Melissa Etheridge

Of the most popular singer-songwriters who rose to prominence in the era of Lilith Fair, soulful vocalist and guitar virtuoso Melissa Etheridge is the closest thing to a straight-up rocker. She broke out into the mainstream with her 1993 album Yes I Am (its title a winking riposte to the speculation surrounding her sexuality at the time), which included the Top 40 singles “Come to My Window” and “I’m the Only One.” Etheridge has since maintained a steady touring presence — she’s returning to Spokane following a Northern Quest gig with Pat Benatar last summer — and her latest studio album, Memphis Rock and Soul, is essentially a catalog of her bluesy musical roots, boasting covers of songs originally recorded by Otis Redding, B.B. King and the Staple Singers.