Platinum-selling singer-songwriter Melissa Etheridge brings her reflective roots rock to Oregon Zoo
Grammy- and Oscar-winning singer-songwriter Melissa Etheridge brings her rich, husky voice and nearly 25 years' worth of rootsy, personal pop-rock hits to Portland Aug. 11 as part of the Oregon Zoo's summer concert series presented by Regence BlueCross BlueShield of Oregon with support from U.S. Bank and your local Toyota dealers.
Etheridge broke onto the music scene with her double-platinum debut album in 1988. For several years, her popularity grew around such memorable songs as "Bring Me Some Water," "No Souvenirs" and "Ain't It Heavy," which earned Etheridge her first Grammy for best female rock vocal in 1993.
The singer hit her commercial and artistic stride with her fourth album, "Yes I Am," which featured the Top 10 hits "I'm the Only One" and "Come to My Window," a searing song of longing that brought Etheridge her second Grammy. Her highest charting album, "Your Little Secret" (No. 6 on the Billboard charts), included the hit "I Want to Come Over."
Etheridge's most recent effort, 2010's "Fearless Love," was her second-highest chart success, making it to No. 7 on Billboard's album charts and inspiring rave reviews from critics. "More than two decades into her career," wrote The New York Times, "Ms. Etheridge remains a primal force, a singer of intensity and clarity and ... popularity."
In 2007, Etheridge's "I Need to Wake Up" won the Academy Award for best original song. Her 12th studio album, "Fourth Street Feeling," is due out next month.
Tickets for the Melissa Etheridge concert are $39.50 and can be purchased at the zoo during normal operating hours. Tickets can also be purchased (with service charge) at all Ticketmaster ticket centers, online at Ticketmaster.com and by phone at 800-745-3000. Purchase of a concert ticket allows entry into the zoo after 4 p.m; the concert begins at 7 p.m.
The zoo concert series will be showcasing a variety of world-renowned artists through September — from blues legend Buddy Guy to hometown heroes Pink Martini to classic-rock favorites Chicago.
In 1979, the Oregon Zoo became the first in America to host a summer concert series. Now, the series is one of the top outdoor events in the Northwest, and is the region's longest continuously running outdoor series.
Oregon Zoo Summer Concerts is presented by Regence BlueCross BlueShield of Oregon with support from U.S. Bank and your local Toyota dealers, and media support from The Oregonian.