Getting the sounds out: Outvoice provides an online resource for indie gay and lesbian musicians. (music).

Within the grassroots area of the music business, there are few reliable sources of basic information and guidance--leaving artists isolated and often prey to misinformation. With Outvoice.com, San Francisco writer Daniel Jenkins has done his part to change that.

The three-year-old Internet service strives to provide queer musicians with a reliable source of information as well as a forum to swap industry news, survival tips, and moral support. Initially formed as an E-mail list, Outvoice has grown to include a Web site that offers music reviews, release information, and unofficial Top 40 charts based on visitor votes.

"We're not all George Michael or Melissa Etheridge, and it's nice to have a place to go where the rest of us can go for information and recognition," notes indie drag-pop artist Yolanda, whose Welcome to Yolanda World was a chart favorite in 1999.

For Jenkins, Outvoice is a labor of love. "I started Outvoice because I wanted to reflect the music of our community. It's amazing to see how it's grown and how it has the potential to go even farther as the gay music world grows."