Melissa Lou Etheridge (born May 29, 1961) is an American singer, songwriter, musician, and guitarist. Her
eponymous debut album was released in 1988 and became an underground success. It peaked at No. 22 on the
''Billboard'' 200 and its lead single, "
Bring Me Some Water", garnered Etheridge her first
Grammy Award
The Grammy Awards (stylized as GRAMMY), or simply known as the Grammys, are awards presented by the Recording Academy of the United States to recognize "outstanding" achievements in the music industry. They are regarded by many as the most pr ...
nomination for
Best Rock Vocal Performance, Female
The Grammy Award for Best Female Rock Vocal Performance was an award presented at the Grammy Awards, a ceremony that was established in 1958 and originally called the Gramophone Awards, to female recording artists for works (songs or albums) conta ...
in
1989
File:1989 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: The Cypress Street Viaduct, Cypress structure collapses as a result of the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake, killing motorists below; The proposal document for the World Wide Web is submitted; The Exxo ...
.
Her second album, ''
Brave and Crazy
''Brave and Crazy'' is the second album by singer-songwriter Melissa Etheridge, released in 1989 (see 1989 in music). As of 2010, the album has sold 632,000 copies in the United States alone, according to Nielsen SoundScan.
Track listing
All ...
'', appeared that same year and earned Etheridge two more Grammy nominations. In 1992, Etheridge released her third album, ''
Never Enough'', and its lead single, "Ain't It Heavy", won Etheridge her first Grammy Award.
In 1993, she released what would become her mainstream breakthrough album: ''
Yes I Am''. Its tracks "
I'm the Only One
"I'm the Only One" is a song by American singer-songwriter Melissa Etheridge from her fourth studio album, '' Yes I Am'' (1993). It was released as the first single in September 1993, reaching number 12 in Canada and number 26 in the Netherlands. ...
", "
If I Wanted To
"If I Wanted To" is a song by American singer, Melissa Etheridge. It was released in 1994 as the final single from Etheridge's 1993 studio album, '' Yes I Am'', and entered the top 50 in Australia, Canada, Iceland, and the United States.
Criti ...
", and "
Come to My Window
"Come to My Window" is a song by American singer-songwriter Melissa Etheridge, released as the second single from her fourth studio album, '' Yes I Am'' (1993). This was the first song to become a hit after Etheridge publicly announced that she ...
" all reached the Top 40 in the United States, while the latter earned Etheridge her second Grammy Award.
''Yes I Am'' spent 138 weeks on the ''Billboard'' 200, peaking at No. 15,
[ and earned a ]RIAA
The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) is a trade organization that represents the music recording industry in the United States. Its members consist of record labels and distributors that the RIAA says "create, manufacture, and/ ...
certification of 6× Platinum
Platinum is a chemical element with the symbol Pt and atomic number 78. It is a dense, malleable, ductile, highly unreactive, precious, silverish-white transition metal. Its name originates from Spanish , a diminutive of "silver".
Pla ...
, her largest selling album to date. Her fifth album, ''Your Little Secret
''Your Little Secret'' is the fifth album by singer-songwriter Melissa Etheridge, released in 1995. It was her most successful album on the ''Billboard'' 200, where it peaked at number six. The album also contained three singles, " Your Little ...
'', was released in 1995 and peaked at No. 6 on the ''Billboard'' 200, her highest charting album to date.[ Its tracks "Nowhere to Go" and "]I Want to Come Over
"I Want to Come Over" is a song by American singer-songwriter Melissa Etheridge. It was released in late January 1996 as the second single from her fifth studio album, '' Your Little Secret'' (1995). The song was a commercial success, reaching n ...
" both reached the Top 40 in the United States.
Etheridge achieved further success with her albums '' Breakdown'' (1999), ''Skin
Skin is the layer of usually soft, flexible outer tissue covering the body of a vertebrate animal, with three main functions: protection, regulation, and sensation.
Other animal coverings, such as the arthropod exoskeleton, have different ...
'' (2001), and '' Lucky'' (2004). In October 2004, she was diagnosed with breast cancer, and underwent surgery and chemotherapy. At the 2005 Grammy Awards
The 47th Annual Grammy Awards were held on February 13, 2005, at the Staples Center in Los Angeles honoring the best in music for the recording of the year beginning from October 1, 2003, through September 30, 2004. They were hosted by Queen Lati ...
, she made a return to the stage, performing a tribute to Janis Joplin
Janis Lyn Joplin (January 19, 1943 – October 4, 1970) was an American singer and musician. One of the most successful and widely known rock stars of her era, she was noted for her powerful mezzo-soprano vocals and "electric" stage presence.
...
with Joss Stone
Joscelyn Eve Stoker (born 11 April 1987), known professionally as Joss Stone, is an English singer, songwriter and actress. She rose to prominence in late 2003 with her multi-platinum debut album, ''The Soul Sessions'', which made the 2004 Merc ...
. Stone began the performance with " Cry Baby" and Etheridge, bald from chemotherapy, joined her to perform the song "Piece of My Heart
"Piece of My Heart" is a romantic soul love song written by Jerry Ragovoy and Bert Berns, originally recorded by Erma Franklin in 1967. Franklin's single peaked in December 1967 at number 10 on the ''Billboard'' Hot Rhythm & Blues Singles char ...
". Their performance was widely acclaimed, and India.Arie
India Arie Simpson (born October 3, 1975), also known as India Arie (sometimes styled as india.arie), is an American singer and songwriter. She has sold over five million records in the US and ten million worldwide. She has won four Grammy Awards ...
later wrote "I Am Not My Hair
"I Am Not My Hair" is a song by American soul and R&B singer–songwriter India.Arie from her third studio album, '' Testimony: Vol. 1, Life & Relationship'' (2006). Written by Arie, Shannon Sanders, and Drew Ramsey, it was released as the album ...
" about Etheridge. Later that year, Etheridge released her first compilation album, '' Greatest Hits: The Road Less Traveled''. A great commercial success, it peaked at No. 14 on the ''Billboard'' 200, and went Gold
Gold is a chemical element with the symbol Au (from la, aurum) and atomic number 79. This makes it one of the higher atomic number elements that occur naturally. It is a bright, slightly orange-yellow, dense, soft, malleable, and ductile ...
almost immediately. Etheridge has released 16 studio albums
An album is a collection of audio recordings issued on compact disc (CD), vinyl, audio tape, or another medium such as digital distribution. Albums of recorded sound were developed in the early 20th century as individual 78 rpm records co ...
to date, the most recent being ''One Way Out'' (2021).
Etheridge is known for music with a mixture of "confessional lyrics, pop-based folk-rock, and raspy, smoky vocals". She has been a gay and lesbian activist since her public coming out in January 1993. Among her various accolades, Etheridge has received two Grammy Awards (from 15 nominations), and an Academy Award for Best Original Song
The Academy Award for Best Original Song is one of the awards given annually to people working in the motion picture industry by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS). It is presented to the ''songwriters'' who have composed ...
for "I Need to Wake Up
"I Need to Wake Up" is a song by Melissa Etheridge, written for the 2006 documentary film, ''An Inconvenient Truth''. It is the first instance of a documentary film winning the Best Song category, beating three songs nominated from the musical fil ...
" from the film ''An Inconvenient Truth
''An Inconvenient Truth'' is a 2006 American documentary film directed by Davis Guggenheim about former United States Vice President Al Gore's campaign to educate people about global warming. The film features a slide show that, by Gore's own e ...
'' (2006). She received the Berklee College of Music
Berklee College of Music is a private music college in Boston, Massachusetts. It is the largest independent college of contemporary music in the world. Known for the study of jazz and modern American music, it also offers college-level cours ...
Honorary Doctor of Music Degree in 2006. The following year, she was honored with the ASCAP
The American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers (ASCAP) () is an American not-for-profit performance-rights organization (PRO) that collectively licenses the public performance rights of its members' musical works to venues, broadca ...
