Meredith Brooks
Encyclopedia
Meredith Ann Brooks is an American
singer/songwriter and guitarist
. She is best known for her 1997 hit song "Bitch", for which she was nominated for a Grammy Award
.
. Her parents divorced while she was still a child. She and her brother and sister grew up in Corvallis, Oregon
and were raised by their mother. At age eleven, Brooks became fascinated with the guitar
and she soon learned how to play it.
Career Beginnings; See It Through My Eyes
In the early 1980s, Brooks performed at a number of clubs in the Willamette Valley
of Oregon
and in Washington, where she was popular to a broad range of fans. She often performed at the Last Hurrah, and Eli's Hard Rock Cafe in Downtown Portland. She was managed by Denny Herman of Pacific Talent, who was also her boyfriend. She recorded Meredith Brooks and The Angels of Mercy: Recorded Live at the Starry Night, a one-hour TV show. The video production was headed up by Mark de Leon Martinez, an established young music video producer from Portland. She performed that night as the opening act for Jack Charles. She then moved to Los Angeles
to further her career in music. At that time, she recorded the songs that later appeared on See It Through My Eyes
. In the late 1980s and early 1990s, she was a member of The Graces
, who recorded one album, Perfect View, in 1989.
Blurring the Edges
In 1995, Brooks landed a major label contract with Capitol Records
. Her first hit single, "Bitch", garnered her nominations for the 1998 Grammy Awards for Best Female Rock Vocal Performance
and Best Rock Song
. The song was Brooks' only major hit on the charts. Her album Blurring the Edges
achieved platinum sales and peaked at 22 on the Billboard 200
and 5 on the UK Albums Chart
. The album was produced by David Ricketts
, formerly of David and David (with David Baerwald
). Ricketts also played keyboards, among other instruments, on the album. Brooks toured in the US and Europe in 1997 and 1998 to support the album. On March 30 in Argentina, whilst opening for the Rolling Stones, the crowd demanded to see the Stones during her set and threw bottles and other objects at the stage. Brooks abandoned her set after 2 songs as the crowd yelled "come on Stones". The next day Brooks showed reporters bruises to her eye and ankle and stated: "They have taken away my greatest moment. I was playing with the Stones, something I never imagined I would do... and now I think I'll cancel the rest of my shows in Latin America. I have no intention of continuing to expose myself to this kind of barbaric behavior... not me, not my band, not my crew."
In 1998 she divorced her husband, Russell Jackson, after seven years of marriage.
Deconstruction [1999] and Lilith Fair
Brooks recorded her second major album Deconstruction in 1999. It was a stylistic and thematic shift away from Blurring the Edges
. She only toured in Europe and the album sold poorly. She originally wrote the song "Sin City", which appears on this album, for the movie Snake Eyes
, directed by her friend Brian De Palma
. She toured with Sarah McLachlan's successful Lilith Fair
.
Bad Bad One
In 2002, Brooks worked on her third solo album Bad Bad One
on Gold Circle Records, an independent label, after being booted out of Capitol Records
. Immediately after releasing the album, the label folded and prevented the record from getting promoted or achieving significant sales. Track 11 - "Shine" - was released as the lead single. The label's demise also interrupted her tour with Melissa Etheridge
that summer, causing her and the band to return early to Los Angeles. Also in 2002, Brooks produced Jennifer Love Hewitt
's album, BareNaked
, and appeared on the VH1
Divas Las Vegas program as a guest guitar soloist with Celine Dion
and Anastacia
.
Shine
In 2003, Brooks remarried and the next year adopted her son, Troy. She also signed a new record deal with the SLG Records
label and released the material of Bad Bad One
as Shine
. Television psychologist Dr. Phil chose the song "Shine" as the theme for his show.
If I Could Be...
Most recently, Brooks has completed a new children's album titled If I Could Be...
and continuing to develop new artists as a producer and songwriter. In particular, she is producing Sony Music Entertainment
artist Becca
, a pop/rock singer/songwriter from Portland, Oregon
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
singer/songwriter and guitarist
Guitarist
A guitarist is a musician who plays the guitar. Guitarists may play a variety of instruments such as classical guitars, acoustic guitars, electric guitars, and bass guitars. Some guitarists accompany themselves on the guitar while singing.- Versatility :The guitarist controls an extremely...
