Iconic Grammy and Oscar-winning singer, songwriter and activist, Melissa Etheridge brings her tour to the Poway Center for the Arts on November 15.
Etheridge released her new album, “The Medicine Show” last spring on Concord Records. The album was a collaboration with celebrated producer John Shanks (Keith Urban, Bon Jovi, Kelly Clarkson).
She sounds as rousing as ever, bringing a new level of artistry to her 15th studio recording. Known for her passionate and dynamic live performances, Etheridge is currently on tour supporting the new release.
The Medicine Show deals with universal themes of renewal, reconciliation, reckoning, compassion and, most profoundly, healing. Through the songs she processed the deep fears and hurting she saw in the nation on collective and personal levels; “Shaking” about national anxiety, “Here Comes the Pain,” personalizing the opioid crisis, the unifying “Human Chain” about the hope for healing, and the rocking, anthemic “Love Will Live.” More highlights include the album-closer, “Last Hello” drawing on the incredible strengths and courage shown by the survivors of the Parkland school shootings, and the infectious “Wild and Lonely,” and “Faded By Design,” exploring themes of her past with a new perspective.
“Calling the album The Medicine Show puts straight up, front and center, that this is about health, wellness, cannabis, this new thought, new paradigm, however you want to talk about it, however you want to understand it. It influences every song on the album. We’re not afraid of this anymore. We’ve come a long way,” Ethridge said.
For the recording, Shanks teamed Ethridge with drummer Victor Indrizzo, bassist Chris Chaney and keyboardist Max Hart. The sessions were done largely live in studio, capturing the raw emotion of the material, the performances rocking with bold colors. Shanks extended the arrangements on many of the songs with his guitar and for the ballad “I Know You Know” brought in electronic strings orchestrated by David Campbell, whose hundreds of acclaimed credits include work last year with Barbra Streisand and Paul McCartney, as well as past works for Adele, Garth Brooks, Beyoncé, Billy Joel, Maroon 5 and Beck.
Since the release of her unforgettable self-titled 1988 debut, Melissa Etheridge’s incredible career to date includes sales of over 25 million albums, 5 platinum and 3 multi-platinum records, 15 Grammy Award nominations and 2 wins, a Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, and an Academy Award for “I Need to Wake Up” from the climate change documentary An Inconvenient Truth. Her last release, MEmphis Rock & Soul, debuted at #1 on Billboard’s Blues Chart. Melissa has selflessly dedicated herself as an activist for human rights, LGBTQ issues, breast cancer awareness and alternative medical approaches.
Tickets for the 8 p.m. show are $58 to $123. For more information, visit www.powayonstage.org.