Melissa Etheridge has sparked her fair share of headlines over the years,
not only because of her award-winning music but also due to her famous friendships,
as well as her drug use. Beyond all of that, fans also tend to be curious about her love life.
The singer came out in the '90s, soon after the release of her album Yes I Am,
and she's been open about her relationships ever since. While Etheridge has seemingly
experienced both ups and downs when it comes to the romantic side of her life,
let's take a closer look at the three ladies who have been on that roller coaster with the star.
Julie Cypher
Melissa Etheridge and her partner, Julie Cypher, became red-carpet staples at music
industry events in the '90s. Cypher is a University of Texas at Austin alum,
music video director, and screenwriter who spent more than a decade with Etheridge.
While they were together, the couple became parents to two children, with the help of fellow
musician David Crosby. Their daughter, Bailey Jean, was born in 1997, and their son, Beckett,
was born in 1998. However, Beckett tragically passed away in May 2020 at the age of 21.
"Losing my son, that's probably been the hardest or deepest wound or cut."
Etheridge opened up about parenting with Cypher following the birth of their second child,
telling The Advocate:
"We do sit there at the end of the day and go, 'What did we do with all our spare time before
we had kids?' We must have just piddled it away because we never knew how much spare time we had."
After being partners and then parents together over the course of their relationship,
Etheridge and Cypher announced their split in September 2000.
According to E! News, Etheridge later claimed Cypher was, quote,
"unfaithful." However, the singer didn't give up on love and was soon dating a television actress.
Tammy Lynn Michaels
Not long after her split from Julie Cypher, Melissa Etheridge started dating actress Tammy
Lynn Michaels in 2001. By April 2003, they had announced their engagement,
and in September of that year, they exchanged vows in a commitment ceremony
in Malibu that was later featured on the ABC special InStyle Celebrity Weddings.
Things seemed to be going well for the couple. In 2008, Etheridge revealed that she planned to
legally marry Michaels when a California court overturned the state's ban on gay marriage.
In October 2006, Michaels gave birth to twins — a daughter, Johnnie Rose,
and a son, Miller Steven — who were conceived via an anonymous sperm donor, according to E! News.
However, by 2010, the pair had broken up and things reportedly got "nasty." Michaels claimed
she found out that her relationship with Etheridge was over in the press. Michaels wrote on her blog:
"Her broken promises told to me by headlines....could
you stop blind sighting me?/ Have a good concert."
A subsequent fight over custody and child support was still
ongoing when Etheridge became involved with the next woman who would become her wife.
Linda Wallem
Melissa Etheridge and Tammy Lynn Michaels were still battling over the details of their
breakup when the singer became involved with actress and producer Linda Wallem.
Etheridge's new love interest had produced That '70s Show and Nurse
Jackie and appeared in Sleepless in Seattle. According to E! News,
Etheridge confirmed in 2011 that they were in a, quote, "committed relationship."
A source told People that Wallem and Etheridge had been friends for many
years and also share the same birthday. Wallem was supposedly
even a part of Etheridge and Michaels' 2003 commitment ceremony. The insider told People:
"They got together three months after Melissa and Tammy broke up."
In her blog, Tammy Lynn Michaels wrote:
"[I had no idea] there was someone moving in as I was moving out."
Despite the turmoil, Etheridge and Wallem wed in May 2014 at the San Ysidro Ranch in Montecito,
California. The pair appears to still be going today. On May 31,
2018, Etheridge posted a special message to her wife on Instagram:
"Happy Anniversary to the love of my life!"
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