Brother Bear 2 is a direct-to-video sequel to the animated feature Brother Bear and was released on DVD on August 29, 2006. Melissa Etheridge contributed three songs to the film. In the film, the adventures of bear brothers Kenai and Koda continue. While the first film dealt with Kenai's relationship with Koda, this one focuses more on his bond with a young human, Nita. Only five of the original characters return for the sequel including Kenai, Koda, Rutt, Tuke, and Tug. But only four of those actors came back to do their original roles which include Jeremy Suarez, Rick Moranis, Dave Thomas, and Michael Clarke Duncan.

Jason Marsden, as heard in the first trailer, was originally announced to voice Kenai, voiced by Joaquin Phoenix in the first film, but according to Reuters, Patrick Dempsey ultimately voiced Kenai. However, the end credits still note him as one of the additional voices. ^[1]

This is also Rick Moranis' last role in a film before retiring from acting.

Plot[link]

Picking up several months after the events of the first film, Kenai (voiced by Patrick Dempsey) - now a cave bear - is living happily with his foster brother Koda (voiced by Jeremy Suarez). Having just awoken from hibernation, the bears are off to Crowberry Ridge for the first berries of the season. Unfortunately, Kenai's haunted by memories of his childhood friend Nita (voiced by Mandy Moore), to whom he gave a special amulet many years ago. When he was a human child, he became friends with Nita, the daughter of the elder of a neighboring tribe. The pair's past friendship collides with the present as Kenai and Nita must undertake an excursion as bear and woman, respectively. The bears Kenai and Koda are on their way to Crowberry Ridge when they meet up with Nita, Kenai's childhood friend. Nita was given an amulet from Kenai, and wants to burn it at Hokani Falls so she can marry Atka (voiced by Jeff Bennett). However, she has to do it with Kenai (the person she received it from) to send the bond back up to the spirits. At first, Kenai refuses, but finally agrees. Nita misses Kenai, but does not tell him. Instead, she asks if he misses being human, and if he ever thought of changing back. He replies that he has thought about it. Koda, who heard it all, races up a mountain and is finally found by Nita. They make it to Hokani Falls, and burn the amulet. Nita can no longer understand animals, so she says goodbye. Koda asks his mom in the spirit-land to turn Kenai back into a man so he can be happy. Koda goes to the village to retrieve Nita, and Kenai is told by Rutt and Tuke (voiced by Rick Moranis and Dave Thomas). Koda cannot go to the village because they will try to kill him. Kenai makes it there, and gets into a fight with Atka. He falls off a cliff into shallow water, where the spirits come. Koda tells Kenai that he asked the spirits to change him back into a man. Kenai tells Nita that he cannot because he does not want to leave Koda, but Nita tells him that she can. So, she turns into a bear that has same coloring as Kenai, and they get married. The film ends with Kenai and Nita getting married and Rutt and Tuke finding mates, and the spirits changing the picture of young Nita and Kenai into two bear cubs, since neither are human any more.

Voice cast[link]

• Patrick Dempsey as Kenai
• Jeremy Suarez as Koda
• Mandy Moore as Nita
• Rick Moranis as Rutt
• Dave Thomas as Tuke
• Michael Clarke Duncan as Tug
• Andrea Martin as Anda
• Jeff Bennett as Atka
• Catherine O'Hara as Kata
• Wanda Sykes as Innoko
• Wendie Malick as Siqiniq
• Kathy Najimy as Taqqiq
• Tress MacNeille as Hoonah
• Jim Cummings as Bering and Chilkoot
• Jack Weber as young Kenai
• Jessie Flower as young Nita

Soundtrack[link]

The soundtrack to Brother Bear 2 was released August 15, 2006. It is available only on digital outlets such as iTunes and walmart.com. It includes the following tracks:

1. Dave Metzger - Opening: Brother Bear 2 – 0:34
2. Melissa Etheridge - Welcome to This Day – 2:40
3. Dave Metzger - The Dream – 2:08
4. Dave Metzger - Father and Daughter – 0:54
5. Dave Metzger - Nita Confesses Her Fear – 0:55
6. Melissa Etheridge and Josh Kelley - Feels Like Home – 3:30
7. Melissa Etheridge - It Will Be Me – 3:35
8. Dave Metzger - Koda's Wish to the Spirits – 1:38
9. Dave Metzger - I Love You Too – 2:42
10. Dave Metzger - Nita's Transformation – 1:23
11. Melissa Etheridge and Josh Kelley - Welcome to This Day [Reprise] – 1:33

References[link]

External links[link]

Wikiquote has a collection of quotations related to: Brother Bear 2

• Official website
• Brother Bear 2 at the Big Cartoon DataBase
• Brother Bear 2 at the Internet Movie Database

Brother Bear is a 2003 American animated fantasy film produced by Walt Disney Feature Animation and released by Walt Disney Pictures, the 44th animated feature in the Walt Disney Animated Classics. In the film, an Inuit boy pursues a bear in revenge for a battle that he provoked in which his oldest brother is killed. He tracks down the bear and kills it, but the Spirits, angered by this needless death, change the boy into a bear himself as punishment.^[2] Originally titled Bears, it was the third and final Disney animated feature produced primarily by the Feature Animation studio at Disney-MGM Studios in Orlando, Florida; the studio was shut down in March 2004, not long after the release of this film in favor of computer animated features. The film received an Academy Award nomination for Best Animated Feature, but lost to Finding Nemo. A sequel, Brother Bear 2, was released on August 29, 2006.

