She’s back.

After performing at Western in 1998 for the first time, folk singer Gerri Gribi is returning tonight to perform “A Musical Romp Through Women’s History,” at the Carroll Knicely Conference Center Auditorium on South Campus.

Women’s studies professor Jane Olmsted said that Gribi performed well, and she wanted her to return for another performance.

“She has such a different way of portraying women through song,” Olmsted said. “She’s got a beautiful voice, she’s got a very engaging personality and has done a lot of research.”

Gribi, a musician, educator and historian, has been touring North America for 20 years. At the age of 15, she sang as one of the youngest members of the Cincinnati May Festival Chorus and has been ranked among the Top Ten Artists by the National Women’s Radio Play List.

On her Web site, Gribi said she has been singing folk songs since she was a little girl. She realized that most songs portrayed women as victims and said she wanted to find songs that portray women in a more positive light.

Students will also have an active role in the upcoming concert. Glasgow sophomore Amanda Biggs, Bowling Green senior Stacie Johnson and Bowling Green sophomore Kelly Pearl will perform the song “Share Your Gift” with Gribi.

Pearl, a music major, said she is exited about the performance. She got involved after a girl in one of her classes was looking for someone to perform in Gribi’s concert.

“I thought that would be a good opportunity,” Pearl said.

Besides performing on Thursday, Gribi will talk with students in Molly Kerby’s Introduction into Women’s Studies class Friday morning and will perform at the Women’s Studies Awards Luncheon.

Olmsted said she expects it to be a great performance.

“It is an event to look at the positive contribution of women, and it is a time to feel good about what we are doing,” she said.

Reach Marlene Brueggemann at [email protected].