Known for her confessional lyrics and raspy, smoky vocals, Etheridge has remained one of America’s favorite female singer-songwriters for more than two decades.

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Melissa's first album led to an appearance on the 1989 Grammy Awards show. For several years, her popularity grew around such memorable originals as "Bring Me Some Water," "No Souvenirs" and "Ain't It Heavy," for which she won a Grammy® in 1992. Etheridge hit her commercial and artistic stride with her fourth album, Yes I Am (1993). The collection featured the massive hits, "I'm the Only One" and "Come to My Window," a searing song of longing that brought Etheridge her second Grammy® Award for Best Female Rock Performance.

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In 1995, Etheridge issued her highest charting album, Your Little Secret, which was distinguished by the hit single, "I Want to Come Over." Her astounding success that year led to Etheridge receiving the Songwriter of the Year honor at the ASCAP Pop Awards in 1996.

In February 2007, Melissa Etheridge celebrated a career milestone with a victory in the “Best Song” category at the Academy® Awards for “I Need to Wake Up,” written for the Al Gore documentary on global warming, An Inconvenient Truth. As a performer and songwriter, Etheridge has shown herself to be an artist who has never allowed “inconvenient truths” to keep her down. Earlier in her recording career, Etheridge acknowledged her sexual orientation when it was considered less than prudent to do so. In October 2004, Etheridge was diagnosed with breast cancer, a health battle that, with her typical tenacity, she won. Despite losing her hair from chemotherapy, Etheridge appeared on the 2005 Grammy® telecast to sing “Piece of My Heart” in tribute to Janis Joplin. By doing so she gave hope to many women afflicted with the disease.



On October 7, 2016 Melissa Etheridge released Memphis Rock & Soul, her first album since 2014’s critically lauded This Is M.E. Recorded at Royal Studios in Memphis, the album received stellar reviews from the likes of Entertainment Weekly, Parade, Rolling Stone, American Songwriter and more. She followed that up with the release of The Medicine Show in April, 2019. For The Medicine Show, Melissa reunited with celebrated producer John Shanks and sounds as rousing as ever, bringing a new level of artistry to her 15th studio recording. The Medicine Show deals with universal themes of renewal, reconciliation, reckoning, compassion and, most profoundly, healing.

In June of 2020, Etheridge launched her own live streaming subscription and single ticket concert platform, Etheridge TV. Etheridge plays five unique shows Tuesday-Saturday at 3pm (PT) and has done over 200 live streams in 2020.

On September 17, 2021, Melissa released a new album called One Way Out. The 9-track album is a collection of songs Etheridge wrote in the late ‘80s and early ‘90s that never made the cut….until now! The time is finally right, and fans will finally get a deeper glimpse to who Melissa was then.

For more, visit: 

• Website: www.melissaetheridge.com
• Instagram: @melissa_etheridge
• Facebook: www.facebook.com/MelissaEtheridge
• Twitter: @metheridge

A VT SERIES EVENT

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FACE MASKS OPTIONAL
In accordance with guidance from Governor JB Pritzker and the Illinois Department of Public Health, beginning February 28, 2022, the wearing of face masks is considered optional in Champaign Park District facilities, including the Virginia Theatre.

Patrons are still welcome to wear a face mask while at the Virginia, and the theatre will continue to provide complimentary masks to those who wish to wear them.

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Champaign Park District has implemented the following mitigation practices at the Virginia Theatre in accordance with guidelines set by federal, state, and local public health authorities:

• Additional cleaning and disinfecting, with a focus on touch surfaces, door knobs and push plates, railings, auditorium seating, restroom facilities, and countertops.

• Touchless hand sanitizing stations are located throughout the Theatre’s lobbies and work spaces for use by patrons, volunteers, staff, and production personnel.