More Info on Melissa FerrickSimilar Undetermined MusicSearch Artistopia
Biography
Infobox musical artist | name = Melissa Ferrick| image = Melissaferrick.jpg| caption = Melissa Ferrick performing on September 10, 2008| background = solo_singer| birth_name =| alias =| birth_date = birth date and age|1970|9|21| death_date =| origin = Massachusetts , United States | instrument = Guitar , bass guitar , singing|vocals , percussion instrument|percussion , flugelhorn | genre = Folk-Rock| occupation = Singer-songwriter | years_active = 1991–present| label = Atlantic Records|Atlantic (1992–1995) W.A.R.? - What Are Records? (1997–2000) Right On Records (2000–2010) http://www.mpressrecords.com/ MPress Records (2010-Present)| associated_acts =| website = http://www.melissaferrick.com www.melissaferrick.com http://www.myspace.com/melissaferrick www.myspace.com/melissaferrick | current_members =| past_members =| notable_instruments = Melissa Ferrick (born 1970) is an American singer-songwriter .
Early life
Ferrick was raised in Ipswich, Massachusetts . Her father John was a well-liked public school teacher who managed several free-jazz bands on the side. As a child, Ferrick would often accompany her father to clubs on Boston 's North Shore to watch the bands play.cite web | title = Behind the Scenes - Melissa Ferrick | publisher = CampBetty Campout 2005 | year = 2005 | url = http://www.campbettycampout.com/2005/behindthescenes/melissaferrick.htm | accessdate =2008-09-27 |archiveurl = http://web.archive.org/web/20080503190206/ http://www.campbettycampout.com/2005/behindthescenes/melissaferrick.htm |archivedate = 2008-05-03 She began taking classical music|classical violin lessons at the age of five, and then moved on to the piano . In elementary and junior high school, she learned the trumpet and bass guitar|bass . Altogether, she received 12 years of formal music training, including two years each at the Berklee College of Music and the New England Conservatory of Music . Ferrick taught herself to play the acoustic guitar at Berklee, and dropped out after two years to pursue her music career.Citation needed|date=September 2008
Music
Ferrick began her career singing and playing in coffeehouses in the East Village, Manhattan|East Village , New York City .cite web | last = Follos | first = Tim | title = Today's Top Stop: Melissa Ferrick | work = Express Night Out | publisher = Washington Post | date = 2006-12-05 | url = http://expressnightout.com/content/2006/12/todays_top_stop_melissa_ferrick.php | accessdate =2008-09-27 She received a great deal of publicity in 1991 when she replaced, at the last minute, the opening act for the singer Morrissey on tour. She was subsequently signed to a recording contract with Atlantic Records and released her first studio album, Massive Blur , in 1993.
Ferrick's relationship with Atlantic was rocky. She was dropped when her first two albums did not meet the producers' financial expectations.Citation needed|date=September 2008 In 1996, she—in her words -- "bottomed out", drinking and "taking a bunch of pills".cite web | last = Robinson | first = Matthew S. | title = Interview with Melissa Ferrick | work = MusicDish Industry e-Journal | date = 2001-03-15 | url = http://www.musicdish.com/mag/index.php3? id=3348 | accessdate =2008-09-27 After sobering up, she returned to music, signing with the indie label W.A.R.? - What Are Records? . Ferrick released three albums on this label.