. She is best known for her 1997 hit song "Bitch", for which she was nominated for a Grammy Award
Grammy Award
A Grammy Award — or Grammy — is an accolade by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences of the United States to recognize outstanding achievement in the music industry...
.
Early life
Meredith Brooks was born in Oregon City, OregonOregon City, Oregon
Oregon City was the first city in the United States west of the Rocky Mountains to be incorporated. It is the county seat of Clackamas County, Oregon...
. Her parents divorced while she was still a child. She and her brother and sister grew up in Corvallis, Oregon
Corvallis, Oregon
Corvallis is a city located in central western Oregon, United States. It is the county seat of Benton County and the principal city of the Corvallis, Oregon Metropolitan Statistical Area, which encompasses all of Benton County. As of the 2010 United States Census, the population was 54,462....
and were raised by their mother. At age eleven, Brooks became fascinated with the guitar
Guitar
The guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
and she soon learned how to play it.
Career Beginnings; See It Through My EyesSee It through My EyesSee It Through My Eyes is an album of recordings by American singer/songwriter Meredith Brooks originally done in the early 1980s. It was released in 1997 by the record company in an attempt to capitalize on her newfound success created from Blurring the Edges.-Track listing:#"Pick It Up" #"The...
[1984] and The GracesThe Graces (band)The Graces were a US band in the late 1980s and early 1990s featuring Charlotte Caffey, Meredith Brooks, and Gia Ciambotti. Formed in 1988, they released their debut album Perfect View on A&M Records in 1989. Their first single "Lay Down Your Arms" hit #56 on the Billboard Hot 100 but the album...
[1989]
In the early 1980s, Brooks performed at a number of clubs in the Willamette ValleyWillamette Valley
The Willamette Valley is the most populated region in the state of Oregon of the United States. Located in the state's northwest, the region is surrounded by tall mountain ranges to the east, west and south and the valley's floor is broad, flat and fertile because of Ice Age conditions...
of Oregon
Oregon
Oregon is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is located on the Pacific coast, with Washington to the north, California to the south, Nevada on the southeast and Idaho to the east. The Columbia and Snake rivers delineate much of Oregon's northern and eastern...
and in Washington, where she was popular to a broad range of fans. She often performed at the Last Hurrah, and Eli's Hard Rock Cafe in Downtown Portland. She was managed by Denny Herman of Pacific Talent, who was also her boyfriend. She recorded Meredith Brooks and The Angels of Mercy: Recorded Live at the Starry Night, a one-hour TV show. The video production was headed up by Mark de Leon Martinez, an established young music video producer from Portland. She performed that night as the opening act for Jack Charles. She then moved to Los Angeles
Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...
to further her career in music. At that time, she recorded the songs that later appeared on See It Through My Eyes
See It through My Eyes
See It Through My Eyes is an album of recordings by American singer/songwriter Meredith Brooks originally done in the early 1980s. It was released in 1997 by the record company in an attempt to capitalize on her newfound success created from Blurring the Edges.-Track listing:#"Pick It Up" #"The...
. In the late 1980s and early 1990s, she was a member of The Graces
The Graces (band)
The Graces were a US band in the late 1980s and early 1990s featuring Charlotte Caffey, Meredith Brooks, and Gia Ciambotti. Formed in 1988, they released their debut album Perfect View on A&M Records in 1989. Their first single "Lay Down Your Arms" hit #56 on the Billboard Hot 100 but the album...
, who recorded one album, Perfect View, in 1989.
Blurring the EdgesBlurring the EdgesBlurring the Edges is the first album by American singer-songwriter Meredith Brooks, released in 1997.-Track listing:#I Need – 4:10#Bitch – 4:12#Somedays – 3:45...
[1997] and Bitch
In 1995, Brooks landed a major label contract with Capitol RecordsCapitol Records
Capitol Records is a major United States based record label, formerly located in Los Angeles, but operating in New York City as part of Capitol Music Group. Its former headquarters building, the Capitol Tower, is a major landmark near the corner of Hollywood and Vine...