Plot[link]

The film is set in a post-ice age North America, where the local tribesmen believe all creatures are created through the Spirits, who are said to appear in the form of an aurora. Three brothers, Kenai (voiced by Joaquin Phoenix), Denahi (voiced by Jason Raize) and Sitka (voiced by D.B. Sweeney), return to their tribe in order for Kenai to receive his sacred totem, its meaning being what he must achieve to call himself a man. Unlike Sitka, who gained the eagle of guidance, and Denahi who gained the wolf of wisdom, Kenai receives the bear of love, much to his objections, stating that bears are thieves. His point is made a fact when a bear steals some salmon. Kenai and his brothers pursue the bear, but a fight follows on a glacier, Sitka giving his life to save his brothers, although the bear survives. Vengeful, Kenai heads out to avenge Sitka. He chases the bear up onto a mountain and kills it. The Spirits, represented by Sitka's spirit in the form of a bald eagle transforms Kenai into a bear after the dead bear's body disappears. Denahi arrives, mistaking Kenai for dead, and his bear form is responsible for it, vows to avenge Kenai.

Kenai falls down some river rapids, survives, and is healed by Tanana (voiced by Joan Copeland), the shaman of Kenai's tribe. She does not speak the bear language, but advises him to return to the mountain to find Sitka and be turned back to normal, but only when he corrects what he had done; she quickly disappears without an explanation. Kenai quickly discovers the wildlife can talk, meeting two brother mooses, Rutt and Tuke (voiced by Rick Moranis and Dave Thomas). He gets caught in a trap, but is freed by a chatty bear cub named Koda (voiced by Jeremy Suarez). The two bears make a deal, Kenai will go with Koda to a nearby salmon run and then the cub will lead Kenai to the mountain. As the two eventually form a sibling-like bond, Koda revealing his mother is missing. The two are hunted by Denahi who fails multiple times to kill Kenai, still unaware that he is his brother. Rutt and Tuke run into the bears multiple times, the group hitching a ride on a herd of mammoths to quicken the pace to the salmon run, but the moose are left behind when the bears move on. Kenai and Koda escape Denahi again, and reach the salmon run, where a large number of bears live as a family, including the leader Tug (voiced by Michael Clarke Duncan), a Grizzly Bear. Kenai becomes very much at home and at content with the other bears. During a discussion among the bears, Koda tells a story about his mother fighting human hunters, making Kenai realize that the bear he killed was Koda's mother.

Guilty and horrified, Kenai runs away but Koda soon finds him. Kenai reveals the truth to Koda, who runs away grief-stricken. An apologetic Kenai leaves to reach the mountain. Rutt and Tuke, having fallen out, reform their brotherhood in front of Koda, prompting him to go after Kenai. Denahi confronts Kenai on the mountain, but their fight is intervened by Koda who steals Denahi's hunting pike. Kenai goes to Koda's aid out of love, prompting Sitka to appear and turn him back into a human, much to Denahi and Koda's surprise. However, Kenai asks Sitka to transform him back into a bear so he can stay with Koda. Sitka complies, and Koda is reunited briefly with the spirit of his mother, before she and Sitka return to the Spirits. In the end, Kenai lives with the rest of the bears and gains his title as a man, through being a bear.

Voice cast[link]

• Joaquin Phoenix as Kenai, the younger brother of Sitka and Denahi. After killing a bear, Kenai is turned into one himself to teach him to see through their eyes. John E. Hurst and Byron Howard served as the supervising animators for Kenai in human and bear form respectively.
• Jeremy Suarez as Koda, a wisecracking grizzly bear cub, who helps Kenai on his journey to where the Lights Touch the Earth. Alex Kupershmidt served as the supervising animator for Koda.
• Rick Moranis as Rutt, a comic Canadian moose.
• Dave Thomas as Tuke, another comic Canadian moose.
• Jason Raize as Denahi, the middle brother. Ruben A. Aquino served as the supervising animator for Denahi.
• D.B. Sweeney as Sitka, the oldest brother.
• Joan Copeland as Tanana, the shaman-woman of Kenai's tribe.
• Michael Clarke Duncan as Tug, a wise old grizzly bear.
• Greg Proops as Male Lover Bear
• Pauley Perrette as Female Lover Bear
• Estelle Harris as Old Lady Bear
• Bumper Robinson as Chipmunks
• Angayuqaq Oscar Kawagley as Inuit Narrator