Founders Award. In September 2011, she received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame
The Hollywood Walk of Fame is a historic landmark which consists of more than 2,700 five-pointed terrazzo and brass stars embedded in the sidewalks along 15 blocks of Hollywood Boulevard and three blocks of Vine Street in Hollywood, Calif ...
.
Early life and career
Etheridge was born in Leavenworth, Kansas
Leavenworth () is the county seat and largest city of Leavenworth County, Kansas, United States and is part of the Kansas City metropolitan area. As of the 2020 census, the population of the city was 37,351. It is located on the west bank of t ...
, the younger of two daughters of Elizabeth (Williamson), a computer consultant, and John Etheridge, an American Constitution
The Constitution of the United States is the supreme law of the United States of America. It superseded the Articles of Confederation, the nation's first constitution, in 1789. Originally comprising seven articles, it delineates the natio ...
teacher at her alma mater, Leavenworth High School
Leavenworth High School is a public high school located in Leavenworth, Kansas, operated by Leavenworth USD 453 school district. The school was established in 1865, making it one of the first high schools in Kansas. The school colors are blue and ...
. John Etheridge died in August 1991.
Etheridge began guitar lessons aged eight. She started to play in local country music groups in her teenage years and graduated from high school in 1979. While attending college at Berklee College of Music
Berklee College of Music is a private music college in Boston, Massachusetts. It is the largest independent college of contemporary music in the world. Known for the study of jazz and modern American music, it also offers college-level cours ...
, Etheridge played the club circuit around Boston
Boston (), officially the City of Boston, is the state capital and most populous city of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, as well as the cultural and financial center of the New England region of the United States. It is the 24th- mo ...
. After three semesters, Etheridge decided to drop out of Berklee and move to Los Angeles to attempt a career in music.
Career
1982–1992: Road to rock stardom
Etheridge was discovered at Vermie's, a bar in Pasadena, California. She had made some friends on a women's soccer team, and those new friends came to see her play. One of the women was Karla Leopold, whose husband, Bill Leopold, was a manager in the music business. Karla convinced Bill to see Etheridge perform live. He was impressed, and became a pivotal part of Etheridge's career. This, in addition to her gigs in lesbian bars around Los Angeles, led to her discovery by Island Records
Island Records is a multinational record label owned by Universal Music Group. It was founded in 1959 by Chris Blackwell, Graeme Goodall, and Leslie Kong in Jamaica, and was eventually sold to PolyGram in 1989. Island and A&M Records, anothe ...
chief Chris Blackwell. She signed a publishing deal to write songs for films including the 1986 movie '' Weeds''.
After an unreleased first effort that was rejected by Island Records as being too polished and glossy, she completed her stripped-down, self-titled debut in just four days. Her eponymous debut album '' Melissa Etheridge'' (1988), was an underground hit, and the single " Bring Me Some Water" performed well on radio and was nominated for a Grammy Award.
At the time of the album's release, it was not generally known that Etheridge was a lesbian. While on the road promoting the album, she paused in Memphis, Tennessee
Memphis is a city in the U.S. state of Tennessee. It is the seat of Shelby County in the southwest part of the state; it is situated along the Mississippi River. With a population of 633,104 at the 2020 U.S. census, Memphis is the second-mo ...
, to be interviewed for the syndicated radio program ''Pulsebeat—Voice of the Heartland'', explaining the intensity of her music by saying: "People think I'm really sad—or really angry. But my songs are written about the conflicts I have...I have no anger toward anyone else." She invited the radio syndication producer to attend her concert that night. He did and was surprised to find himself one of the few men in attendance.
Etheridge's second album, ''Brave and Crazy
''Brave and Crazy'' is the second album by singer-songwriter Melissa Etheridge, released in 1989 (see 1989 in music). As of 2010, the album has sold 632,000 copies in the United States alone, according to Nielsen SoundScan.
Track listing
All ...
'', was released in 1989. ''Brave and Crazy'' followed the same musical formula as her eponymous debut; it also garnered a Grammy nomination. The album peaked at No. 22 on the ''Billboard'' charts (equal to her first album). Etheridge then went on the road, like one of her musical influences, Bruce Springsteen
Bruce Frederick Joseph Springsteen (born September 23, 1949) is an American singer and songwriter. He has released 21 studio albums, most of which feature his backing band, the E Street Band. Originally from the Jersey Shore, he is an originato ...
, and built a loyal fan base.
In 1992, Etheridge released her third album, '' Never Enough''. Similar to her prior two albums, ''Never Enough'' didn't reach the top of the charts peaking at #21 but gave Etheridge her first Grammy for Best Rock Vocal Performance, Female
The Grammy Award for Best Female Rock Vocal Performance was an award presented at the Grammy Awards, a ceremony that was established in 1958 and originally called the Gramophone Awards, to female recording artists for works (songs or albums) conta ...
for her single "Ain't It Heavy". ''Never Enough'' was considered a more personal and mature album from Etheridge at that time. With rumors circulating around her sexuality (Etheridge was not out yet at this point), the album seemed to inadvertently address these rumors.
In 1992, Etheridge established a performing arts scholarship at Leavenworth High School in honor of her recently deceased father. According to Etheridge, her father purchased her first guitar and "would come with me to bars in the area when I played because I was underage".
1993–1995: ''Yes I Am''
In January 1993, Etheridge came out publicly as a lesbian. On September 21, 1993, she released '' Yes I Am'', which became her mainstream breakthrough album. Co-produced with Hugh Padgham, ''Yes I Am'' spent 138 weeks on the ''Billboard'' 200 charts and peaked at No. 15. It scored two mainstream hits: "Come to My Window
"Come to My Window" is a song by American singer-songwriter Melissa Etheridge, released as the second single from her fourth studio album, '' Yes I Am'' (1993). This was the first song to become a hit after Etheridge publicly announced that she ...
" and her only ''Billboard'' Top 10 single, "I'm the Only One
"I'm the Only One" is a song by American singer-songwriter Melissa Etheridge from her fourth studio album, '' Yes I Am'' (1993). It was released as the first single in September 1993, reaching number 12 in Canada and number 26 in the Netherlands. ...
", which also hit #1 on ''Billboard''s Adult Contemporary chart. ''Yes I Am'' earned a RIAA
The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) is a trade organization that represents the music recording industry in the United States. Its members consist of record labels and distributors that the RIAA says "create, manufacture, and/ ...
certification of 6× platinum.
Etheridge earned her second Grammy for Best Rock Vocal Performance, Female
The Grammy Award for Best Female Rock Vocal Performance was an award presented at the Grammy Awards, a ceremony that was established in 1958 and originally called the Gramophone Awards, to female recording artists for works (songs or albums) conta ...
for her single "Come to My Window", based on an unsettling scene in the Pavarotti
Luciano Pavarotti (, , ; 12 October 19356 September 2007) was an Italian operatic tenor who during the late part of his career crossed over into popular music, eventually becoming one of the most acclaimed tenors of all time. He made numerou ...
film, " Yes, Giorgio". She also garnered two additional nominations in the Best Rock Song category for "I'm the Only One" and "Come to My Window", losing to Bruce Springsteen
Bruce Frederick Joseph Springsteen (born September 23, 1949) is an American singer and songwriter. He has released 21 studio albums, most of which feature his backing band, the E Street Band. Originally from the Jersey Shore, he is an originato ...
's "Streets of Philadelphia
"Streets of Philadelphia" is a song written and performed by American rock musician Bruce Springsteen for the 1993 film ''Philadelphia'', starring Tom Hanks, an early mainstream film dealing with HIV/AIDS. Released as a single in 1994, the son ...
".
In 1993, Etheridge boycotted playing shows in Colorado over its passage of Amendment 2.