. Her first hit single, "Bitch", garnered her nominations for the 1998 Grammy Awards for Best Female Rock Vocal Performance
Grammy Award for Best Female Rock Vocal Performance
The Grammy Award for Best Female Rock Vocal Performance was an award presented at the Grammy Awards, a ceremony that was established in 1958 and originally called the Gramophone Awards, to female recording artists for works containing quality vocal performances in the rock music genre...
and Best Rock Song
Grammy Award for Best Rock Song
The Grammy Award for Best Rock Song is an honor presented at the Grammy Awards, a ceremony that was established in 1958 and originally called the Gramophone Awards, to recording artists for quality songs in the rock music genre...
. The song was Brooks' only major hit on the charts. Her album Blurring the Edges
Blurring the Edges
Blurring the Edges is the first album by American singer-songwriter Meredith Brooks, released in 1997.-Track listing:#I Need – 4:10#Bitch – 4:12#Somedays – 3:45...
achieved platinum sales and peaked at 22 on the Billboard 200
Billboard 200
The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists...
and 5 on the UK Albums Chart
UK Albums Chart
The UK Albums Chart is a list of albums ranked by physical and digital sales in the United Kingdom. It is compiled every week by The Official Charts Company and broadcast on a Sunday on BBC Radio 1 , and published in Music Week magazine and on the OCC website .To qualify for the UK albums chart...
. The album was produced by David Ricketts
David Ricketts
David Ricketts is an American musician and record producer.Ricketts scored hits in the mid 1980s with David Baerwald in their group David & David, notably the track "Welcome to the Boomtown" from their only album Boomtown.His failed relationship with singer Toni Childs formed the basis for her...
, formerly of David and David (with David Baerwald
David Baerwald
David Baerwald is an American singer-songwriter, composer, and musician.He has one son, Beker Baerwald, who is a nationally ranked basketball player. He is the son of Hans Baerwald, a political scientist, and Diane Moore, a psychologist...
). Ricketts also played keyboards, among other instruments, on the album. Brooks toured in the US and Europe in 1997 and 1998 to support the album. On March 30 in Argentina, whilst opening for the Rolling Stones, the crowd demanded to see the Stones during her set and threw bottles and other objects at the stage. Brooks abandoned her set after 2 songs as the crowd yelled "come on Stones". The next day Brooks showed reporters bruises to her eye and ankle and stated: "They have taken away my greatest moment. I was playing with the Stones, something I never imagined I would do... and now I think I'll cancel the rest of my shows in Latin America. I have no intention of continuing to expose myself to this kind of barbaric behavior... not me, not my band, not my crew."
In 1998 she divorced her husband, Russell Jackson, after seven years of marriage.
Deconstruction [1999] and Lilith FairLilith FairLilith Fair was a concert tour and travelling music festival, founded by Canadian musician Sarah McLachlan, Nettwerk Music Group's Dan Fraser and Terry McBride, and New York talent agent Marty Diamond. It took place during the summers of 1997 to 1999, and was revived in the summer of 2010. It...
Brooks recorded her second major album Deconstruction in 1999. It was a stylistic and thematic shift away from Blurring the EdgesBlurring the Edges
Blurring the Edges is the first album by American singer-songwriter Meredith Brooks, released in 1997.-Track listing:#I Need – 4:10#Bitch – 4:12#Somedays – 3:45...
. She only toured in Europe and the album sold poorly. She originally wrote the song "Sin City", which appears on this album, for the movie Snake Eyes
Snake Eyes (film)
Snake Eyes is a conspiracy thriller film directed by Brian De Palma, one featuring his trademark use of long tracking shots and split screens. It starred Nicolas Cage, Gary Sinise and Carla Gugino....
, directed by her friend Brian De Palma
Brian De Palma
Brian Russell De Palma is an American film director and writer. In a career spanning over 40 years, he is probably best known for his suspense and crime thriller films, including such box office successes as the horror film Carrie, Dressed to Kill, Scarface, The Untouchables, and Mission:...
