Ani DiFranco

She has her own Righteous Babe record label, which allows her to make music and perform on her own terms. She never signed with a label, and has served as a template for how a singer/songwriter can find success without a record deal.

Ani releases an album about once a year, which is much more prolific than most major label acts.

In early 2005, she was diagnosed with tendonitis and couldn't play for months.