Also in 1994, she was honored by VH-1 for her work with the AIDS organization L.A. Shanti. During the televised occasion, she highlighted the appearance with a performance of "I'm the Only One" and a duet with Sammy Hagar
Samuel Roy Hagar (born October 13, 1947), also known as the Red Rocker, is an American singer, songwriter, and guitarist. He rose to prominence in the early 1970s with the hard rock band Montrose and subsequently launched a successful solo car ...
covering The Rolling Stones
The Rolling Stones are an English rock band formed in London in 1962. Active for six decades, they are one of the most popular and enduring bands of the rock era. In the early 1960s, the Rolling Stones pioneered the gritty, rhythmically dr ...
' song, " Honky Tonk Woman."
The album's fifth single, "If I Wanted To
"If I Wanted To" is a song by American singer, Melissa Etheridge. It was released in 1994 as the final single from Etheridge's 1993 studio album, '' Yes I Am'', and entered the top 50 in Australia, Canada, Iceland, and the United States.
Criti ...
", debuted in February 1995 on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 at No. 25, the highest debut for a single in 1995.
The success of ''Yes I Am'' helped increase sales of Etheridge's earlier albums. In 1995, ''Melissa Etheridge'' earned a RIAA
The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) is a trade organization that represents the music recording industry in the United States. Its members consist of record labels and distributors that the RIAA says "create, manufacture, and/ ...
certification of 2× platinum, while ''Never Enough'' earned a RIAA
The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) is a trade organization that represents the music recording industry in the United States. Its members consist of record labels and distributors that the RIAA says "create, manufacture, and/ ...
certification of platinum.
Etheridge's follow-up to ''Yes I Am'' was the successful ''Your Little Secret
''Your Little Secret'' is the fifth album by singer-songwriter Melissa Etheridge, released in 1995. It was her most successful album on the ''Billboard'' 200, where it peaked at number six. The album also contained three singles, " Your Little ...
'' (1995). The album was not as well received by critics as Etheridge's prior recordings. Featuring a lead single of the same name, ''Your Little Secret
''Your Little Secret'' is the fifth album by singer-songwriter Melissa Etheridge, released in 1995. It was her most successful album on the ''Billboard'' 200, where it peaked at number six. The album also contained three singles, " Your Little ...
'' is the highest-charting album of Etheridge's career, having reached No. 6 on the ''Billboard'' album charts; however, the album spent only 41 weeks on the chart. The album produced two Top 40 singles "I Want to Come Over
"I Want to Come Over" is a song by American singer-songwriter Melissa Etheridge. It was released in late January 1996 as the second single from her fifth studio album, '' Your Little Secret'' (1995). The song was a commercial success, reaching n ...
" (''Billboard'' #22, ''RPM'' #1) and "Nowhere to Go" (''Billboard'' #40) and earned a RIAA
The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) is a trade organization that represents the music recording industry in the United States. Its members consist of record labels and distributors that the RIAA says "create, manufacture, and/ ...
certification of 2× platinum.
1996–2003: After her breakthrough
In 1996, Etheridge won an ASCAP Songwriter of the Year award. She also took a lengthy break from the music business to concentrate on her family when her first two children Bailey (1997) and Beckett (1998) were born. She also recorded "Sin Tener A Donde Ir (Nowhere to Go)" for the AIDS
Human immunodeficiency virus infection and acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS) is a spectrum of conditions caused by infection with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), a retrovirus. Following initial infection an individual ma ...
benefit album '' Silencio=Muerte: Red Hot + Latin'' produced by the Red Hot Organization
Red Hot Organization (RHO) is a not-for-profit, 501(c) 3, international organization dedicated to fighting AIDS through pop culture.
Since its inception in 1989, over 400 artists, producers and directors have contributed to over 15 compilati ...
.
Etheridge returned to the music charts with the release of '' Breakdown'' in October 1999. ''Breakdown'' peaked at No. 12 on the Billboard charts and spent 18 weeks in the charts. Despite this, ''Breakdown'' was the only album of Etheridge's career to be nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Rock Album
The Grammy Award for Best Rock Album is an award presented at the Grammy Awards, a ceremony that was established in 1958 and originally called the Gramophone Awards, to recording artists for quality albums in the rock music genre. Honors in sever ...
(losing to Santana's ''Supernatural
Supernatural refers to phenomena or entities that are beyond the laws of nature. The term is derived from Medieval Latin , from Latin (above, beyond, or outside of) + (nature) Though the corollary term "nature", has had multiple meanings si ...
''). In addition, her single "Angels Would Fall" was nominated in two categories: Best Rock Vocal Performance, Female
The Grammy Award for Best Female Rock Vocal Performance was an award presented at the Grammy Awards, a ceremony that was established in 1958 and originally called the Gramophone Awards, to female recording artists for works (songs or albums) conta ...
(losing to Sheryl Crow
Sheryl Suzanne Crow (born February 11, 1962) is an American musician, singer, songwriter and actress. Her music incorporates elements of rock, pop, country, folk, and blues. She has released eleven studio albums, five compilations and three ...
) and Best Rock Song
The Grammy Award for Best Rock Song is an honor presented at the Grammy Awards, a ceremony that was established in 1958 and originally called the Gramophone Awards, to recording artists for quality songs in the rock music genre. Honors in several ...
(losing to the Red Hot Chili Peppers
Red Hot Chili Peppers are an American rock band formed in Los Angeles in 1983, comprising vocalist Anthony Kiedis, bassist Flea, drummer Chad Smith, and guitarist John Frusciante. Their music incorporates elements of alternative rock, funk ...
) in 2000. A year later, another single from the album--"Enough of Me"—was nominated for Best Rock Vocal Performance, Female
The Grammy Award for Best Female Rock Vocal Performance was an award presented at the Grammy Awards, a ceremony that was established in 1958 and originally called the Gramophone Awards, to female recording artists for works (songs or albums) conta ...
(also losing to Sheryl Crow
Sheryl Suzanne Crow (born February 11, 1962) is an American musician, singer, songwriter and actress. Her music incorporates elements of rock, pop, country, folk, and blues. She has released eleven studio albums, five compilations and three ...
). The album was certified gold by the RIAA
The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) is a trade organization that represents the music recording industry in the United States. Its members consist of record labels and distributors that the RIAA says "create, manufacture, and/ ...
.
The year 2001 saw the release of ''Skin
Skin is the layer of usually soft, flexible outer tissue covering the body of a vertebrate animal, with three main functions: protection, regulation, and sensation.
Other animal coverings, such as the arthropod exoskeleton, have different ...
'', an album she described as "the closest I've ever come to recording a concept album. It has a beginning, middle and end. It's a journey." ''Skin'' garnered generally positive reviews with Metacritic scoring the album 73/100 from 9 reviews. Recorded after her breakup with partner Julie Cypher, ''Skin'' was described as " harrowing, clearly autobiographical dissection of a decaying relationship." Despite positive reviews, ''Skin'' sold less than 500,000 copies. On the Billboard charts, it peaked at No. 9 but dropped out of the Top 200 after just 12 weeks. The single " I Want to Be in Love" was nominated for the Best Rock Vocal Performance, Female
The Grammy Award for Best Female Rock Vocal Performance was an award presented at the Grammy Awards, a ceremony that was established in 1958 and originally called the Gramophone Awards, to female recording artists for works (songs or albums) conta ...
(losing to Lucinda Williams
Lucinda Gayle Williams (born January 26, 1953) is an American singer-songwriter and a solo guitarist. She recorded her first two albums: '' Ramblin' on My Mind'' (1979) and '' Happy Woman Blues'' (1980), in a traditional country and blues style ...
). The music video for the song starred Jennifer Aniston
Jennifer Joanna Aniston (born February 11, 1969) is an American actress and film producer. She is the recipient of various accolades, including a Primetime Emmy Award, a Golden Globe Award and two Screen Actors Guild Awards. Since her career ...
.