Production[link]

In 2002 Digital Media Effects reported the title of the film as Bears.^[3] An article in IGN in 2001 also mentioned an upcoming Disney release with the title Bears^[4] as did Jim Hill of Ain't It Cool News.^[5]

Design and animation[link]

The film is traditionally animated but includes some CG elements such as "a salmon run and a caribou stampede".^[6] Layout artist Armand Serrano, speaking about the drawing process on the film, said that "we had to do a life drawing session with live bear cubs and also outdoor drawing and painting sessions at Fort Wilderness in Florida three times a week for two months [...]".^{[citation needed]}

According to Ruben Aquino, supervising animator for the character of Denahi, Denahi was originally meant to be Kenai's father; later this was changed to Kenai's brother.^[7] Byron Howard, supervising animator for Kenai in bear form, said that earlier in production a bear named Grizz (who resembles Tug in the film and is even voiced by the same person) was supposed to have the role of Kenai's mentor.^[8] Art Director Robh Ruppel stated that the ending of the film originally showed how Kenai and Denahi get together once a year to play when the northern lights are in the sky.^[8]

Release[link]

Critical reception[link]

The reaction from film reviewers was mixed, with some panning the film as a retread of older Disney films like The Lion King and the 20th Century Fox film Ice Age (although Brother Bear began production before Ice Age did), while others defended the film as a legitimate variation of the theme. The popular American movie critics Roger Ebert and Richard Roeper have given positive reviews of the film.^[9]

Of note to many critics and viewers was the use of the film's aspect ratio as a storytelling device. The film begins at a standard widescreen aspect ratio of 1.75:1 (similar to the 1.85:1 ratio common in U.S. cinema or the 1.78:1 ratio of HDTV), while Kenai is a human; in addition, the film's art direction and color scheme are grounded in realism. After Kenai transforms into a bear twenty-four minutes into the picture, the film itself transforms as well: to an anamorphic aspect ratio of 2.35:1 and towards brighter, more fanciful colors and slightly more caricatured art direction. Brother Bear was the first feature since The Horse Whisperer to do a widescreen shift. It was the only animated feature to do this trick, until The Simpsons Movie and Enchanted in 2007.

Box office[link]

The film made $85,336,277 during its domestic theatrical run and then went on to earn $164,700,000 outside the U.S., bringing its worldwide total to $250,383,219, which is successful.^[1]

Home video[link]

The film's March 30, 2004 DVD release brought in more than $167 million in DVD and VHS sales and rentals.^[10] In April 2004 alone, 5.51 million copies of Brother Bear were sold.^[11]

The film will be released on a Blu-Ray Special Edition in winter 2012.

Awards and nominations[link]

The film was also nominated at the 76th Academy Awards for Best Animated Feature,^[12] but ultimately ended losing out to another Walt Disney pictures film, Finding Nemo.

Soundtrack[link]

Video games[link]

Disney's Brother Bear was released in November 2003 for the Game Boy Advance, Mobile phone and Microsoft Windows. The story starts as the two moose are telling the story of "The bear who said he wasn't a bear". The story follows the film where Kenai transformed into a bear by his brother Sitka and is being hunted by his brother Denahi.

You play as Kenai and play mini-games like snow sliding or salmon run and eat berries to get totems and avoid purple bushes. In the GBA version, you play either Kenai or Koda. Collect three green, red or gold totems and avoid thorns and Denahi.

See also[link]

	Disney portal
	Film portal
	Animation portal

• Brother Bear 2 - the direct-to-video sequel
• List of Disney theatrical animated features

References[link]

External links[link]

Wikiquote has a collection of quotations related to: Brother Bear

• Official website
• Brother Bear at the Internet Movie Database
• Brother Bear at AllRovi
• Brother Bear at the Big Cartoon DataBase
• Brother Bear at Rotten Tomatoes
• Brother Bear at Metacritic
• Brother Bear at Box Office Mojo
• Brother Bear Online Archive

Melissa Etheridge
Etheridge at a ceremony to receive a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in September 2011
Background information
Birth name	Melissa Lou Etheridge
Born	(1961-05-29) May 29, 1961 (age 51)
Origin	Leavenworth, Kansas, U.S.
Genres	Heartland rock,[1] folk rock, blues rock
Occupations	Singer-songwriter, activist
Instruments	Vocals, guitar, piano, harmonica, mandolin
Years active	1988–present
Labels	Island
Website	www.melissaetheridge.com

Melissa Lou Etheridge (born May 29, 1961) is an American rock singer-songwriter and activist.

