252. BRAVE AND CRAZY by Melissa Etheridge

I recently listened to a podcast interview with Melissa Etheridge and was reminded how much I used to listen to her first two records in college, especially Brave and Crazy, her second album, released in 1989. Having the perfect combination of rootsy, American(a) rock and ballads, to say that I had this CD on repeat during my sophomore year would be an understatement.

Fast forward to today and knowing about her life story, including how she started out as an openly gay woman playing in dive bars, her battle with breast cancer and the death of her son to opioid addiction makes me appreciate her even more. Though I didn't really follow her career that closely afterwards, I made up for it by the number of times I spun those first two CDs.

The tracks I've added to my playlists include, 'The Angels,' 'No Souvenirs,' 'Let Me Go' and, finally the album closer, 'Royal Station 4/16,' in which Bono of U2 plays harmonica.