Melissa Lou Etheridge (born May 29, 1961) is an American rock singer-songwriter and musician. She has received fifteen Grammy Award nominations winning two , one Academy Award and has sold twenty-seven million albums worldwide and almost fourteen million in the United States alone.Factdate=May 2010

Known for her mixture of confessional lyrics, pop-based folk-rock, and raspy vocals, Etheridge is an iconic gay and lesbian activist since her public coming out in January 1993.