Etheridge is known for her mixture of confessional lyrics, pop-based folk-rock, and raspy, smoky vocals.^[1] She has also been an iconic gay and lesbian activist since her public coming out in January 1993.^[2]

Life and career[link]

Born in Leavenworth, Kansas, the younger of two girls, to John Etheridge, a psychology teacher at Leavenworth High School, and Elizabeth Williamson, a computer consultant. She attended David Brewer School, which is still located at 17th and Osage Streets. She graduated in 1979 from Leavenworth High School (LHS), 10th Avenue and Halderman. Etheridge was a member of the first "Power and Life" musical/dance group at LHS which is still active today. Her childhood home was at 1902 Miami Street.

Etheridge's interest in music began early; she picked up her first guitar at 8. She began to play in all-men country music groups throughout her teenage years, until she moved to Boston to attend Berklee College of Music.

While in Berklee, Etheridge played the club circuit around Boston. After three semesters, Etheridge decided to drop out of Berklee and head to Los Angeles to attempt a career in music.^[1] Etheridge was discovered in a bar called Vermie's in Pasadena, CA. She had made some friends on a women's soccer team and those new friends came to see her play. One of the women was Karla Leopold, whose husband, Bill Leopold, was a manager in the music business. Karla convinced Bill to see her perform live. He was impressed, and has remained a pivotal part of Etheridge's career ever since.^[3] This, in addition to her gigs in lesbian bars around Los Angeles, got her discovered by Island Records chief Chris Blackwell. She got a publishing deal to write songs for movies including the 1986 movie Weeds.^[4]

In 1985, prior to her signing, Etheridge sent her demo to Olivia Records, a lesbian record label, but was ultimately rejected. She saved the rejection letter, signed by "the women of Olivia", which was later featured in Intimate Portrait: Melissa Etheridge, the Lifetime Television documentary of her life.

After an unreleased first effort that was rejected by Island Records as being too polished and glossy, she completed her stripped-down self-titled debut in just four days. Her eponymous debut album Melissa Etheridge was an underground hit, and the single, "Bring Me Some Water", a turntable hit, was nominated for a Grammy.^[4]

At the time of the album's release, it was not generally known that Etheridge was a lesbian. While on the road promoting the album, she paused in Memphis, Tennessee, to be interviewed for the radio syndication, Pulsebeat—Voice of the Heartland, explaining the intensity of her music by saying: "People think I'm really sad--or really angry. But my songs are written about the conflicts I have . . . I have no anger toward anyone else."^[5] She invited the radio syndication producer to attend her concert that night. He did and was surprised to find himself one of the few men in attendance.^[6]

1986–92: Road to rock stardom[link]

Etheridge followed up her first album's modest success by contributing background vocals to Don Henley's album The End of the Innocence. She went into the studio and recorded her sophomore effort Brave and Crazy which was released in 1989.

Brave and Crazy followed the same musical formula as her eponymous debut garnering a Grammy nomination. The album peaked at #22 on the Billboard charts (equal to her first album). Etheridge then went on the road, taking a page from one of her musical influences Bruce Springsteen, and built a loyal fan base.^[7] Etheridge is a Bruce Springsteen fan, and she has covered his songs "Thunder Road" and "Born to Run" during live shows.

In 1992, Etheridge released her third album Never Enough. Similar to her prior two albums, Never Enough didn't reach the top of the charts peaking at #21 but gave Etheridge her first Grammy for Best Rock Vocal Performance, Female for her single "Ain't It Heavy". Never Enough was considered a more personal and mature album from Etheridge at that time. With rumors circulating around her sexuality (Etheridge was not out yet at this point), the album seemed to inadvertently address these rumors.^[8]

In 1992, Etheridge established a performing arts scholarship at Leavenworth High School in honor of her father. She said her father used to "spend his weekends driving me to Kansas City and all points around there so I could play in bands. I was underage so I couldn't have gone without him."

1993: Yes I Am - 1994[link]

On September 21, 1993, Etheridge released what would become her mainstream breakthrough recording Yes I Am. Co-produced with former The Police and Genesis Grammy-winning and Producer of the Year award-winning producer Hugh Padgham, Yes I Am spent 138 weeks on the Billboard 200 charts and peaked at #15 and scored mainstream hits "Come to My Window" and her only Billboard Top 10 single "I'm the Only One", which also hit #1 on Billboard's Adult Contemporary chart. Sales-wise, Yes I Am earned a RIAA certification of 6× Platinum^[9] making it her biggest selling album to date.

Etheridge earned her second Grammy for Best Rock Vocal Performance, Female for her single "Come to My Window". She also garnered two additional nominations in the Best Rock Song category for "I'm the Only One" and "Come to My Window" losing to Bruce Springsteen's "Streets of Philadelphia".

