Melissa Lou Etheridge, born on May 29, 1961, is a renowned American singer, songwriter, musician, and guitarist. Etheridge made her mark in the music industry with her eponymous debut album in 1988, which quickly gained popularity and reached No. 22 on the Billboard 200 chart. The album’s lead single, ‘Bring Me Some Water,’ earned her a Grammy Award nomination for Best Rock Vocal Performance, Female in 1989. Following the success of her debut, Etheridge released her second album, ‘Brave and Crazy,’ in the same year, securing two more Grammy nominations.
In 1992, Etheridge introduced her third album, ‘Never Enough,’ featuring the award-winning lead single ‘Ain’t It Heavy,’ which brought her the first Grammy Award of her career. However, it was her 1993 album ‘Yes I Am’ that propelled her to mainstream stardom. The album produced hits like ‘I’m the Only One,’ ‘If I Wanted To,’ and ‘Come to My Window,’ all of which made it to the Top 40 in the U.S. ‘Yes I Am’ spent a remarkable 138 weeks on the Billboard 200, peaking at No. 15 and achieving a RIAA certification of 6× Platinum, making it her best-selling album to date.
Throughout her career, Etheridge continued to release successful albums such as ‘Your Little Secret’ in 1995, ‘Breakdown’ in 1999, ‘Skin’ in 2001, and ‘Lucky’ in 2004. Her journey faced a significant challenge in 2004 when she was diagnosed with breast cancer. Despite this, Etheridge returned triumphantly to the stage at the 2005 Grammy Awards, performing a moving tribute to Janis Joplin alongside Joss Stone. Recognized for her resilience, Etheridge released ‘Greatest Hits: The Road Less Traveled’ later that year, which was a commercial hit. With 16 studio albums under her belt, Etheridge’s musical style is characterized by confessional lyrics, folk-rock melodies, and distinctive vocals. Beyond music, Etheridge is a prominent advocate for gay and lesbian rights since publicly coming out in 1993, earning her numerous accolades including two Grammy Awards and an Academy Award for Best Original Song.