Editing Melissa Etheridge (section)

==Early life and career==
Etheridge was born in [[Leavenworth, Kansas]], the younger of two daughters of Elizabeth (Williamson), a computer consultant, and John Etheridge, an [[American Constitution]] teacher at her alma mater, [[Leavenworth High School]]. John Etheridge died in August 1991.<ref>{{cite magazine |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/melissa-etheridge-takes-the-long-hard-road-from-the-heartland-to-hollywood-64105/ |title=Melissa Etheridge Takes the Long Hard Road from the Heartland to Hollywood|magazine=Rolling Stone|access-date=July 28, 2019}}</ref>

Etheridge began guitar lessons aged eight.<ref>{{cite web|date=November 18, 2021|title='I considered having kids with Brad Pitt': Melissa Etheridge on music, motherhood and coming out|url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2021/nov/18/melissa-etheridge-music-motherhood-coming-out-brad-pitt|access-date=November 22, 2021|website=the Guardian|language=en}}</ref> She started to play in local country music groups in her teenage years and graduated from high school in 1979.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.irishexaminer.com/analysis/pieces-of-her-heart-183941.html|title=Pieces of her heart|date=February 16, 2012|website=Irishexaminer.com}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.leavenworthtimes.com/article/20101012/NEWS/310129861|title=Leavenworth's own Melissa Etheridge lets us .... inside her window|first=Dale|last=Brendel|website=The Leavenworth Times – Leavenworth, Kansas}}</ref> While attending college at [[Berklee College of Music]], Etheridge played the club circuit around [[Boston]]. After three semesters, Etheridge decided to drop out of Berklee and move to Los Angeles to attempt a career in music.<ref name="All Music" />