In 1993, Etheridge boycotted playing shows in Colorado over its passage of Amendment 2.^[7]

In a visit to Leavenworth in November 1994, she performed a benefit concert for a new park to be built near the high school. A ball field at the park will be named after her father. While she was here, she also donated money to help refurbish the Performing Arts Center in Leavenworth at 401 Delaware.

In 1994, Etheridge played a cover version of "Burning Love" live in Memphis, during the "It's Now Or Never, The Tribute To Elvis".

Also in 1994, she was honored by VH-1 for her work with the AIDS organization L.A. Shanti. During the televised occasion, she highlighted the appearance with a performance of "I'm the Only One" and a duet covering The Rolling Stone's Honky Tonk Woman with Sammy Hagar.^[10]

1995–2002: After her breakthrough[link]

The success of Yes I Am helped increase sales of Etheridge's earlier albums. In 1995 Melissa Etheridge earned a RIAA certification of 2× Platinum^[9] while Never Enough earned a RIAA certification of Platinum^[9]

Etheridge's follow-up to Yes I Am was the moderately successful Your Little Secret which wasn't as well received by critics as prior recordings. Your Little Secret is the highest charting album of Etheridge's career reaching #6 on the Billboard album charts, but only spent 41 weeks on the chart. The album produced two Top 40 singles "I Want to Come Over" (Billboard #22) and "Nowhere to Go" (Billboard #40) and earned a RIAA certification of 2× Platinum,^[9] less than "Yes I Am."

In 1996, Etheridge won ASCAP Songwriter of the Year award. She also took a lengthy break from the music business to concentrate on her domestic arrangements.^[4] She also recorded "Sin Tener A Donde Ir (Nowhere to Go)" for the AIDS benefit album Silencio=Muerte: Red Hot + Latin produced by the Red Hot Organization.

In 1997, she appeared as herself on the sitcom Ellen on "The Puppy Episode Part 2".

Etheridge returned to the music charts with the release of Breakdown in October 1999. Breakdown peaked at #12 on the Billboard charts and spent 18 weeks in the charts. Despite this, Breakdown was the only album of Etheridge's career to be nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Rock Album (losing to Santana's Supernatural). In addition, her single "Angels Would Fall" was nominated in two categories: Best Rock Vocal Performance, Female (losing to Sheryl Crow) and Best Rock Song (losing to Red Hot Chili Peppers) in 2000. A year later, another single from the album "Enough of Me" was nominated for Best Rock Vocal Performance, Female (also losing to Sheryl Crow).

The album earned a RIAA certification of Gold,^[9] below her prior 5 albums.

2001 saw the release of Skin an album she described as "the closest I've ever come to recording a concept album. It has a beginning, middle and end. It's a journey." Skin garnered generally positive reviews with Metacritic scoring the album 73/100 from 9 reviews.^[11] Recorded post her breakup with first partner Julie Cypher, critics noted that Skin was "A harrowing, clearly autobiographical dissection of a decaying relationship." Despite the positive reviews, Skin sold less than 500,000 copies. On the Billboard charts, it peaked at #9 but dropped out of the Top 200 after just 12 weeks. The single "I Want to Be in Love" was nominated for the Best Rock Vocal Performance, Female (losing to Lucinda Williams).

In 2002, Etheridge released her autobiography titled, "The Truth Is: My Life in Love and Music."

[edit] 2004–present: Lucky, cancer diagnosis, Academy Awards and Fearless Love

Etheridge began 2004 with the release of her eighth album Lucky on February 10. Etheridge was now in a new relationship with actress Tammy Lynn Michaels whom she began dating in 2001. Lucky performed similarly to Skin, selling fewer than 500,000 copies, peaking on the Billboard charts at #15 and spending 13 weeks on the charts. It also garnered a Grammy nomination for Etheridge's cover of the Greenwheel song "Breathe" for the Grammy Award for Best Rock Vocal Performance, Solo (losing to Bruce Springsteen).

In October 2004, Etheridge was diagnosed with breast cancer. At the 2005 Grammy Awards (the same ceremony for which "Breathe" was nominated), she made a return to the stage and, although bald from chemotherapy, performed a tribute to Janis Joplin with the song "Piece of My Heart". . Etheridge's performance was lauded in song in India.Arie's "I Am Not My Hair".^[12]

On September 10, 2005, Etheridge participated in ReAct Now: Music & Relief, a telethon in support for the victims of Hurricane Katrina. ReAct Now, part of an ongoing effort by MTV, VH1, CMT, seeks to raise funds for the American Red Cross, the Salvation Army, and America's Second Harvest. Etheridge introduced a new song specially written for the occasion called "Four Days". The a cappella song included themes and images that were on the news during the aftermath of the hurricane. Other charities she supports include The Dream Foundation and Love Our Children USA.

