Pioneering guitarist June Millington to play Honolulu benefit show

June Millington, a groundbreaking Filipino-American guitarist and songwriter who made history as part of the rock band Fanny, is coming to Honolulu for a live showcase and fundraiser Wednesday at Kaka‘ako Agora.

In a perfect world, every rock ’n’ roll aficionado would know about Fanny, which bridged the worlds of hard rock, glam and pop in the late ’60s and early ’70s, broke down barriers and made history in the process.

The all-female band signed a major label contract in 1969, becoming the first all-women rock band to do so. In 2007, the Berklee College of Music and the ROCKRGRL organization recognized the achievement by presenting the band with a Women of Valor Award, putting Fanny in the company of Patti Smith, and Ann and Nancy Wilson of Heart.

Fame didn’t come for the band and its members, but that doesn’t take away from their achievements. No less an authority than David Bowie told Rolling Stone, “One of the most important female bands in American rock has been buried without a trace. And that is Fanny. They were one of the finest rock bands of their time, in about 1973. They were extraordinary.”

Millington, the band’s former lead guitarist, formed Fanny with younger sister and bassist Jean Millington, drummer Alice de Buhr and keyboardist Nicole “Nickey” Barclay, who had toured with Joe Cocker’s Mad Dogs and Englishmen revue.

The group signed with Warner Brothers’ Reprise Records in 1969 and toured worldwide, becoming an inspiration to the women in rock who would follow. Their influence also transcended gender, as demonstrated by Bowie’s appreciation.

“If there were no Fanny, there would be no Runaways, no Go-Go’s, no Bangles … just to mention a few. They kicked the door down for you guys to walk through!” said Earl Slick, Bowie’s guitarist, who just happened to marry Jean Millington.

June and Jean Millington played their part in raising the band’s status and earning the respect of their rock ’n’ roll peers. But the pressures of the industry wore on June; she left in 1973, shortly after the release of the band’s fifth album, “Mother’s Pride,” which was produced by Todd Rundgren, and was replaced by Patti Quatro (sister of Suzi).

She went on to forge a long career producing albums, including many titles identified with a burgeoning women’s music movement of the ’80s.

Also in the ’80s, Millington lived for a time on Hawaii island, where she recorded music for the 1988 album, “One World, One Heart,” and she still has friends in and connections to Hawaii.

June and Jean Millington continued to record and release albums together after Fanny disbanded, most recently in the group Slammin’ Babes.

June Millington co-founded the Institute for the Musical Arts, a Northampton, Mass., nonprofit, in 1986. The institute’s mission is to support women and girls in music and music-related businesses, with workshops and programs including a rock ’n’ roll camp for girls. Her concert in Honolulu will support the nonprofit.

Millington will play music that spans her career and will read sections from her autobiography, “Land of a Thousand Bridges.”