pop hits into jazz standards, including a stripped, down-tempo deadpan version of Blondie's hit 'Call Me.' Also on her sophomore effort, she puts her own twist on No Doubt's 'Just a Girl' and brings new meaning to 'Black Hole Sun' by Soundgarden.

As one of the Chicago acts nominated for an Out Music Award, The Kimi Hayes Band is up for Best New Recording by a Band for the recent album Red 14. The quartet will rock out with many live dates lined up this summer including the Milwaukee Pride Festival, the 40th Annual Andersonville Midsommarfest, Naperfest in Naperville, Milwaukee Summerfest and a special show at Navy Pier.

In the midst of a national tour, The Indigo Girls are releasing their long-awaited Rarities collection June 14 on Sony. This set spans their entire career, highlighted by demos, covers and 'I'll Give You My Skin' featuring R.E.M.'s Michael Stipe. While more tour dates are being added to their current schedule, the Indigo Girls will be making a stop at The Michigan Women's Fest on Aug. 12.

Also on tour is Me'shell Ndegeocello, who brought her soulful, jazz and funk hybrid to the Park West June 5. The multi-instrumentalist is best known for her breakout hit 'If That's Your Boyfriend He Wasn't Last Night' and her duet with John Mellencamp 'Wild Nights.' While Dance of the Infidels was released overseas earlier this year, the set is due out stateside on June 21 via Shanachie Records. Infidels captures the Grammy nominee's jam-session-like live shows and features Sabina Sciubba, Cassandra Wilson and Lalah Hathaway as collaborating vocalists.

Night owls cringe whenever commercials use an alarm clock too similar to their own. Luckybitchradio.com radio 'podcaster' Wanda Wisdom is offering personalized wake-up calls to her listeners. The Minneapolis-based drag queen is encouraging her subscribing audience to fill out a request at bitchradio.com for a very special wake-up call. Based on the success of the initial series of alarm calls, Wanda just may hit redial.