On November 15, 2005, Etheridge appeared on the Tonight Show to perform her song "I Run for Life".

Etheridge wrote "I Need to Wake Up" for the film documentary An Inconvenient Truth, which won the Academy Award for Best Original Song in 2006. The song was released only on the enhanced version of her greatest hits album, The Road Less Traveled.^[13][14]

Etheridge was also a judge for the 5th annual Independent Music Awards to support independent artists' careers.^[15]

In August 2006, Melissa also produced and sang the vocal tracks on the Brother Bear 2 soundtrack, including collaborations with Josh Kelley.^[16]

Etheridge performs during the third night of the 2008 Democratic National Convention in Denver, Colorado.

On July 7, 2007, Etheridge performed at the Giants Stadium on the American leg of Live Earth. Etheridge performed the songs "Imagine That" and "What Happens Tomorrow" from The Awakening, her tenth album, released on September 25, 2007, as well as the song "I Need To Wake Up" before introducing Al Gore. On December 11, 2007 she performed at the Nobel Peace Prize Concert in Oslo, Norway, together with a variety of artists, which was broadcast live to over 100 countries.^[17] In addition, she performed at the U.S. 2008 Democratic National Convention on August 27, 2008. In July 2009, Etheridge announced through her website that she and John Shanks would begin recording her 11th studio album the following summer. This was the first time since 1999 Etheridge and Shanks were the only ones involved in the production of a project.

Etheridge performing live in 2010

Etheridge was featured in UniGlobe Entertainment's breast cancer docudrama titled 1 a Minute released in 2010.^[18] The documentary is being made by actress Namrata Singh Gujral and will also feature breast cancer survivors Olivia Newton-John, Diahann Carroll, Namrata Singh Gujral, Mumtaz and Jaclyn Smith as well as William Baldwin, Daniel Baldwin and Priya Dutt. The feature is narrated by Kelly McGillis. The film will also star Bárbara Mori, Lisa Ray, Deepak Chopra and Morgan Brittany.

Etheridge also held a private listening party hosted at Michele Clark's Sunset Sessions 2010. She debuted her new album Fearless Love at the event held at the Rancho Bernardo Inn where she did a question and answer and played an acoustic set of her new singles in front of convention attendees and about 50 listeners of host station KPRI/SAN DIEGO.

Etheridge performed her title track "Fearless Love" from her new album and "Come to My Window" from 1993 on the April 27, 2010, airing of "Dancing With the Stars" on ABC.

Etheridge performed the role of St. Jimmy in Green Day's hit Broadway musical, American Idiot from February 1–6, 2011.^[19][20]

Etheridge said in July 2011 that she is writing songs for a musical that her partner, Linda Wallem, is writing.^[21]

Etheridge will play her first Pride event on Saturday, June 9,2012 at Pittsburgh Pride's - Pride in the Street. Pride in the Street is a block party that takes place on the made famous by Queer as Folk series Liberty Avenue between 9th and 10th Streets.

Personal life[link]

Etheridge's father, John Etheridge, was a high school psychology teacher, counselor and athletic director at her alma mater, Leavenworth High School. He died in 1993. Her mother Elizabeth was a homemaker and a computer analyst and is now retired.

Etheridge came out publicly as a lesbian in January 1993 at the Triangle Ball, a gay celebration of President Bill Clinton's first inauguration. Etheridge supported Clinton's 1992 presidential campaign and since her coming out has been famous as a gay rights activist. She is also a committed advocate for environmental issues and in 2006, she toured the US and Canada using biodiesel.^[22]

Etheridge had a long-term partnership with Julie Cypher, and their relationship occasionally received press coverage. During this partnership, Cypher gave birth to two children, Bailey Jean, born February 10, 1997, and Beckett, born November 1998, fathered by sperm donor David Crosby. In 2000, Cypher began to reconsider her sexuality and on September 19, 2000, Etheridge and Cypher announced they were separating. In 2001, Etheridge documented her breakup with Cypher and other experiences in her memoir.

In 2002, Etheridge began dating actress Tammy Lynn Michaels.^[23] The two had a commitment ceremony on September 20, 2003.^[24] In April 2006, Etheridge and Michaels announced that Michaels was pregnant with twins via an anonymous sperm donor. Michaels gave birth to a daughter, Johnnie Rose, and a son, Miller Steven, on October 17, 2006.^{[citation needed]}

Etheridge performing at a September 2011 ceremony where she received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame

In October 2008, five months after the Supreme Court of California overturned the state's ban on same-sex marriage, Etheridge announced that she and Michaels were planning to marry but were currently "trying to find the right time... to go down and do it".^[25] In November 2008, in response to the passing of California's Proposition 8 banning same-sex marriage, Etheridge announced that she would not pay her state taxes as an act of civil disobedience.^[26] On April 15, 2010 Etheridge and Michaels announced they had separated.^[27]

In October 2004, Etheridge was diagnosed with breast cancer and underwent chemotherapy.^{[citation needed]} In October 2005, in honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, Etheridge appeared on Dateline NBC with Michaels to discuss her struggle with cancer. By the time of the interview, Etheridge's hair had grown back after being lost during chemotherapy. She said that her partner had been very supportive during her illness. Etheridge also discussed using medicinal marijuana while she was receiving the chemotherapy.^[28] She said that the drug improved her mood and increased her appetite. In a June 15, 2009 interview with Anderson Cooper, Etheridge mentioned that she still uses marijuana to lessen the effects of acid reflux or in extremely stressful situations. Medical marijuana is legal in the state of California.

