Since releasing her debut CD, "Following A Dream," in 2004, Bethesda rock guitarist and singer/songwriter Patrice Moerman (www.patricemoerman.com) has taken her career in unexpected directions. She's written more than 70 songs, and is recording and producing for a future CD. She joined The Noisy Neighbors, a classic rock band in Fairfax, VA. Moerman launched her own "school of rock," giving children and teens guitar lessons at her home.

Last year Moerman and two friends came together as Hot Flash for the inaugural Washington Mamapalooza event at Ned Devine's in Herndon, VA (www.neddevines.com/). She attended the New York Mamapalooza event with friends.

"It was a great place to meet and network with other women who are professional musicians and who share bonds as wives and mothers," Moerman says, recalling how she met Hot Flash bandmates Katy Johnson and Viqui Dill. "It's empowering for women to play music. Every year around Mother's Day, Mamapalooza shows the world current female musical talent. We attract families. People are very curious, but most of all they just enjoy music. We reflect on and laugh about domestic life." Moerman says she feels the time for mom rockers has arrived, with all the attention given to baby boomers. Moerman and her husband have been married for 28 years and have two teenagers, who consider rock music "Mom's thing."

Moerman has been busy coordinating Mamapalooza 2006-an unexpected leadership role. Case Design & Remodeling is a local sponsor, and ChickChatRadio (www.chickchatradio.com) is a national media sponsor. Susan Sonnesyn Brooks, mother of two of Moerman's music students, made a personal donation to Mamapalooza as a sponsor for the D.C. show. She is a Realtor with Bethesda-based W.C. & A.N. MILLER. Moerman also talked with Amy Reyer, director of women's programming at XM Radio (www.xmradio.com) with programs like "Take 5" on Channel 155, who said they would be directly involved in the D.C. Mamapalooza event. The lineup (see below) appears May 13 at Jammin' Java in Vienna, VA.

Moerman performs again with Hot Flash and as a solo artist, and she's still thinking about material. "We'll probably do a couple of covers, and then original material such as ‘Rock and Roll Mama' and ‘Mother's Day.'" Moerman's new offerings include "bluesy" reflections on life, women's societal roles and love to lighthearted tunes about vacuuming, too many shoes and getting a new guitar.

Joy Rose founded Mamapalooza (www.mamapalooza.com) in 2001. Mamapalooza events are now in 30 locations nationwide, in Canada, Australia and Britain. She hopes one day to have a televised Mamapalooza special. "It's truly a grassroots movement," she says. "‘If you build it, they will come,' so to speak. A lot of our events are big extravaganzas. We have all kinds of mom business owners, mom clowns and, of course, mom musicians. But it's not male bashing at all. They are family events, with a lot of loving spirit and support. Husbands will sometimes play in the band."

Rose says most musicians are compelled to make music. Sometimes, she says, they're a little crazy and tough. "Music healed me-literally," Rose says, listing her challenges over the past several years: nearly dying from lupus in 1994; surviving a kidney transplant in 2001; and divorce and single parenthood. "I learned to say it was OK to express myself in a creative way. My four kids are proud of me, and it's a good way for them-and everyone else-to see that life doesn't end at 30 or 40."

Rose heads a "glitter rock" band called "Housewives on Prozac" (www.housewivesonprozac.com), featuring songs about being a mother at midlife. Current numbers include "Mrs. President," "Eat Your Damn Spaghetti!" and "I Don't Think Like My Mother Anymore." The band enjoys a loyal following and Rose hopes to tour the D.C. area one day. Right now she concentrates on promoting Mamapalooza and extending performance opportunities to women, who are still under-represented in the music world. "Women do an enormous amount of volunteer work," she says. "It's time they got paid for their art." Rose is also starting a Museum of Motherhood in Seneca Falls, NY, securing nonprofit status.

"Rock is still seen as a guy thing. It's even more rare for a woman to play lead guitar," says drummer Katy Johnson, who plays in Hot Flash and The Noisy Neighbors, a classic rock band that performs cover songs, including Led Zeppelin and Lynyrd Skynyrd. "When we play at neighborhood parties, we try to keep the songs upbeat. I've been a big rock fan since The Beatles. My parents rented me a drum set for my 16th birthday and encouraged me to play. But girls were not encouraged to play drums and it is no fun playing drums by yourself alone in a basement, so we returned the three-month rental." Later, her husband gave her a set of drums. "I always enjoy it when girls in the audience come up to me during breaks, asking about how I got started in music, playing drums and ‘nontraditional' instruments."

