Linda Shear

Linda Shear (born 1948 in Chicago, Illinois) is a singer/songwriter and piano player. She performed in concert as an out lesbian in 1972, and soon after began performing with her band, Family of Woman. Chicago was also the home to the Chicago Women's Liberation Rock Band. Following the dissolution of Family of Woman, Shear began touring and released her album A Lesbian Portrait on her own independent record label, Old Lady Blue Jeans in 1974. She performed in concert and at Women's Music festivals, including the Michigan Womyn's Music Festival.

Although Shear had little commercial success, she remains a cult figure in some lesbian circles. She was interviewed in the 2002 documentary, Radical Harmonies and appeared on the breast cancer research benefit CD, High Risk.

On September 28, 2008, after 25 years of domestic partnership, Linda married Windflower Townley. They live in Northern California. Townley is an Organizational Development Consultant. Shear, who earned an MBA in 1982, is a CPA with her own practice specializing in tax, including domestic partnership tax issues.