Melissa Etheridge Net Worth - Pulptastic

What is Melissa Etheridge’s Net Worth?

Melissa Etheridge, the American rock singer-songwriter and activist, has a net worth of $25 million. She is known for her hit singles such as “Bring Me Some Water,” “Ain’t It Heavy,” “I’m the Only One,” and “Come to My Window.”

Etheridge first gained recognition with her self-titled debut album in 1988. She has earned several Grammy Award nominations throughout her career and won an Academy Award for her song “I Need to Wake Up,” featured in the 2006 documentary “An Inconvenient Truth.”

In addition to her music career, Etheridge is also a prominent LGBT activist.

Early Life and Career

Melissa Etheridge was born in Leavenworth, Kansas in 1961 and began playing guitar at a young age. She played in local country music groups as a teenager and attended Berklee College of Music in Boston for three semesters before leaving to pursue her music career in Los Angeles.

How Melissa Etheridge Got Her Big Break

In Pasadena, California, Melissa Etheridge’s breakthrough moment came when she performed at Vermie’s bar and was spotted by soccer player Karla Leopold. Leopold introduced Etheridge to her husband, Bill, who worked in the music business. With her performances in lesbian bars in LA and this connection, Etheridge was soon discovered by Island Records chief Chris Blackwell.

As a result, Etheridge signed a publishing deal to write songs for movies, including the drama “Weeds.”

Melissa Etheridge’s Music Career

Melissa Etheridge released her self-titled debut album in 1988, which peaked at number 22 on the Billboard 200 and included the Grammy-nominated single “Bring Me Some Water.” Her second album, “Brave and Crazy,” also peaked at number 22 and received a Grammy nomination. In 1992, Etheridge won her first Grammy Award for the single “Ain’t It Heavy,” from her third album, “Never Enough.”

In 1993, Etheridge came out as a lesbian and released her most successful album yet, “Yes I Am.” The album spent 138 weeks on the Billboard 200, peaking at number 15 and producing hit singles such as “Come to My Window,” “I’m the Only One,” and “If I Wanted To.” The album’s first single, “Come to My Window,” earned Etheridge her second Grammy Award.

Melissa Etheridge’s Music Career

After the success of “Yes I Am,” Etheridge released “Your Little Secret,” which peaked at number six on the Billboard 200. “Breakdown” followed in 1999 and earned four Grammy nominations. Etheridge went on to release several more albums including “Skin,” “Lucky,” “The Awakening,” and “Fearless Love.” She also released a compilation album and a Christmas album. Her later albums include “4th Street Feeling,” “This is M.E.,” “The Medicine Show,” and “One Way Out.”

Award-winning song for “An Inconvenient Truth”

In 2006, Melissa Etheridge contributed to the climate change documentary “An Inconvenient Truth” by writing and performing the original song “I Need to Wake Up.” The song’s powerful message and Etheridge’s passionate vocals earned it an Academy Award for Best Original Song, solidifying the singer-songwriter’s status as a force to be reckoned with in the music industry.

Activism and Philanthropy

Throughout her career, Melissa Etheridge has been heavily involved in activism and philanthropy. She is a staunch advocate for LGBT causes, including raising awareness of HIV/AIDS and recording a song for an AIDS benefit album. For her work in this area, she was honored with the Stephen F. Kolzak Award by GLAAD.

Etheridge also supports other causes beyond the LGBT community, such as participating in a telethon to support victims of Hurricane Katrina and advocating for environmental awareness.

Melissa Etheridge’s Personal Life

In 1993, Etheridge publicly came out as a lesbian at the Triangle Ball celebration of Bill Clinton’s first presidential inauguration. She had a long-term relationship with filmmaker Julie Cypher from 1990 to 2000, during which Cypher gave birth to their children Bailey and Beckett through artificial insemination with David Crosby as the sperm donor. Unfortunately, their son Beckett passed away at the age of 21 due to an opioid addiction.

Etheridge started dating actress Tammy Lynn Michaels in 2002, and they wed in 2003, having twins Johnnie and Miller via an anonymous sperm donor. The couple divorced in 2012. Etheridge then married actress and writer Linda Wallem, who shares her exact birth date.

In 2004, Etheridge was diagnosed with breast cancer and underwent surgery and chemotherapy. In 2005, she returned to the stage at the Grammy Awards and later appeared on “Dateline NBC” to raise Breast Cancer Awareness.

Melissa Etheridge’s Hidden Hills Home

In 2008, Melissa Etheridge purchased a 7,000 square-foot home in Hidden Hills, California for $5 million. Today, the property is estimated to be worth between $7-9 million.

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