It is amazing to believe that only three years after receiving her first
guitar, Michelle Branch had signed a deal with Maverick Records and had
four top ten hits. Not bad for a seventeen year old. Michelle Branch
was born on July 2, 1983 in Flagstaff, Arizona. On her fourteenth
birthday she received her first guitar as a gift from her parents. The
artist immediately began to write, sing, and play at local events in her
small town of Sedona, Az. At the age of seventeen, she independently
recorded her acoustic-based first album, Broken Bracelet. That same year
she signed a deal with Maverick Records and began touring with Hanson.
Branch’s second album, The Spirit Room, was released in 2001. The album,
which was produced by John Shanks (Melissa Etheridge, Chris Isaak),
featured the singles: “Everywhere,” “All You Wanted,” “Goodbye to You.”
The album was an immediate hit. Fans were enthused and inspired by a
female artist who wrote her own music, and played her own instruments.
This was the first time in awhile that a teenage girl was focusing more
on her music than complex dance moves and showy, over-priced music
videos in pop music. The Spirit Room sold 2.5 million copies, and earned
Branch a Grammy and an MTV Viewer’s Choice Award. The album also
spawned four top ten hits.
In 2002 Branch performed a duet with famed guitarist, Carlos Santana, on
his album Shaman. The single, “The Game of Love,” became an
international hit. On June 23, 2003, Branch released her third album:
Hotel Paper. She said the album was named that due to the fact she spent
so much time in hotels while touring – that was the only paper she
could find. The album demonstrates Branch’s growth as an artist. Her
first single, “Are You Happy Now?” discusses the singer’s heartache
after being dumped. Hotel Paper also features Branch’s duet with singer/songwriter
Sheryl Crow entitled “Love Me Like That.” The title track, “Hotel Paper,”
was produced by Josh Abraham (Staind, Korn). Other singles off the
album: “Empty Handed,” “Breathe,” “Find Your Way Back.” Michelle is
constantly compared to Melissa Etheridge and Alanis Morisette. Her
influences are: Cat Stevens, Beatles, Jimi Hendrix, Led Zeppelin.
Bio written by: bandhunt |
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