Image credits: Wikimedia Commons
Melissa Etheridge
May 29, 1961
Leavenworth, Kansas, US
65 Years Old
Gemini
Who Is Melissa Etheridge?
Melissa Lou Etheridge is an American singer and songwriter, celebrated for her distinctive raspy vocals and confessional rock lyrics. Her powerful stage presence and deeply personal songwriting have resonated with audiences for decades.
Her mainstream breakthrough arrived with the 1993 album Yes I Am, which featured hit singles like “I’m the Only One” and “Come to My Window.” The album achieved widespread commercial success and earned Etheridge her second Grammy Award for “Come to My Window.”
Early Life and Education
A passion for music blossomed early in Leavenworth, Kansas, where Melissa Etheridge began guitar lessons at age eight. Her father, John Etheridge, taught American Constitution at her alma mater, Leavenworth High School.
She later attended Berklee College of Music, performing in Boston’s club circuit before moving to Los Angeles to pursue her musical ambitions full-time.
Notable Relationships
A string of high-profile romances has marked Melissa Etheridge’s personal life, including her marriage to actress Linda Wallem. Previously, she was in partnerships with filmmaker Julie Cypher and actress Tammy Lynn Michaels.
Etheridge has four children: Bailey Jean Cypher and Beckett Cypher with Julie Cypher, and twins Johnnie Rose Etheridge and Miller Steven Etheridge with Tammy Lynn Michaels.
Career Highlights
Melissa Etheridge's 1993 album Yes I Am stands as a cornerstone of her career, achieving 6x Platinum certification and yielding her hit singles “I’m the Only One” and “Come to My Window.” The album earned her a Grammy Award for Best Rock Vocal Performance, Female.
Beyond her musical releases, Etheridge won an Academy Award for Best Original Song in 2007 for “I Need to Wake Up,” featured in the documentary An Inconvenient Truth. She has also championed LGBT causes and founded The Etheridge Foundation.
Signature Quote
“I think that the more gay parents raise good, strong, compassionate people, the better the world will be.”