In 2002, Etheridge released an autobiography entitled ''The Truth Is: My Life in Love and Music''.
2004–2008: ''Lucky'', cancer diagnosis, Academy Awards and ''The Awakening''
Etheridge began 2004 with the release of her eighth album '' Lucky'' on February 10. Etheridge was now in a new relationship with actress Tammy Lynn Michaels
Tammy Lynn Michaels (née Doring), also known by the surname Etheridge from her relationship with Melissa Etheridge, is an American actress.
Michaels was a regular cast member on The WB's ''Popular''.
Career
Michaels developed a passion for ac ...
, whom she had begun dating in 2001. ''Lucky'' performed similarly to ''Skin'', selling fewer than 500,000 copies, peaking on the Billboard charts at No. 15 and spending 13 weeks on the charts. It also garnered a Grammy nomination for Etheridge's cover of the Greenwheel
Greenwheel was an American alternative rock band formed by friends Ryan Jordan, Brandon Armstrong, Andrew Dwiggins, Douglas Randall, and Marc Wanninger in November 1998. The band was formed in St. Charles, Missouri, in a local record shop. Thi ...
song "Breathe" for the Grammy Award for Best Rock Vocal Performance, Solo
The Grammy Award for Best Solo Rock Vocal Performance was an award presented at the Grammy Awards, a ceremony that was established in 1958 and originally called the Gramophone Awards, to recording artists for works (songs or albums) containing qua ...
(losing to Bruce Springsteen
Bruce Frederick Joseph Springsteen (born September 23, 1949) is an American singer and songwriter. He has released 21 studio albums, most of which feature his backing band, the E Street Band. Originally from the Jersey Shore, he is an originato ...
).
In October 2004, Etheridge was diagnosed with breast cancer. At the 2005 Grammy Awards
The 47th Annual Grammy Awards were held on February 13, 2005, at the Staples Center in Los Angeles honoring the best in music for the recording of the year beginning from October 1, 2003, through September 30, 2004. They were hosted by Queen Lati ...
(the same ceremony for which "Breathe" was nominated), she made a return to the stage and, although bald from chemotherapy, performed a tribute to Janis Joplin
Janis Lyn Joplin (January 19, 1943 – October 4, 1970) was an American singer and musician. One of the most successful and widely known rock stars of her era, she was noted for her powerful mezzo-soprano vocals and "electric" stage presence.
...
with the song "Piece of My Heart
"Piece of My Heart" is a romantic soul love song written by Jerry Ragovoy and Bert Berns, originally recorded by Erma Franklin in 1967. Franklin's single peaked in December 1967 at number 10 on the ''Billboard'' Hot Rhythm & Blues Singles char ...
". Etheridge's performance was lauded in song in India.Arie
India Arie Simpson (born October 3, 1975), also known as India Arie (sometimes styled as india.arie), is an American singer and songwriter. She has sold over five million records in the US and ten million worldwide. She has won four Grammy Awards ...
's "I Am Not My Hair
"I Am Not My Hair" is a song by American soul and R&B singer–songwriter India.Arie from her third studio album, '' Testimony: Vol. 1, Life & Relationship'' (2006). Written by Arie, Shannon Sanders, and Drew Ramsey, it was released as the album ...
".
On September 10, 2005, Etheridge participated in ReAct Now: Music & Relief, a telethon in support for the victims of Hurricane Katrina
Hurricane Katrina was a destructive Category 5 Atlantic hurricane that caused over 1,800 fatalities and $125 billion in damage in late August 2005, especially in the city of New Orleans and the surrounding areas. It was at the time the cost ...
. ReAct Now, part of an ongoing effort by MTV, VH1, CMT, seeks to raise funds for the American Red Cross
The American Red Cross (ARC), also known as the American National Red Cross, is a non-profit humanitarian organization that provides emergency assistance, disaster relief, and disaster preparedness education in the United States. It is the des ...
, the Salvation Army
Salvation (from Latin: ''salvatio'', from ''salva'', 'safe, saved') is the state of being saved or protected from harm or a dire situation. In religion and theology, ''salvation'' generally refers to the deliverance of the soul from sin and its ...
, and America's Second Harvest. Etheridge introduced a new song specially written for the occasion called "Four Days". The a cappella
''A cappella'' (, also , ; ) music is a performance by a singer or a singing group without instrumental accompaniment, or a piece intended to be performed in this way. The term ''a cappella'' was originally intended to differentiate between Ren ...
song included themes and images that were on the news during the aftermath of the hurricane. Other charities she supports include The Dream Foundation and Love Our Children USA.
In November 2005, Etheridge appeared on ''The Tonight Show with Jay Leno
''The Tonight Show with Jay Leno'' is an American late-night talk show hosted by Jay Leno that first aired from May 25, 1992, to May 29, 2009. It resumed production on March 1, 2010 and ended on February 6, 2014.
The fourth incarnation of the ...
'' to perform her song "I Run for Life".
Etheridge wrote "I Need to Wake Up
"I Need to Wake Up" is a song by Melissa Etheridge, written for the 2006 documentary film, ''An Inconvenient Truth''. It is the first instance of a documentary film winning the Best Song category, beating three songs nominated from the musical fil ...
" for the film documentary ''An Inconvenient Truth
''An Inconvenient Truth'' is a 2006 American documentary film directed by Davis Guggenheim about former United States Vice President Al Gore's campaign to educate people about global warming. The film features a slide show that, by Gore's own e ...
'', which won the Oscar
Oscar, OSCAR, or The Oscar may refer to:
People
* Oscar (given name), an Irish- and English-language name also used in other languages; the article includes the names Oskar, Oskari, Oszkár, Óscar, and other forms.
* Oscar (Irish mythology) ...
for Best Original Song in 2006. The song was released only on the enhanced version of her greatest hits album, '' The Road Less Traveled''.
Etheridge was also a judge for the 5th annual Independent Music Awards to support independent artists' careers.
In August 2006, Melissa also produced and sang the vocal tracks on the ''Brother Bear 2
''Brother Bear 2'' is a 2006 American animated direct-to-video musical fantasy comedy-drama film and the sequel to the animated feature ''Brother Bear'', which was released on August 29, 2006. Melissa Etheridge contributed three songs to the ...
'' soundtrack, including collaborations with Josh Kelley
Joshua Bishop Kelley Sr. (born January 30, 1980) is an American singer-songwriter. Kelley has recorded for Hollywood Records, Threshold Records and DNK Records as a pop rock artist. His songs "Amazing" and "Only You" reached the top ten on the ...
.
On July 7, 2007, Etheridge performed at the Giants Stadium on the American leg of Live Earth
Live Earth was an event developed to increase environmental awareness through entertainment.
Background
Founded by Emmy-winning producer Kevin Wall, in partnership with former U.S. Vice President Al Gore, ''Live Earth'' was built upon the be ...
. Etheridge performed the songs "Imagine That" and "What Happens Tomorrow" from '' The Awakening'', her tenth album, released on September 25, 2007, as well as the song "I Need To Wake Up
"I Need to Wake Up" is a song by Melissa Etheridge, written for the 2006 documentary film, ''An Inconvenient Truth''. It is the first instance of a documentary film winning the Best Song category, beating three songs nominated from the musical fil ...
" before introducing Al Gore. On December 11, 2007, she performed at the Nobel Peace Prize Concert
The Nobel Peace Prize Concert ( Norwegian and Swedish: '')'' has been held annually since 1994 on 11 December, to honour the Nobel Peace Prize laureate. The award ceremony on 10 December takes place in Oslo City Hall, while the concert has bee ...
in Oslo
Oslo ( , , or ; sma, Oslove) is the capital and most populous city of Norway. It constitutes both a county and a municipality. The municipality of Oslo had a population of in 2022, while the city's greater urban area had a population of ...
