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Melissa Etheridge
Melissa Etheridge
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Melissa Etheridge became one of the most popular recording artists of the '90s due to her mixture of confessional lyrics, pop-based folk-rock, and raspy, Janis Joplin/Rod Stewart-esque vocals. But the road to stardom was not all smooth sailing for Etheridge as she debated behind the scenes whether or not to disclose to the public that she was gay early on in her career. Born May 29, 1961, in Leavenworth, KS, Etheridge first picked up the guitar at the age of eight and began penning her own songs shortly thereafter. Playing in local bands throughout her teens, Etheridge then attended the renowned Berklee College of Music in Boston, MA. The up-and-coming singer/songwriter and guitarist dropped out after a year before making her way to Los Angeles in the early '80s to give a shot at a career in music. Etheridge's music at this point was slightly more bluesy than her subsequently renowned folk-pop style, as a demo of original compositions caught the attention of Bill Leopold, who signed on as Etheridge's manager. Soon after, steady gigs began coming her way, including a five-night-a-week residency at the Executive Suite in Long Beach, which led to a bidding war between such major record labels as A&M, Capitol, EMI, and Warner Bros., but it was Island Records that Etheridge decided to go with.

Etheridge's first recorded work appeared on the forgotten soundtrack to the Nick Nolte prison movie Weeds before her self-titled debut was issued in 1988. The album quickly drew comparisons to such heavyweights as Bruce Springsteen and John Mellencamp, as it spawned the hit single "Bring Me Some Water" and earned gold certification. In the wake of the album's success, Etheridge performed at the Grammy Awards the following year and contributed vocals to Don Henley's The End of the Innocence. Etheridge managed to avoid the dreaded sophomore slump with 1989's Brave and Crazy, which followed the same musical formula as its predecessor and proved to be another gold-certified success. It would be nearly three years before Etheridge's next studio album appeared, however, and 1992 signaled the arrival of Never Enough, an album that proved to be more musically varied.

But it was Etheridge's fourth release that would prove to be her massive commercial breakthrough. Tired of rumors and questions regarding her sexuality, Etheridge decided to put the speculation to rest once and for all, titling the album Yes I Am. Ex-Police producer Hugh Padgham guided the album, which spawned two major MTV/radio hits with "I'm the Only One" and "Come to My Window" (the latter of which featured a video with movie actress Juliette Lewis); the album would sell a staggering six million copies in the U.S. during a single-year period and earned a 1995 Grammy Award for Best Female Rock Vocalist. But subsequent releases failed to match the success of Yes I Am, including 1995's Your Little Secret, 1999's Breakdown, and 2001's Skin, the latter of which dealt with her separation from Julie Cypher. (Cypher had birthed the couple's two children via artificial insemination; CSN&Y's David Crosby was the father.)

2002 saw the release of Etheridge's autobiography, The Truth Is: My Life in Love and Music, and 2004's Lucky was her celebration of a new romance. Later that same year Etheridge revealed that she'd been diagnosed with breast cancer. But early detection allowed for recovery, and she gave strength to many of those stricken by the disease with a powerful performance of Janis Joplin's "Piece of My Heart" at the 47th Annual Grammys, held in February 2005. That September Etheridge released Greatest Hits: The Road Less Traveled, a compilation of career highlights and new material. It featured a cover of Tom Petty's "Refugee" as well as "Piece of My Heart" and a new song dedicated to breast cancer survivors. In 2007 Etheridge released her first studio album of new material in three years, The Awakening, on Island, following it a year later in 2008 with a holiday album, A New Thought for Christmas, also on Island. ~ Greg Prato, All Music GuideMore

Official Profile

Melissa Etheridge
Melissa Etheridge became one of the most popular recording artists of the '90s due to her mixture of...
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Most Popular Music Videos (15)

Angels Would Fall
(Duration: 4:14)
Jul 25th, 9:46pm
This Moment
(Duration: 3:30)
Jul 28th, 7:28am
Come To My Window
(Duration: 3:57)
Jul 15th, 2:02am
I'm The Only One
(Duration: 5:48)
Jul 15th, 1:43am
Bring Me Some Water
(Duration: 3:52)
Jul 22nd, 3:21am
Bring Me Some Water
(Duration: 7:20)
Jul 15th, 2:12am
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Fan Comments

Nov 25th, 2:51pm
Dude - you should put a song or three up here for listening. Folks who already like you would appreciate the gesture, and the curious would learn what you are about.
-C.
Oct 11th, 11:32pm
melissa etheridge is one of my all-time favorites... i've also been listening to a lot of brandi carlile - check out her new album give up the ghost in stores now! http://www.imeem.com/artists/brandi_carlile/
Aug 12th, 3:28am
Thank you for the add. Love ya
Jul 29th, 3:37am
TY for the add-love your music:)
Jul 9th, 1:34am
Hey Melissa
Thanks for the add-on
Post Ya' later
Jun 30th, 11:49pm
Thank u for the friend add ur music has such soul keep them coming
Jun 24th, 5:31pm Last edited Jun 24th, 5:33pm.




HAVE A WONDERFUL DAY!
Feb 26th, 9:42pm
damn...how do i make her one of my friends????