Wynonna and Melissa Etheridge

At the age of 19, Wynonna Judd teamed up with her mother to form the country powerhouse group The Judds. Signed to RCA Records, the pair released eight studio albums and had 14 number one hits between 1983 and 1991. During this era, The Judds were the biggest selling country duo in the United States and had fans in every city of every state.

In 1991 The Judds disintegrated and Wynonna set out in search of her own solo career. Signing with MCA, the singer-songwriter released her self-titled debut solo album in 1992. “Wynonna” shot to the number one spot on both the US and Canadian Country Music charts and the album hit the number four spot on the US Billboard 200 chart. The buzz and excitement around this first solo album was so great that it eventually went on to be certified five times platinum in the United States.

Wynnona’s six subsequent studio albums have all been just shy of matching the success of “Wynonna”, but “Tell Me Why” and “What the World Needs Now Is Love” both hit the top spot on the US Country music charts. Additionally, every single album Wynonna has released has been a top 40 hit in the United states and four – “Wynonna”, “Tell Me Why”, “Revelations” and “What the World Needs Now Is Love” – have all been top ten hits on the US Billboard 200 chart.

Wynonna has had four number one country singles since 1991 and she has also had ten top ten single releases. A keen collaborator, Wynonna has worked with the likes of Michael Bolton, Patti Labelle, Kenny Rogers and Dionne Warwick, amongst many others. Wynonna’s versatility has won her fans from all across the globe, and, due to this extensive fan base, the singer tours regularly to packed out crowds.

Ok. Let’s get this out of the way early. Melissa Etheridge is a stone cold badass, and anyone dares tell you any differently is wrong. And possibly jealous. It’s very easy to be jealous of Melissa Etheridge. Anyway, as she nears her thirtieth year in the music industry, it’s sometimes easy to forget what a radical figure and unabashed force for good she is to this day. So let’s go over that, shall we?

Her story begins at eight years old, which was when she first picked up the guitar. During her teenage years she performed with several country bands before shipping up to Boston to study at the Berkeley College of Music.

She honed her craft over three semesters before dropping out and making a proper try at a music career in Los Angeles. She almost immediately hit the ground running, finding the man who manages her to this day while performing for some friends of hers at a bar in Pasadena, and she was picked up by Island Records soon after.

Her first effort for the label remained unreleased as, according to the label, it was too glossy and polished. Turns out they had a point; she re-recorded and remastered it in four days, the subsequent album was an underground hit and its lead single “Bring Me Some Water” was nominated for a Grammy.

There’s no real way I can sum up Etheridge’s career without being given a book to do so, the 90’s gave her the kind of stardom that most would sell their family's souls for. With her fourth album “Yes, I Am” being certified six times platinum and giving her a top ten single in the form of “I’m The Only One”.

She has since performed with Bruce Springsteen, won an Academy Award, and won a life threatening battle with breast cancer. As if that wasn’t enough, she stole the show at the 2005 Grammy awards with a rendition of Janis Joplin’s “Piece Of My Heart” while still bald from her chemotherapy.

She’s a true icon, as a gay woman to make it in Rock and Roll, as a cancer survivor, as one of the best songwriters of her generation, you name it, there’s inspiration you can take from this woman. Not to mention how she can still kick it live with the best of them. But don’t take my word for it, see her at the next chance you get and know you’re in the presence of a once in a lifetime talent.