Melissa Etheridge – This Is M.E. – A unique Bluesfest show and three special sideshow performances announced!

Bluesfest Byron Bay (held from Thu 24^th to Mon 28^th of March 2016) and its touring company Bluesfest Touring are incredibly proud to welcome the iconic superstar rocker, singer-songwriter Melissa Etheridge for her This Is M.E. Australian tour, including her long-awaited Bluesfest debut on Sunday 27^th March 2016.

 

This will be Melissa�s first visit to Australia since 2012 and she will also be performing at the Enmore theatre in Sydney on Wednesday 23^rd March, the Palais Theatre in Melbourne on Wednesday 30^th March and the Riverside Theatre in Perth on Friday 1^st April 2016.

 

An Academy Award and Grammy winning artist, Etheridge, will take the stage to perform songs from her new album, This is M.E., as well as some of her greatest hits like �Come to My Window�, �I�m The Only One�,  �Bring Me Some Water�, �Like the Way I Do� and �I Want To Come Over�.  Known for her iconic raspy, smoky vocals, profound lyrics and riveting stage presence; Melissa will share personal stories about her remarkable journey through life and the inspiration behind some of her most beloved songs.

Since Melissa Etheridge stormed onto the American rock scene in 1988 with the release of her critically acclaimed self-titled debut album, she has been nominated for 17 Grammys and won 2, as well as an Academy Award for Best Original Song for �I Need to Wake Up� from Al Gore�s renowned documentary An Inconvenient Truth. Etheridge even has her own star on the Hollywood Boulevard Walk of Fame among her many accolades.

Melissa carved and led a niche in modern rock through her honest and courageous approach to song writing and performance. Early in her recording career, Etheridge acknowledged her sexual orientation when it was considered less than prudent to do so. It gave way not only to the world embracing both Melissa and her music, but an ally and champion for the LGBT community.

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.

Not only a blues rock megastar, song writing hit maker, and phenomenal guitarist, but tireless advocate for human rights and social change, Melissa Etheridge is a force and a talent, we are honoured to have at Bluesfest and on tour around Australia.

Bluesfest Touring have also announced a number of additional sideshows happening around Bluesfest next March and April including the Grammy award winning Blues and Roots Rock group Tedeschi Trucks Band, Portland�s Indie Folk band The Decemberists, The Word, Vintage Trouble, Nahko & Medicine For The People, Songhoy Blues, Shakey Graves, Allen Stone, St. Paul & The Broken Bones & Rhiannon Giddens. Show details and more information can be found atwww.bluesfesttouring.com.au .

 

33 of the approximately 100+ artists have now been announced so far for Bluesfest, held annually over Easter just north of Byron Bay (EVENT DATES: Thu 24^th March to Mon 28^th March 2016). Tickets are reported to be selling fast.  True to Bluesfest tradition, the announcements will continue to roll out in the lead up to the 2016 festival.

 

BLUESFEST 2016 ARTISTS ALREADY ANNOUNCED:
KENDRICK LAMAR
        TOM JONES � THE NATIONAL – exclusive
NOEL GALLAGHER’S HIGH FLYING BIRDS
UB40 feat. ALI CAMPBELL, ASTRO &  MICKEY VIRTUE – exclusive
JOE BONAMASSA – exclusive 
TEDESCHI TRUCKS BAND �  JACKSON BROWNE
CITY AND COLOUR � THE DECEMBERISTS
THE CAT EMPIRE � JASON ISBELL � TWEEDY
STURGILL SIMPSON � STEVE EARLE AND THE DUKES THE WORD � GRACE POTTER � LORD HURON BLACKBERRY SMOKE � VINTAGE TROUBLE 
NAHKO AND MEDICINE FOR THE PEOPLE � SONGHOY BLUES SHAKEY GRAVES � ALLEN STONE � ST PAUL AND THE BROKEN BONES � LUKAS NELSON AND PROMISE OF THE REAL � THE SELECTER � RHIANNON GIDDENS � JANIVA MAGNESS �LUCKY PETERSON � EMDEE 
THE WAILERS 
PRESENT BOB MARLEY & THE WAILERS 4 ALBUMS IN ENTIRETY
EXODUS, SURVIVAL, UPRISING & LEGEND OVER 4 NIGHTS
*** and so many more artists to be announced ***