, Norway, together with a variety of artists, a concert which was broadcast live to over 100 countries. In addition, she performed at the U.S. 2008 Democratic National Convention
The 2008 Democratic National Convention was a quadrennial presidential nominating convention of the Democratic Party where it adopted its national platform and officially nominated its candidates for president and vice president. The convent ...
on August 27, 2008.
2009–2015: ''Fearless Love'', ''4th Street Feeling,'' and ''This Is M.E.''
Etheridge was featured in UniGlobe Entertainment's breast cancer docudrama titled ''1 a Minute
''1 a Minute'' is a 2010 American docudrama film written and directed by Indian American actress Namrata Singh Gujral. It is based on her own life and the lives of other women who suffered from cancer.
Synopsis
The film is a hybrid between narra ...
'' released in 2010.
Etheridge performed the role of St. Jimmy in Green Day
Green Day is an American rock band formed in the East Bay of California in 1987 by lead vocalist and guitarist Billie Joe Armstrong, together with bassist and backing vocalist Mike Dirnt. For most of the band's career, they have been a ...
's hit Broadway musical
Broadway theatre,Although ''theater'' is generally the spelling for this common noun in the United States (see American and British English spelling differences), 130 of the 144 extant and extinct Broadway venues use (used) the spelling ''Th ...
, American Idiot from February 1–6, 2011.
Etheridge performed her new song "Uprising of Love" in the 2013–2014 New Year's Eve celebration in New York City
New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the List of United States cities by population, most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the L ...
's Times Square
Times Square is a major commercial intersection, tourist destination, entertainment hub, and neighborhood in Midtown Manhattan, New York City. It is formed by the junction of Broadway, Seventh Avenue, and 42nd Street. Together with adjacent ...
along with the rendition of John Lennon
John Winston Ono Lennon (born John Winston Lennon; 9 October 19408 December 1980) was an English singer, songwriter, musician and peace activist who achieved worldwide fame as founder, co-songwriter, co-lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist of ...
's " Imagine" before the ball drop
The Times Square Ball is a time ball located in New York City's Times Square. Located on the roof of One Times Square, the ball is a prominent part of a New Year's Eve celebration in Times Square commonly referred to as the ball drop, where the ...
. The single was released on iTunes on January 28, 2014.
In 2014, she was one of the performers at the opening ceremonies of WorldPride
WorldPride, licensed by InterPride and organized by one of its member organizations, is an event that promotes lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer ( LGBTQ pride) issues on an international level through parades, festivals and othe ...
in Toronto
Toronto ( ; or ) is the capital city of the Canadian province of Ontario. With a recorded population of 2,794,356 in 2021, it is the most populous city in Canada and the fourth most populous city in North America. The city is the anch ...
, Ontario
Ontario ( ; ) is one of the thirteen provinces and territories of Canada.Ontario is located in the geographic eastern half of Canada, but it has historically and politically been considered to be part of Central Canada. Located in Central Ca ...
, Canada, alongside Tom Robinson, Deborah Cox
Deborah Cox (born July 13, 1974) is a Canadian singer, songwriter, actress, and record producer. Born and raised in Toronto, she began performing on television commercials at age 12, and entered various talent shows in her teenage years before ...
and Steve Grand
Steve Grand (born February 28, 1990) is an American singer, songwriter and model from Lemont, Illinois, a Chicago suburb. He became an overnight internet celebrity and the music video of his first hit " All-American Boy" went viral on YouTube ...
.
On July 1, 2014, she released "Take My Number", the first single from her 13th studio album '' This Is M.E.''. The cover art for the album is a mosaic that includes pictures submitted by fans. Melissa explains the album cover on her official website: "Because my fans are such a huge part of ME, and I wouldn't be ME without YOU, I took photos submitted by my fans and turned it into my album cover." The album was released on September 30, 2014.
On June 9, 2015, she released a live album titled: ''A Little Bit of Me: Live in L.A.''. It was recorded at the closing show of the U.S. leg of her This Is M.E. Tour on December 12, 2014, at the Orpheum Theater in downtown Los Angeles
Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the largest city in the state of California and the second most populous city in the United States after New York City, as well as one of the world ...
.
2016–present: ''MEmphis Rock and Soul'', ''The Medicine Show'', and ''One Way Out''
On October 6, 2016, Etheridge released her 14th studio album, ''MEmphis Rock and Soul'', a covers album made of blues tracks originally recorded by blues legends such as Otis Redding
Otis Ray Redding Jr. (September 9, 1941 – December 10, 1967) was an American singer and songwriter. He is considered one of the greatest singers in the history of American popular music and a seminal artist in soul music and rhythm and blues. ...
, William Bell, and the Staples Singers
The Staple Singers were an American gospel, soul, and R&B singing group. Roebuck "Pops" Staples (December 28, 1914 – December 19, 2000), the patriarch of the family, formed the group with his children Cleotha (April 11, 1934 – February ...
.
On April 12, 2019, Etheridge released her 15th studio album ''The Medicine Show
''The Medicine Show'' is a 1933 short animated film by Columbia Pictures. The film is part of a long-running short film series featuring Krazy Kat.
Plot
Krazy is a pharmacist who retails medicine in his horse-drawn wagon. When he stops by to sell ...
''. The first single released from the album was titled "Faded by Design".
On September 17, 2021, Etheridge released a new album, ''One Way Out'' on BMG.[ The album is composed of songs written in the late 80's and early 90's, but recorded recently with her original band, although the last two songs were recorded live at the Roxy in Los Angeles in 2002.
]
Personal life
Etheridge came out publicly as lesbian in January 1993 at the Triangle Ball, a gay celebration of President Bill Clinton
William Jefferson Clinton (né Blythe III; born August 19, 1946) is an American politician who served as the 42nd president of the United States from 1993 to 2001. He previously served as governor of Arkansas from 1979 to 1981 and again ...
's first inauguration. Etheridge supported Clinton's 1992 presidential campaign and since coming out, has been a gay rights activist. She is also an advocate for environmental issues and in 2006, she toured the US and Canada using biodiesel.
Etheridge had a long-term partnership with Julie Cypher
Julie Cypher (born August 24, 1964) is an American film director best known for being the former partner of musician Melissa Etheridge and former spouse of Lou Diamond Phillips.
Biography
Cypher was born in Wichita, Kansas, to Dick and Betty ...
, and their relationship received coverage in '' The Advocate'', when an interview with editor Judy Wieder done in Amsterdam, "The Great Dyke Hope," was released in July 1994. In it, Etheridge answered Wieder's questions about why the couple wanted to have children: "I think one of the many fears people have about homosexuality is around children. I think that the more gay parents raise good, strong, compassionate people, the better the world will be." During this partnership, Cypher gave birth to two children, Bailey Jean and Beckett. Cypher became pregnant via artificial insemination using sperm donated by musician David Crosby
David Van Cortlandt Crosby (born August 14, 1941) is an American singer, guitarist, and songwriter. In addition to his solo career, he was a founding member of both the Byrds and Crosby, Stills & Nash.
Crosby joined the Byrds in 1964. They got ...
. On September 19, 2000, Etheridge and Cypher announced they were separating.
In 2002, Etheridge began dating actress Tammy Lynn Michaels
Tammy Lynn Michaels (née Doring), also known by the surname Etheridge from her relationship with Melissa Etheridge, is an American actress.
Michaels was a regular cast member on The WB's ''Popular''.
Career
Michaels developed a passion for ac ...
. The two had a commitment ceremony on September 20, 2003. On October 17, 2006, Michaels gave birth to fraternal twins, Johnnie Rose and Miller Steven, who were conceived via an anonymous sperm donor.
In October 2004, Etheridge was diagnosed with breast cancer
Breast cancer is cancer that develops from breast tissue. Signs of breast cancer may include a lump in the breast, a change in breast shape, dimpling of the skin, milk rejection, fluid coming from the nipple, a newly inverted nipple, or ...
