Melissa Etheridge Biography

Fast Facts

• Began playing guitar at age 8
• At age 11, sang a song that she'd written ("Lonely as a Child") in a talent contest
• Was seen in concert at a bar in Long Island, CA, by Island Records founder Chris Blackwell in 1986
• He was so taken with her that he signed her on the spot
• Publicly came out as a lesbian at the Triangle Ball, the first gay-and-lesbian inauguration party (for President Bill Clinton) in 1993
• Achieved a personal dream when her musical hero, Bruce Springsteen, joined her to sing "Thunder Road" on her MTV Unplugged appearance in 1995
• Was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2004 and underwent chemotherapy for two months
• While still bald from the chemo, she appeared on a Janis Joplin tribute during the 2005 Grammy Awards and performed "Piece of My Heart
• " Appeared as a panelist in 2010's 1 a Minute, a theatrical documentary featuring cancer-survival stories
• Shares a birthday with partner Linda Wallem