Born on this day in 1961, singer/songwriter Melissa Etheridge grew up in Leavenworth, Kansas. A self-taught musician, she started playing the guitar at eight.

"I grew up in the Midwest," she told the L.A. Times, "where they only played Bob Seger, Springsteen, and Mellencamp—that was it."

"When I wanted to get out of town, I’d play Born to Run. So when I started to sing it myself, I brought that same fire into my own music."

She broke into the male-dominated genre of hard rock in 1988 with her self-titled debut album, where her raspy, earthy voice was likened to Janis Joplin. She hit her stride in 1993 with Yes I Am.

Openly gay, Etheridge has always celebrated truth. "Coming out was a real revelation for me—conquering fears and finding strength. There's nothing like owning who you are."

Diagnosed with breast cancer in 2004, she showed up bald to the 2005 Grammy Awards and rocked the stage. "I was just living my truth," she said. "People said I was courageous for being gay. I guess being truthful today passes as courageous."

Call it truth or courage, she is a survivor. With each song, Etheridge continues to grow artistically and share the joy of creating.

"I love to rock," she explained on her website. "When I'm singing and I see fans throw their heads back and raise their hands—that's what keeps me going."