. She underwent surgery and chemotherapy
Chemotherapy (often abbreviated to chemo and sometimes CTX or CTx) is a type of cancer treatment that uses one or more anti-cancer drugs (chemotherapeutic agents or alkylating agents) as part of a standardized chemotherapy regimen. Chemother ...
. In October 2005, in honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, Etheridge appeared on ''Dateline NBC
''Dateline NBC'' is a weekly American television news magazine/reality legal show that is broadcast on NBC. It was previously the network's flagship general interest news magazine, but now focuses mainly on true crime stories with only occasio ...
'' with Michaels to discuss her struggle with cancer. By the time of the interview, Etheridge's hair had grown back after being lost during chemotherapy. She said that her partner had been very supportive during her illness. Etheridge also discussed using medicinal marijuana
Medical cannabis, or medical marijuana (MMJ), is cannabis and cannabinoids that are prescribed by physicians for their patients. The use of cannabis as medicine has not been rigorously tested due to production and governmental restrictions ...
while she was receiving the chemotherapy.
In October 2008, five months after the Supreme Court of California
The Supreme Court of California is the Supreme court, highest and final court of appeals in the judiciary of California, courts of the U.S. state of California. It is headquartered in San Francisco at the Earl Warren Building, but it regularly h ...
overturned the state's ban on same-sex marriage, Etheridge announced that she and Michaels were planning to marry but were currently "trying to find the right time... to go down and do it". In November 2008, in response to the passing of California's Proposition 8
Proposition 8, known informally as Prop 8, was a California ballot proposition and a state constitutional amendment intended to ban same-sex marriage; it passed in the November 2008 California state elections and was later overturned in cou ...
banning same-sex marriage, Etheridge announced that she would not pay her state taxes as an act of civil disobedience. On April 15, 2010, Etheridge and Michaels announced they had separated. In May 2012, it was announced that their two-year child support battle had been settled.
Etheridge supported Barack Obama
Barack Hussein Obama II ( ; born August 4, 1961) is an American politician who served as the 44th president of the United States from 2009 to 2017. A member of the Democratic Party (United States), Democratic Party, Obama was the first Af ...
's decision to have Pastor Rick Warren
Richard Duane Warren (born January 28, 1954) is an American Southern Baptist evangelical Christian pastor and author. He is the founder of Saddleback Church, an evangelical megachurch affiliated with the Southern Baptist Convention in Lake Fo ...
speak at his 2009 Presidential inauguration
The first inauguration of Barack Obama as the 44th president of the United States took place on Tuesday, January 20, 2009, at the West Front of the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C. The 56th inauguration, which set a record attendance ...
, believing that he can sponsor dialogue to bridge the gap between gay and straight Christians. She stated in her column at ''The Huffington Post
''HuffPost'' (formerly ''The Huffington Post'' until 2017 and sometimes abbreviated ''HuffPo'') is an American progressive news website, with localized and international editions. The site offers news, satire, blogs, and original content, and ...
'' that "Sure, there are plenty of hateful people who will always hold on to their bigotry like a child to a blanket. But there are also good people out there, Christian and otherwise, that are beginning to listen."
In 2013, Etheridge called Angelina Jolie
Angelina Jolie (; born Angelina Jolie Voight; June 4, 1975) is an American actress, filmmaker, humanitarian and former Special Envoy to the UN High Commissioner for Refugees. The recipient of numerous accolades, including an Academy Award ...
's choice to have a double mastectomy to avoid the possibility of breast cancer a "fearful" choice. Etheridge told the ''Washington Blade
The ''Washington Blade'' is a lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) newspaper in the Washington metropolitan area. The ''Blade'' is the oldest LGBT newspaper in the United States and third largest by circulation, behind the ''Philadelphi ...
'' in an interview that "my belief is that cancer comes from inside you and so much of it has to do with the environment of your body...It's the stress that will turn that gene on or not...I really encourage people to go a lot longer and further before coming to that conclusion." Andrea Geduld, the director of the Breast Health Resource Center at Mt. Sinai Hospital, criticized Etheridge's remarks. Experts also cautioned that Etheridge's statements were not accurate.
In a 2013 interview with CNN after the U.S. Supreme Court's decisions in ''United States v. Windsor
''United States v. Windsor'', 570 U.S. 744 (2013), is a landmark United States Supreme Court civil rights case concerning same-sex marriage. The Court held that Section 3 of the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA), which denied federal recognition o ...
'' and ''Hollingsworth v. Perry
''Hollingsworth v. Perry'' was a series of United States federal court cases that re-legalized same-sex marriage in the state of California. The case began in 2009 in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California, which found th ...
'', Etheridge stated that she planned to marry her partner, Linda Wallem. The couple married on May 31, 2014, in San Ysidro Ranch in Montecito, California, two days after they both turned 53.
Etheridge was featured on a 2015 episode of '' Who Do You Think You Are?''
Starting in 2014, Etheridge partnered with a California medical marijuana dispensary to make cannabis-infused wine.
A 2016 article in ''The New York Times
''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid ...
'' stated that Etheridge wore hearing aids
A hearing aid is a device designed to improve hearing by making sound audible to a person with hearing loss. Hearing aids are classified as medical devices in most countries, and regulated by the respective regulations. Small audio amplifiers su ...
.
In 2019, her daughter, Bailey Cypher, graduated from Columbia University
Columbia University (also known as Columbia, and officially as Columbia University in the City of New York) is a private research university in New York City. Established in 1754 as King's College on the grounds of Trinity Church in Manhatt ...
.
On May 13, 2020, Etheridge announced on her Twitter that Beckett, her son with Cypher, had died of causes related to opioid addiction at the age of 21.
Awards
A2IM Libera Awards
!Ref.
, -
, 2020
, ''The Medicine Show
''The Medicine Show'' is a 1933 short animated film by Columbia Pictures. The film is part of a long-running short film series featuring Krazy Kat.
Plot
Krazy is a pharmacist who retails medicine in his horse-drawn wagon. When he stops by to sell ...
''
, Best Mainstream Rock Album
,
, align="center",
ASCAP Pop Music Awards
!Ref.
, -
, rowspan=3, 1996
, "Come to My Window
"Come to My Window" is a song by American singer-songwriter Melissa Etheridge, released as the second single from her fourth studio album, '' Yes I Am'' (1993). This was the first song to become a hit after Etheridge publicly announced that she ...
"
, rowspan=4, Most Performed Songs
,
, align="center" rowspan=3,
, -
, "I'm the Only One
"I'm the Only One" is a song by American singer-songwriter Melissa Etheridge from her fourth studio album, '' Yes I Am'' (1993). It was released as the first single in September 1993, reaching number 12 in Canada and number 26 in the Netherlands. ...
"
,
, -
, "If I Wanted To
"If I Wanted To" is a song by American singer, Melissa Etheridge. It was released in 1994 as the final single from Etheridge's 1993 studio album, '' Yes I Am'', and entered the top 50 in Australia, Canada, Iceland, and the United States.
Criti ...
"
,
, -
, 1997
, "I Want to Come Over
"I Want to Come Over" is a song by American singer-songwriter Melissa Etheridge. It was released in late January 1996 as the second single from her fifth studio album, '' Your Little Secret'' (1995). The song was a commercial success, reaching n ...
"
,
, align="center",
, -
, 2007
, Herself
, ASCAP Founders Award
,
, align="center", [
]
Academy Awards
The Academy Awards
The Academy Awards, better known as the Oscars, are awards for artistic and technical merit for the American and international film industry. The awards are regarded by many as the most prestigious, significant awards in the entertainment ind ...
are presented annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS, often pronounced ; also known as simply the Academy or the Motion Picture Academy) is a professional honorary organization with the stated goal of advancing the arts and sciences of motion ...
(AMPAS).
!Ref.
