In every sense of the word, Melissa Etheridge is a true Rock ‘n Roll survivor. Her passion for life and love come through loud and clear on records and onstage. From her struggle to find happiness, her personal battle with breast cancer, to the joy of raising a family, her music encompasses the full spectrum of emotions. Through it all, she is one amazing individual.
 
When I got called to work with her on “Skin”, her manager reminded me that I was the guy who cut demos on her to help her get a deal! My friend Carter was trying to sign her to Capitol and we recorded her one afternoon. He couldn’t convince the company to sign her, but Chris Blackwell signed her on the spot to Island when he saw her one woman show.
The rest is history.
 
Fast forward a dozen years or more, and we are in a room together, documenting her tumultuous break-up from her partner on the album “Skin”.
 
The album “Lucky” was the follow-up. We also did songs together for a tribute album to Dolly Parton and the “Ladysmith Black Mambazo” album, “Long Walk To Freedom”.
 
But it’s the recording of her call-to-action song, “I Need To Wake Up” that I’m probably most proud. She was asked by Al Gore to write a song for the end titles to his important global warming documentary, “An Inconvenient Truth”, which won them both Oscars.
 
I’m very fortunate to have crossed paths with this wonderful human being.
 
 
 
Melissa Etheridge
 
Melissa honored with Founders Award by ASCAP