Ann Wilson of Heart Headlines Women Who Rock’s Benefit Supporting the 'Rebels' of Women’s Health Research

The "Barracuda" singer toured Magee-Womens Research Institute in Pittsburgh ahead of the concert, presented by Gibson Gives

Ann Wilson, along with her band Tripsitter, headlined Women Who Rock’s 6th annual benefit concert on Saturday at Stage AE in Pittsburgh.

The event, presented by Gibson Gives, raised funds for Magee-Womens Research Institute (MWRI), the largest independent research institution in the country dedicated to women’s health and reproductive biology. MWRI works in seven areas of research: reproductive development, pregnancy and newborn medicine, infectious diseases, gynecology, reproductive endocrinology and infertility.

Wilson, 73, was given a private tour of the facility’s labs ahead of the show, commending “the whole process of what they’re trying to do to help women” get on “equal footing with men in the medical world.”

Discussing equality in her own music career, Wilson told PEOPLE ahead of Saturday's show, "I really feel like I'm back in power again. So it's really been a great progression. It's just a matter of taking it."

Related: Heart's Ann Wilson, 73, Addresses Aging and Body Acceptance: 'Everyone Is Allowed to Be Sexy and Powerful' (Exclusive)

The legendary artist, who performed hits like “Magic Man” and “Crazy on You,” along with “This Is Now,” off her new solo album, Another Door, told concertgoers that “it was interesting to learn” that up until recently, “men were the default model in all the medical books. There were no women’s bodies, you know, or women’s issues discussed, so doctors just learned on men."

Wilson gave a shout-out to MWRI’s “rebels” as fans cheered her on. Earlier in the night, MWRI's Jocelyn Fitzgerald, MD FACOG, was presented with the 2023 Women Who Rock Impact Award.

“I just wanted to thank you from the bottom of my heart for being here tonight,” Women Who Rock’s founder Melinda Colaizzi addressed supporters after percussion ensemble Timbeladies commanded the crowd's attention.

She continued, “I know almost every single person in this room and you all have created this. From day one, when this was a small little concert at the Hard Rock Cafe.”

“You, Pittsburgh, have helped us build this,” the singer-songwriter said, thanking her event committee, Magee-Womens and its CEO Michael Annichine, “who believed in this from the first concert. Thank you so much.”

Annichine then took the stage before The Vindys and 2023 "rising star" Sloane Simon opened the show, which was emceed by Michele Michaels of WDVE Rocks, with beats provided by DJ Madame Trio.

“Thank you to Melinda and the Women Who Rock team,” Annichine began, also expressing his gratitude for the volunteers, the artists, and sponsors like GBU Life.

“We raised over $280,000 before we opened the doors tonight thanks to the sponsors,” Annichine shared, adding, "We have raised millions of dollars for women’s health research and we’ve created awareness internationally for what we’re doing. We will be the St. Jude’s of women’s health someday.”

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Related: Barbra Streisand Says It's 'Unacceptable' that Women Don't Receive High-Quality Heart Health Care

Throughout the night, guests contributed to the cause by shopping at vendor booths like The Haute Wick and The SōL Collective, scooping up Women Who Rock merch, and bidding in a silent auction, with custom WWR guitars signed by Wilson and Jordin Sparks, who headlined WWR's 2022 benefit concert.

"Disco Queen" cocktails, complete with disco ball straws, a rock 'n' roll throne photo booth, champagne wall, pink carpet — and VIP gift bags by The Skin Center — all sparked glamorous posts on social media to raise awareness.

Women Who Rock, whose mission is to champion women in music along with raising women’s health awareness, expanded globally in March when they formed a partnership with the Hard Rock Cafe, putting over 150 female artists on stages all over the world.

“We helped to take Magee-Womens Research Institute’s mission and name outside of Pittsburgh all over the world to match their global work and this is just the start of it, so thank you so much," Colaizzi said. "Thank you to Ann Wilson, I can’t even believe I get to say those words."

Colaizzi adds to PEOPLE that one of the highlights was hearing Wilson’s mash-up of her 1987 hit “Alone” into a cover of Led Zeppelin’s “Going to California.”

“I will never forget it," she says.

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