, -
, 2007
File:2007 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: Steve Jobs unveils Apple Inc., Apple's first iPhone (1st generation), iPhone; TAM Airlines Flight 3054 overruns a runway and crashes into a gas station, killing almost 200 people; Former Pakis ...
, "I Need to Wake Up
"I Need to Wake Up" is a song by Melissa Etheridge, written for the 2006 documentary film, ''An Inconvenient Truth''. It is the first instance of a documentary film winning the Best Song category, beating three songs nominated from the musical fil ...
" from the documentary ''An Inconvenient Truth
''An Inconvenient Truth'' is a 2006 American documentary film directed by Davis Guggenheim about former United States Vice President Al Gore's campaign to educate people about global warming. The film features a slide show that, by Gore's own e ...
''
, Best Original Song
,
, align="center", [
, -
]
Billboard Music Awards
The ''Billboard'' Music Awards are held to honour artists for commercial performance in the U.S., based on record charts published by ''Billboard
A billboard (also called a hoarding in the UK and many other parts of the world) is a large outdoor advertising structure (a billing board), typically found in high-traffic areas such as alongside busy roads. Billboards present large adverti ...
''.
, -
, rowspan=2, 1995
File:1995 Events Collage V2.png, From left, clockwise: O.J. Simpson is acquitted of the murders of Nicole Brown Simpson and Ronald Goldman from the year prior in "The Trial of the Century" in the United States; The Great Hanshin earthquake str ...
, rowspan=2, Herself
, Top Female Artist
,
, -
, Top Billboard 200 Artist - Female
,
ECHO Awards
The ECHO Award
Echo Music Prize (stylised as ECHO, ) was an accolade by the , an association of recording companies of Germany to recognize outstanding achievement in the music industry. The first ECHO Awards ceremony was held in 1992, and it was set up to hono ...
is a German music award granted every year by the Deutsche Phono-Akademie, an association of recording companies.
, -
, 1993
, Herself
, Best International Female
,
GLAAD Media Awards
The GLAAD Media Awards
The GLAAD Media Award is an accolade bestowed by GLAAD to recognize and honor various branches of the media for their outstanding representations of the lesbian, gay, Bisexuality, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community and the issues that affe ...
were created in 1990 by the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation
GLAAD (), an acronym of Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation, is an American non-governmental media monitoring organization originally founded as a protest against defamatory coverage of gay and lesbian demographics and their portrayals ...
(GLAAD) to recognize and honor the mainstream media
In journalism, mainstream media (MSM) is a term and abbreviation used to refer collectively to the various large mass news media that influence many people and both reflect and shape prevailing currents of thought. Chomsky, Noam, ''"What makes ma ...
for their fair, accurate and inclusive representations of the LGBT
' is an initialism that stands for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender. In use since the 1990s, the initialism, as well as some of its common variants, functions as an umbrella term for sexuality and gender identity.
The LGBT term ...
community.
!Ref.
, -
, 1994
, '' Yes I Am''
, , Outstanding Music Artist
,
, align="center",
, -
, 1995
, "I'm the Only One
"I'm the Only One" is a song by American singer-songwriter Melissa Etheridge from her fourth studio album, '' Yes I Am'' (1993). It was released as the first single in September 1993, reaching number 12 in Canada and number 26 in the Netherlands. ...
"
, Outstanding Music Video
,
, align="center",
, -
, 1999
, Herself
, Stephen F. Kolzak Award
,
, align="center" rowspan=4,
, -
, 2005
File:2005 Events Collage V2.png, From top left, clockwise: Hurricane Katrina in the Gulf of Mexico; the Funeral of Pope John Paul II is held in Vatican City; " Me at the zoo", the first video ever to be uploaded to YouTube; Eris was discover ...
, '' Lucky''
, rowspan=2, Outstanding Music Artist
,
, -
, rowspan=2, 2006
File:2006 Events Collage V1.png, From top left, clockwise: The 2006 Winter Olympics open in Turin; Twitter is founded and launched by Jack Dorsey; The Nintendo Wii is released; Montenegro votes to declare independence from Serbia; The 2006 ...
, '' Greatest Hits: The Road Less Traveled''
,
, -
, Herself
, Stephen F. Kolzak Award
,
, -
, 2008
File:2008 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: Lehman Brothers went bankrupt following the Subprime mortgage crisis; Cyclone Nargis killed more than 138,000 in Myanmar; A scene from the opening ceremony of the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing; ...
, '' The Awakening''
, rowspan=3, Outstanding Music Artist
,
, align="center",
, -
, 2020
2020 was heavily defined by the COVID-19 pandemic, which led to global social and economic disruption, mass cancellations and postponements of events, worldwide lockdowns and the largest economic recession since the Great Depression in t ...
, ''The Medicine Show
''The Medicine Show'' is a 1933 short animated film by Columbia Pictures. The film is part of a long-running short film series featuring Krazy Kat.
Plot
Krazy is a pharmacist who retails medicine in his horse-drawn wagon. When he stops by to sell ...
''
,
, align="center",
, -
, 2022
File:2022 collage V1.png, Clockwise, from top left: Road junction at Yamato-Saidaiji Station several hours after the assassination of Shinzo Abe; Anti-government protest in Sri Lanka in front of the Presidential Secretariat; The global monkeypo ...
, ''One Way Out''
,
, align="center",
Grammy Awards
The Grammy Award
The Grammy Awards (stylized as GRAMMY), or simply known as the Grammys, are awards presented by the Recording Academy of the United States to recognize "outstanding" achievements in the music industry. They are regarded by many as the most pr ...
s are awarded annually by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences
The Recording Academy (formally the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences; abbreviated NARAS) is an American learned academy of musicians, producers, recording engineers, and other musical professionals. It is famous for its Grammy Aw ...
. Etheridge has won two awards from 15 nominations.
!Ref.
, -
, 1989
File:1989 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: The Cypress Street Viaduct, Cypress structure collapses as a result of the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake, killing motorists below; The proposal document for the World Wide Web is submitted; The Exxo ...
, " Bring Me Some Water"
, rowspan="5" , Best Rock Vocal Performance, Female
The Grammy Award for Best Female Rock Vocal Performance was an award presented at the Grammy Awards, a ceremony that was established in 1958 and originally called the Gramophone Awards, to female recording artists for works (songs or albums) conta ...
,
, align="center" rowspan="15" ,
, -
, 1990
File:1990 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: The 1990 FIFA World Cup is played in Italy; The Human Genome Project is launched; Voyager I takes the famous Pale Blue Dot image- speaking on the fragility of humanity on Earth, astrophysicis ...
, "Brave and Crazy"
,
, -
, 1991
File:1991 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: Boris Yeltsin, elected as Russia's first president, waves the new flag of Russia after the 1991 Soviet coup d'état attempt, orchestrated by Soviet hardliners; Mount Pinatubo erupts in the Phi ...
, "The Angels"
,
, -
, 1993
File:1993 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: The Oslo I Accord is signed in an attempt to resolve the Israeli–Palestinian conflict; The Russian White House is shelled during the 1993 Russian constitutional crisis; Czechoslovakia is peacefu ...
, "Ain't It Heavy"
,
, -
, rowspan="3" , 1995
File:1995 Events Collage V2.png, From left, clockwise: O.J. Simpson is acquitted of the murders of Nicole Brown Simpson and Ronald Goldman from the year prior in "The Trial of the Century" in the United States; The Great Hanshin earthquake str ...
, rowspan="2" , "Come to My Window
"Come to My Window" is a song by American singer-songwriter Melissa Etheridge, released as the second single from her fourth studio album, '' Yes I Am'' (1993). This was the first song to become a hit after Etheridge publicly announced that she ...
"
,
, -
, rowspan="3" , Best Rock Song
The Grammy Award for Best Rock Song is an honor presented at the Grammy Awards, a ceremony that was established in 1958 and originally called the Gramophone Awards, to recording artists for quality songs in the rock music genre. Honors in several ...