In 2000, Ferrick founded her own record label, Right On Records . The first studio album released on her own label was Valentine Heartache . Since her departure from Atlantic, the rise in her popularity has been driven by her fan-base, by reviews in the independent and alternative press , and by word-of-mouth.Citation needed|date=September 2008 In the Eyes of Strangers , released in October 2006, was the sixth album released on her own label. Ferrick partially financed the recording costs for In The Eyes of Strangers with music download|digital download s of acoustic versions of select songs which fans could purchase directly via her website.cite web | last = Myers | first = Chuck | title = Don't call Melissa Ferrick a folkie - she's a rocker | publisher = PopMatters.com | date = 2007-07-27 | url = http://www.popmatters.com/pm/news/article/43266/dont-call-melissa-ferrick-a-folkie-shes-a-rocker/ | accessdate =2008-09-27 Her fourteenth album, Goodbye Youth , was released September 2008.cite web | last = Wootton | first = Sharon | title = Melissa Ferrick: Grammy nominee to show talents on Monroe stage | work = The Daily Herald | date = 2008-08-01 | url = http://www.heraldnet.com/article/20080801/ENT/382067688 | accessdate =2008-09-27 In Spring 2010, she released an album of cover songs called Enough About Me , and announced plans to release an album of original material later that same year. http://www.afterellen.com/blog/snoodit/melissa-ferrick-has-it-covered
During live performances, Ferrick mostly accompanies herself on a Collings Guitars|Collings OM3 SB acoustic guitar. She has also experimented with loop pedals and a range of accompaniments, including, in particular, brass instruments.
Ferrick's rigorous touring schedule generally includes more than 150 shows per year.cite web | last = Belge | first = Kathy | title = An Interview with Melissa Ferrick | work = Lesbian Life | publisher = About.com | url = http://lesbianlife.about.com/od/lesbianmusicians/a/MelissaFerrick.htm | accessdate =2008-09-27 She plays solo gigs in small to medium-sized clubs and numerous festivals, as well as larger venues accompanied by a band. In 2007, she performed at the Michigan Womyn's Music Festival , and opened for Indigo Girls and Ani Difranco .Citation needed|date=September 2008 Her musical inspirations include Bruce Springsteen , Joni Mitchell , Simon and Garfunkel , Earth Wind and Fire , The Beatles , Tori Amos , Coldplay , Radiohead , Dave Matthews , Ryan Adams , and Ani DiFranco .cite web | last = Harper | first = Marques G. | title = Melissa Ferrick to play Pride in the Park | work = The Roanoke Times | date = 2006-09-16 | url = http://www.roanoke.com/extra/wb/xp-82894 | accessdate =2008-09-27
Personal life
Melissa Ferrick is openly gay ,cite web | last = Hensley | first = Dennis | title = Why did Melissa cross the road? Melissa Ferrick talks about taking risks to put out her latest CD, The Other Side | work = The Advocate | date = 2004-06-22 | url = http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1589/is_2004_June_22/ai_n6146755 | accessdate =2008-09-27 Dead link|date=October 2010|bot=H3llBot and some of her lyrics deal with lesbian themes. Her album Everything I Need was named 1999 Album of the Year by the Gay and Lesbian American Music Association , and she has received positive reviews in the queer publication The Advocate .Citation needed|date=September 2007 In interviews and articles she speaks openly not only about her Human female sexuality|sexuality , but also about her love life, and her personal life in general.cite web | last = Shapiro | first = Gregg | title = Another Side : An interview with Melissa Ferrick | work = PrideSource | date = 2004-05-27 | url = http://www.pridesource.com/article.shtml? article=7993 | accessdate =2008-09-27 cite web | last = Robertson | first = Jessica | title = Rockin' Out Interview: Melissa Ferrick | work = Spinner.com | url = http://www.spinner.com/2008/06/27/rockin-out-interview-melissa-ferrick/ | accessdate =2008-09-27
http://www.thelesbianpodcast.com/episodes/Melissa-Ferrick-42570567.html Melissa Ferrick interview on The Lesbian Podcast
Allmusic|class=artist|id=p75768
http://goldenrod.com/ Goldenrod Music
Persondata | NAME =Ferrick, Melissa | ALTERNATIVE NAMES = | SHORT DESCRIPTION = | DATE OF BIRTH =1970-09-21 | PLACE OF BIRTH = | DATE OF DEATH = | PLACE OF DEATH =
DEFAULTSORT:Ferrick, Melissa Category:Living people Category:1970 births Category:American female guitarists Category:American female singers Category:American folk singers Category:American singer-songwriters Category:People from Ipswich, Massachusetts Category:Berklee College of Music alumni Category:Lesbian musicians Category:LGBT musicians from the United States Category:Musicians from Massachusetts
