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Melissa Etheridge |
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Born:
May 29, 1961
Hometown:
Leavenworth, Kansas
Status:
Engaged to girlfriend Tammy Lynn Michaels
Dubbed by some the Janis Joplin of the 1990s, Melissa Etheridge began her rise to stardom playing local venues in her hometown of Leavenworth, Kansas. She moved to Los Angeles in the mid-'80s, supporting herself and her music by playing gigs at various lesbian bars. Her 1988 self-titled debut album went platinum and attracted millions of listeners with smart, confessional lyrics and her trademark bluesy, blue-collar sound.
Since publicly coming out in 1993 at the gay and lesbian Triangle Ball, her career has only continued its meteoric ascent. Etheridge is a Juno and Grammy winner, has made numerous television and benefit appearances, and has been lauded by the likes of Randy Newman and Bruce Springsteen. (The latter collaborated with her on an episode of "MTV Unplugged.") Her searing and cathartic "Breakdown" -- her first album in four years -- was nominated for a Grammy for Best Rock Album of 1999.
Melissa Etheridge's best-selling memoir, "The Truth Is ...: My Life in Love and Music," covers the singer's life from her humble beginnings in Kansas, to her rise to rock-and-roll fame and coming out as a lesbian, to her highly publicized relationship -- and breakup -- with partner Julie Cypher. Among the juicy tidbits contained within the pages is an alleged affair between Cypher and the couple's close (maybe too close) friend k.d. lang., along with Cypher's bombshell revelation to Etheridge: "I'm not gay." The pain of their split was not-so-subtly chronicled in Etheridge's 2001 album, "Skin," filled with songs of love and heartbreak that are admittedly autobiographical.
Etheridge and her ex are the mothers of two, Bailey and Beckett. Although the duo surprised quite a few when they announced their separation in September 2000, they've continually stressed their most important jobs -- parenting the two kids. They bought homes with adjoining back yards to facilitate co-parenting and seem to be thriving in their new arrangements.
The rocker's love life bounced back into high gear in the summer of 2001 when she met actress Tammy Lynn Michaels, then starring on the WB series "Popular." They've been an item ever since, and have recently announced their engagement, which will mark the first time down the aisle for both Etheridge and 28-year-old Michaels. They're planning to get married in late 2003, so expect an invitation in your mailbox sometime in October.
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