,
, -
, "I'm the Only One
"I'm the Only One" is a song by American singer-songwriter Melissa Etheridge from her fourth studio album, '' Yes I Am'' (1993). It was released as the first single in September 1993, reaching number 12 in Canada and number 26 in the Netherlands. ...
"
,
, -
, rowspan="3" , 2000
File:2000 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: Protests against Bush v. Gore after the 2000 United States presidential election; Heads of state meet for the Millennium Summit; The International Space Station in its infant form as seen from S ...
, rowspan="2" , " Angels Would Fall"
,
, -
, Best Rock Vocal Performance, Female
The Grammy Award for Best Female Rock Vocal Performance was an award presented at the Grammy Awards, a ceremony that was established in 1958 and originally called the Gramophone Awards, to female recording artists for works (songs or albums) conta ...
,
, -
, '' Breakdown''
, Best Rock Album
The Grammy Award for Best Rock Album is an award presented at the Grammy Awards, a ceremony that was established in 1958 and originally called the Gramophone Awards, to recording artists for quality albums in the rock music genre. Honors in sev ...
,
, -
, 2001
The September 11 attacks against the United States by Al-Qaeda, which killed 2,977 people and instigated the global war on terror, were a defining event of 2001. The United States led a multi-national coalition in an invasion of Afghanist ...
, "Enough of Me"
, rowspan="3" , Best Rock Vocal Performance, Female
The Grammy Award for Best Female Rock Vocal Performance was an award presented at the Grammy Awards, a ceremony that was established in 1958 and originally called the Gramophone Awards, to female recording artists for works (songs or albums) conta ...
,
, -
, 2002
File:2002 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: The 2002 Winter Olympics are held in Salt Lake City; Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother and her daughter Princess Margaret, Countess of Snowdon die; East Timor gains East Timor independence, indepe ...
, " I Want to Be in Love"
,
, -
, 2003
File:2003 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: The crew of STS-107 perished when the Space Shuttle Columbia disintegrated during reentry into Earth's atmosphere; SARS became an epidemic in China, and was a precursor to SARS-CoV-2; A ...
, "The Weakness in Me
"The Weakness in Me" is a song by Joan Armatrading, from her seventh album '' Walk Under Ladders'', released as a single in the US and Netherlands in November 1981. Despite not charting, the song has become one of Armatrading's better-known s ...
"
,
, -
, 2005
File:2005 Events Collage V2.png, From top left, clockwise: Hurricane Katrina in the Gulf of Mexico; the Funeral of Pope John Paul II is held in Vatican City; " Me at the zoo", the first video ever to be uploaded to YouTube; Eris was discover ...
, "Breathe"
, Best Rock Vocal Performance, Solo
,
, -
, 2007
File:2007 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: Steve Jobs unveils Apple Inc., Apple's first iPhone (1st generation), iPhone; TAM Airlines Flight 3054 overruns a runway and crashes into a gas station, killing almost 200 people; Former Pakis ...
, "I Need to Wake Up
"I Need to Wake Up" is a song by Melissa Etheridge, written for the 2006 documentary film, ''An Inconvenient Truth''. It is the first instance of a documentary film winning the Best Song category, beating three songs nominated from the musical fil ...
"
, Best Song Written for a Motion Picture, Television or Other Visual Media
,
, -
Pollstar Concert Industry Awards
The Pollstar
''Pollstar'' is a trade publication for the concert and live music industry. The publication was purchased by Oak View Group, a venue consultancy founded by Tim Leiweke and Irving Azoff, in July 2017.
History and profile
Founded in 1981 in Fr ...
Concert Industry Awards is an annual award ceremony to honor artists and professionals in the concert industry.
, -
, rowspan=3, 1990
, rowspan=4, ''Tour''
, Best Debut Tour
,
, -
, Club Tour of the Year
,
, -
, rowspan=2, Small Hall Tour of the Year
,
, -
, 1995
,
Other accolades
In 1988, Melissa received "Diamond Spotlight Award" in Diamond Awards Show, Belgium.
At the 20th Annual Juno Awards in 1990, Etheridge won the Juno Award for International Entertainer of the Year.
In 1996, Etheridge received ASCAP
The American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers (ASCAP) () is an American not-for-profit performance-rights organization (PRO) that collectively licenses the public performance rights of its members' musical works to venues, broadca ...
's Pop Songwriter of the Year Award.
In 2001, she won the Gibson Guitar Award for Best Rock Guitarist: Female.
In 2006, at the 17th GLAAD Media Awards 17th Annual GLAAD Media Awards (2006) were presented at four separate ceremonies: March 27 in New York City; April 8 at the Kodak Theatre in Los Angeles; May 25 in Miami; and June 10 in San Francisco. The awards honor films, television shows, musici ...
, Etheridge received GLAAD's Stephen F. Kolzak Award, which honors openly lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender media professionals who have made a significant difference in promoting equal rights. In addition, she was awarded as Outstanding Music Artist for '' Greatest Hits: The Road Less Traveled''.
On May 13, 2006, at Berklee College of Music
Berklee College of Music is a private music college in Boston, Massachusetts. It is the largest independent college of contemporary music in the world. Known for the study of jazz and modern American music, it also offers college-level cours ...
's 2006 commencement, held at Northeastern University's Matthews Arena, in Boston, Massachusetts, Berklee's president, Roger H. Brown, presented Etheridge with an Honorary Doctor of Music Degree. Etheridge delivered the commencement address in front of more than 800 graduating students and 4,000 guests.[
On September 27, 2011, Etheridge received the honor of having her own star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. It is the 2,450th star that has been awarded.][
]
Discography
* '' Melissa Etheridge'' (1988)
* ''Brave and Crazy
''Brave and Crazy'' is the second album by singer-songwriter Melissa Etheridge, released in 1989 (see 1989 in music). As of 2010, the album has sold 632,000 copies in the United States alone, according to Nielsen SoundScan.
Track listing
All ...
'' (1989)
* '' Never Enough'' (1992)
* '' Yes I Am'' (1993)
* ''Your Little Secret
''Your Little Secret'' is the fifth album by singer-songwriter Melissa Etheridge, released in 1995. It was her most successful album on the ''Billboard'' 200, where it peaked at number six. The album also contained three singles, " Your Little ...
'' (1995)
* '' Breakdown'' (1999)
* ''Skin
Skin is the layer of usually soft, flexible outer tissue covering the body of a vertebrate animal, with three main functions: protection, regulation, and sensation.
Other animal coverings, such as the arthropod exoskeleton, have different ...
'' (2001)
* '' Lucky'' (2004)
* '' The Awakening'' (2007)
* '' A New Thought For Christmas'' (2008)
* ''Fearless Love
''Fearless Love'' is the 11th studio album by American rock musician Melissa Etheridge, released on April 27, 2010 by Island/ Def Jam Music Group, produced by John Shanks. Etheridge said in an interview the album is "about being fearless. It's ab ...
'' (2010)
* '' 4th Street Feeling'' (2012)
* '' This Is M.E.'' (2014)
* ''MEmphis Rock and Soul'' (2016)
* ''The Medicine Show
''The Medicine Show'' is a 1933 short animated film by Columbia Pictures. The film is part of a long-running short film series featuring Krazy Kat.
Plot
Krazy is a pharmacist who retails medicine in his horse-drawn wagon. When he stops by to sell ...
'' (2019)
* ''One Way Out'' (2021)
References
Further reading
*
*
External links
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Etheridge, Melissa
1961 births
Living people
American contraltos
American women singer-songwriters
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American women rock singers
American rock songwriters
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Berklee College of Music alumni
Businesspeople in the cannabis industry
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Best Original Song Academy Award-winning songwriters
Juno Award for International Entertainer of the Year winners
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Kansas Democrats
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Singer-songwriters from Kansas