Rocker Melissa Etheridge has just shared her new album Rise and its got a distinctively country flavour.
Its the seventieth album of Etheridge’s career that began with her acclaimed self-titled debut back in 1988. This time she’s teamed up with producer Shooter Jennings.
Jennings is the son of country legends Waylon Jennings and Jessi Coulter, and he grew up around fellow ‘Highwaymen’ Johnny Cash, Willie Nelson and Kris Kirstofferson.
A new single and video from the album has just been released and it’s a duet between Etheridge and singer Chris Stapleton.
In interviews to promote the new album Etheridge has spoken about she approached making the album with “complete joy”, but the loss of her son Beckett in 2020 through opioid addiction weighed heavily.
Etheridge’s last album of original material 2021’s One Way Out featured lost songs that Etheridge had written early in her career. She hadn’t written about her life today since 2019’s The Medicine Show. In the seven years that have passed, a lot of life has gone by.
While the track Call Me documents the musicians desire to just pick up the phone and speak to her son, the album is also filled with positivity. Opening track Bein’ Alive is an uplifting statement of perseverance, resilience and optimism.
Fans who caught Etheridge at her Perth show in 2024 know she’s one of the most engaging live performers working today.
She’s about to start a US tour to support the new album and fingers crossed, she’ll be heading down under again soon.