Etheridge supported Barack Obama's decision to have Pastor Rick Warren speak at his 2009 Presidential inauguration, believing that he can sponsor dialogue to bridge the gap between gay and straight Christians. She stated in her column at The Huffington Post that "Sure, there are plenty of hateful people who will always hold on to their bigotry like a child to a blanket. But there are also good people out there, Christian and otherwise, that are beginning to listen."^[29]

Awards[link]

Academy Awards[link]

The Academy Awards are presented annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS)^[30]

Grammy Awards[link]

The Grammy Awards are awarded annually by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences. Etheridge has won two awards from fifteen nominations.

Other accolades[link]

At the 20th Annual Juno Awards in 1990, Etheridge won International Entertainer of the Year.^[31]

In 1996, she was awarded ASCAP's Songwriter of the Year Award.

In 2001, she won the Gibson Guitar Award for Best Rock Guitarist: Female.^[32]

In 2006, at the 17th GLAAD Media Awards, Etheridge received GLAAD's Stephen F. Kolzak Award, which honors openly lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender media professionals who have made a significant difference in promoting equal rights.^[33] In addition, she was awarded as Outstanding Music Artist for Greatest Hits: The Road Less Traveled.

On May 13, 2006, at Berklee College of Music's 2006 commencement, held at Northeastern University's Matthews Arena, in Boston, Massachusetts, Berklee's president, Roger H. Brown, presented Etheridge with an Honorary Doctor of Music Degree ". Etheridge delivered the commencement address in front of more than 800 graduating students and 4,000 guests.^[34]

On February 18, 2009, Etheridge was named the "Celebrity Marshall" for Boston's 2009 Pride Parade by the Boston Pride Committee. The interesting part about this award is she actually didn't attend. The committee bestowed this honor without checking to see if she was available.

On September 27, 2011, Etheridge received the honor of having her own star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Located at 6901 Hollywood Boulevard, it is the 2,450th star awarded.

Discography[link]

• 1988: Melissa Etheridge
• 1989: Brave and Crazy
• 1992: Never Enough
• 1993: Yes I Am
• 1995: Your Little Secret
• 1999: Breakdown
• 2001: Skin
• 2004: Lucky
• 2005: Greatest Hits: The Road Less Traveled
• 2007: The Awakening
• 2008: A New Thought For Christmas
• 2010: Fearless Love
• 2011: Icon

References[link]

External links[link]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Melissa Etheridge

• allaccess.com
• sunsetsessions.org
• JUST CAUSE Magazine interview about activism, family, breast cancer. (Sept, 2009)
• Melissa Etheridge @ Island Records
• Melissa Etheridge Information Network
• Melissa Etheridge at the Internet Movie Database
• 60 Minutes II Interview (June 30, 2000) with Charlie Rose
• CNN interview (May 24, 2003)
• CBS Early Show interview (October 26, 2005) (includes video)
• CMT.com: Melissa Etheridge: Biography
• Melissa Etheridge: Fearless interview with The 420 Times

Josh Kelley
Kelley performing in 2007
Background information
Birth name	Joshua Bishop Kelley
Born	(1980-01-30) January 30, 1980 (age 32)
Origin	Evans, Georgia, U.S.
Genres	Pop rock, blues rock, country
Occupations	Singer-songwriter, musician
Instruments	Vocals, guitar, keyboards
Years active	2001–present
Labels	DNK Records, Hollywood Records, Threshold, MCA Nashville
Associated acts	Lady Antebellum
Website	JoshKelley.com

Joshua Bishop "Josh" Kelley^[1] (born January 30, 1980) is an American singer-songwriter and actor. Kelley has recorded for Hollywood Records, Threshold Records and DNK Records as a pop rock artist, and has had four hit singles on the Hot Adult Top 40 Tracks chart. His songs "Amazing" and "Only You" made top ten on that chart.

In 2010, Kelley signed to MCA Nashville and began a country music career.^[2] His debut single on the format, "Georgia Clay", became a Top 20 hit on the Hot Country Songs charts. Kelley is the brother of Lady Antebellum member Charles Kelley. Kelley is married to actress Katherine Heigl.