Johnson will also be hosting some and performing a comedy routine during Mamapalooza. She finds it refreshing to make music with other women, the mom-related music and the fun atmosphere. "We hope everyone will join us and have a good time," she says.

Rocknoceros (www.rocknoceros.com) is an all-dad Northern Virginia band that performs original ("The Sharing Song," "Lightning Bugs," "Washing My Hands," etc.)and current children's music on drums, guitar, tambourine and harmonica. The three guys also throw in classics like "Old MacDonald" and "Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star." They appear every Wednesday morning at Jammin' Java. "There's something beautiful about a roomful of moms and toddlers singing," says lead singer David "Coach" Cotton, a stay-at-home dad to his two sons, who are three years old and 17 months old, respectively. "At a recent concert, lots of fathers and grandfathers came with the kids. That was nice to see." Cotton also feels a kinship with busy stay-at-home moms. "Deciding to stay home with the kids sometimes gets no respect. People joke about how I don't have anything to do all day. But I'm up at 6 a.m. and go to bed at midnight." And he loves it.

Cotton manages Monday open mic nights at Jammin' Java. "It's a great place for people who want to rock, but who don't want to travel into D.C.," he says. He's encouraged to see so much talent, especially among teens participating who sing and play their guitars. "It's a great way to get performance experience," he says. In addition to getting the sound system up and running, he'll be performing with Rocknoceros at Mamapalooza.

Mamapalooza is a great time-perhaps the only time, depending on their ages-for kids to see their parents play," says Viqui Dill, who lives in Winchester, VA. She and her husband, Keith, a champion fiddler, founded the bluegrass band The Dill Pickers (www.dillpickers.com). Their Whammy-winning CD contains original songs like "Freight Train Carry My Love" and bluegrass standards. Dill plays the bass. "Not too many women play the instrument," she says. "I still get a few surprised looks." She teaches summer camp classes in how to play, and she's excited that more girls are showing an interest. She plays guitar, piano and a few other instruments. "In professional music, the more instruments you play, the more work you get." For anyone in Winchester on May 20, Dill invites everyone to their Exchange Coffee House concert.

For Mamapalooza, the family band includes Dill's 16-year-old son on drums. "He's been careful to try completely different music so he won't get a place in Mom's band," she says, laughing. Dill enjoys the supportive atmosphere of all-female bands, noting that in some mixed groups, the female singers get only half the cut. "There's a sisterhood at Mamapalooza that you can't get anywhere else," says Dill. "There's so much music around, and we share and learn from each other."

Heidi Hanzel of Middleburg, VA, co-hosts ChickChat Radio with New York City-based Lara Dyan. The program airs in 15 regular markets nationwide, online at www.chickchatradio.com and podcasting via i'Tunes. They will be heard in Washington, D.C.'s WMET AM 1160 as of March 27, from 2 to 4 p.m. daily.

They talk about anything that crosses their minds, including what's happening in the world and in their lives and families. "Sometimes we end up watching a lot of TV," she cracks. Henzel is pleased about the growth of women's radio programming. "The tide is turning. Advertisers are eager to sponsor programs that will help them get the word out about their products."

Hanzel is excited about ChickChat Radio being Mamapalooza's media sponsor. Hanzel herself is a music fan. Sue Fabish and Housewives on Prozac are favorites. "Joy's band shows everyone that pink is powerful," she says. "At one time, women were put down for wearing it. These women are showing us how to win the war on frumpiness by getting out there and doing what they enjoy. Moms are so busy with husbands and children that it's difficult to find time for themselves-you can cram, stay up late, whatever, to accomplish goals, but schedule the time."

Tentative Schedule
* 3:00-Intro-Coordinators/rock
* 3:15-Rocknoceros/music for kids
* 3:30-Nila Kay Jackson/singer-songwriter
* 3:45-Dill Pickers/bluegrass
* 4:00-Nancy Dougherty/pop-rock
* 4:15-The Braeded Chord/acoustic folk
* 4:30-Patrice Moerman/rock singer-songwriter
* 4:45-Hot Flash/rock
* 5:00-Elizabeth Lawrence/blues-rock-soul
* 5:15-Yvette Barnes/singer-songwriter
* 5:30-Jenkins Hollow/roots rock
* 5:45-Jean Bayou/contemporary folk
* 6:00-One Horse Town Band/alternative country
* 6:15-Sherelle Cary Smith/jazz singer-songwriter
* 6:30-Esmirelda &The Tidbits/rock
* 6:45-Finale-coordinators/everyone