Michelle Branch

• 28, from Arizona
• Nominated for the Grammy Award for Best New Artist in 2003
• In 2005, she joined Jessica Harp to form a new singing duo named The Wreckers
• Performed “God Bless America” at the 2011 MLB All-Star Game

Biography

Michelle Jacquet DeSevren Branch (named after the song “Michelle” by The Beatles) was born in Phoenix, Arizona, United States on the 2nd of July, 1983. She is an American singer, songwriter and guitarist.

She received a guitar from her parents for her 14th birthday. Three years later, after sending a demo tape to Hanson and opening for them on tour, had signed a deal with Maverick Records. She subsequently had four top ten hits. The inspiration for writing her own songs can be found by The Beatles and other bands. Songs like “Something to Sleep To” are musically inspired by The Beatles.

She made her debut in 2000 and released the platinum-selling albums The Spirit Room and Hotel Paper in later years.

The Spirit Room was released in 2001. The album, which was produced by John Shanks (Melissa Etheridge, Chris Isaak), was an immediate hit. The Spirit Room sold 2.5 million copies and earned Branch a Grammy and an MTV Viewer’s Choice Award. The album also spawned three top ten hits.

Michelle performed a duet with Carlos Santana on the album Shaman. The single “The Game of Love” became an international hit. On June 23, 2003, Branch released her second album, Hotel Paper.

In 2004 she formed the band The Wreckers with fellow musician Jessica Harp. Their album “Stand Still Look Pretty” was also released on Maverick Records, although the Wreckers’ country sound shocked many of Branch’s old fans.

Stand Still, Look Pretty spawned four singles, including “Leave The Pieces,” which reached #1 on the U.S. country chart and earned a Grammy nomination for Best Country Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal. Citing creative differences, the duo have since put the project on hold to work on their own solo projects. Branch’s latest album, Everything Comes and Goes, has been released on August 30th 2010, it’s a Six Pak mini album containing only 6 songs that she wrote and finished about 2-3 years ago. The first single from the album is “Sooner or Later.”

The Loud Music Songfacts reports that the first single from singer-songwriter Michelle Branch’s third studio album, West Coast Time was titled “Loud Music.” It finds her singing about a rocker beau and referencing Led Zeppelin and Jimi Hendrix. The song was released on June 14, 2011 via her own label, Sticks n’ Stones Recordings Ltd.