Early life[link]

Kelley was born in Augusta, Georgia, the son of Gayle and Dr. John W. Kelley, a cardiologist.^[3] Kelley began his musical career at the age of 11. His younger brother, Charles Kelley, is also a musician and singer in the country trio Lady Antebellum.^[4] Kelley started at 11 with his guitar. While he was a teenager, he and his brother Charles formed a band called Inside Blue. By the time he was 14, the band released a CD with five songs in it, which led to a meeting with James Brown. Kelley played the guitar in the high school jazz band alongside his brother Charles (drums) and Dave Haywood (guitar) from Lady Antebellum.

Kelley attended the University of Mississippi in Oxford, Mississippi, and is a member of the Kappa Sigma Fraternity.

Music career[link]

Kelley released his independent album, Changing Faces, in 2001 and signed with Hollywood Records in 2002. Working with John Alagia as his producer, Kelley released the album, For the Ride Home, on June 3, 2003. The album featured his hit song "Amazing," which most people know him by. He also made an appearance at the Bonnaroo Music Festival in 2003.

Even though Kelley has stated that the lyrics from his song "Angeles" were fabricated, he moved to Los Angeles from Georgia and recorded the majority of his second album, Almost Honest, in the studio of his home. Almost Honest was released on August 23, 2005, and featured the hit single, "Only You."

After asking to be released from his contract with Hollywood Records, Kelley released his third album, Just Say The Word under his own label named Threshold. The digital version of the album was released through iTunes on June 6, 2006, while the physical album was released in stores in the United States on July 25, 2006. "The Pop Game" was the first single from his self-produced album and was accompanied by a cartoon video.

Kelley's next album, Special Company, was released in the United States on January 14, 2008. His label, Threshold, was renamed DNK Records so as to avoid confusion with another record label by the same name. Kelley also released a digital album that summer titled Backwoods on July 7. Later that year, Kelley released his latest album, To Remember, on September 23 exclusively through Target stores. The title track was also included on the AT&T Team USA Soundtrack.

Kelley has toured with many artists including Rod Stewart, Third Eye Blind, Toby Lightman, Counting Crows, and Ryan Cabrera.

Kelley remains a supporter of file sharing applications for independent artists who have a difficult time receiving an audience. In fact, Kelley was "found" after targeting Eric Clinger at Hollywood Records with private spam, "If you like James Taylor, Try Josh Kelley," messages using the Napster program.

In November 2009, Kelley signed with MCA Nashville and began recording his first country album in 2010.^[5] The album's first single, "Georgia Clay", was released to country radio in August 2010. The single became a Top 20 hit on the Hot Country Songs chart. The album, also titled Georgia Clay, was released in March 2011.

Personal life[link]

Kelley majored in Art at the University of Mississippi and was a member of the Kappa Sigma Fraternity. He is an avid golfer and attended college on a golf scholarship.

Kelley met actress Katherine Heigl in spring 2005 when she appeared in his music video Only You. One year later in June 2006 they became engaged.^[6] For Heigl he wrote the song Hey Katie. The Heigl-Kelley wedding took place at the Stein Eriksen Lodge in Park City, Utah. Heigl's Grey's Anatomy co-stars T.R. Knight, Sandra Oh, Ellen Pompeo and Justin Chambers attended the ceremony, as well as Grey's Anatomy spinoff series Private Practice star Kate Walsh. The ceremony was officiated by Unitarian minister Tom Goldsmith. Heigl walked down the aisle to an acoustic song written by Kelley and performed by a cello and guitar players. The couple wrote their own vows. The bridesmaids wore red. During a taping of Live With Regis and Kelly, Heigl stated that she and Kelley chose not to live together before they were married, saying, "I think I just wanted to save something for the actual marriage... I wanted there to be something to make the actual marriage different than the dating or the courtship."^[7]

On September 9, 2009, Heigl's representative said the couple had started the process of adopting a baby girl from South Korea.^[8] Later that month, the couple adopted a special needs baby girl they named Nancy Leigh (after Heigl's mother and sister, respectively), nicknamed Naleigh. Heigl's sister is Korean-born and was adopted before Heigl was born.^[9] The baby had had a congenital heart defect repaired with open heart surgery before she had left Korea.^[10] Kelley and Heigl adopted a second daughter, Adalaide Marie Hope, in April 2012.^[11][12]

Discography[link]

Albums[link]

Extended plays[link]

Singles[link]

Other contributions[link]

Music videos[link]

References[link]

External links[link]

• Official website
• The Official Josh Kelley Street Team
• Official Josh Kelley Store
• Aug. 2006 New York TV interview
• Josh Kelley at the Internet Movie Database
• Josh Kelley collection at the Internet Archive's live music archive
• "The Prince & Me" movie
• / Billboard Song Chart History