. She toured with Sarah McLachlan's successful Lilith Fair
Lilith Fair
Lilith Fair was a concert tour and travelling music festival, founded by Canadian musician Sarah McLachlan, Nettwerk Music Group's Dan Fraser and Terry McBride, and New York talent agent Marty Diamond. It took place during the summers of 1997 to 1999, and was revived in the summer of 2010. It...
.
Bad Bad OneBad Bad OneBad Bad One is the fourth album by American singer/songwriter Meredith Brooks, released in 2002.- Track listing :# "Crazy" – 3:51# "High" – 3:20# "Bad Bad One" – 4:45# "Pleasure" – 4:24...
[2002] and Label Independence
In 2002, Brooks worked on her third solo album Bad Bad OneBad Bad One
Bad Bad One is the fourth album by American singer/songwriter Meredith Brooks, released in 2002.- Track listing :# "Crazy" – 3:51# "High" – 3:20# "Bad Bad One" – 4:45# "Pleasure" – 4:24...
on Gold Circle Records, an independent label, after being booted out of Capitol Records
Capitol Records
Capitol Records is a major United States based record label, formerly located in Los Angeles, but operating in New York City as part of Capitol Music Group. Its former headquarters building, the Capitol Tower, is a major landmark near the corner of Hollywood and Vine...
. Immediately after releasing the album, the label folded and prevented the record from getting promoted or achieving significant sales. Track 11 - "Shine" - was released as the lead single. The label's demise also interrupted her tour with Melissa Etheridge
Melissa Etheridge
Melissa Lou Etheridge is an American rock singer-songwriter and musician.Etheridge is known for her mixture of confessional lyrics, pop-based folk-rock, and raspy, smoky vocals...
that summer, causing her and the band to return early to Los Angeles. Also in 2002, Brooks produced Jennifer Love Hewitt
Jennifer Love Hewitt
Jennifer Love Hewitt is an American actress, producer, television director and former singer-songwriter. Hewitt began her acting career as a child by appearing in television commercials and the Disney Channel series Kids Incorporated...
's album, BareNaked
BareNaked
- Personnel :* Jennifer Love Hewitt – vocals* Andrew Boston – DJ* Dustin Boyer – guitar* Meredith Brooks – acoustic guitar, electric guitar, background vocals* Livingstone Brown – bass, keyboard, chant* Chris Canute – hand drums* Goldo – keyboard, vocals...
, and appeared on the VH1
VH1
VH1 or Vh1 is an American cable television network based in New York City. Launched on January 1, 1985 in the old space of Turner Broadcasting's short-lived Cable Music Channel, the original purpose of the channel was to build on the success of MTV by playing music videos, but targeting a slightly...
Divas Las Vegas program as a guest guitar soloist with Celine Dion
Celine Dion
Céline Marie Claudette Dion, , , is a Canadian singer. Born to a large family from Charlemagne, Quebec, Dion emerged as a teen star in the French-speaking world after her manager and future husband René Angélil mortgaged his home to finance her first record...
and Anastacia
Anastacia
Anastacia is an American singer-songwriter. Anastacia has been highly successful in Europe, Asia, South Africa and South America, but has had only minor success in her native United States...
.
ShineShine (Meredith Brooks album)Shine is a re-issue of the 2002 album Bad Bad One by singer/songwriter Meredith Brooks, released in 2004. An instrumental version of the title track was theme song for Dr. Phil from 2004 to 2008...
[2004]
In 2003, Brooks remarried and the next year adopted her son, Troy. She also signed a new record deal with the SLG RecordsColumbia Music Entertainment
is a Japanese record label founded in 1910 as . It affiliated itself with the Columbia Graphophone Company of the United Kingdom and adopted the standard UK Columbia trademarks in 1931. The company changed its name to Nippon Columbia Co., Ltd. in 1946. It used the Nippon Columbia name until...
label and released the material of Bad Bad One
Bad Bad One
Bad Bad One is the fourth album by American singer/songwriter Meredith Brooks, released in 2002.- Track listing :# "Crazy" – 3:51# "High" – 3:20# "Bad Bad One" – 4:45# "Pleasure" – 4:24...
as Shine
Shine (Meredith Brooks album)
Shine is a re-issue of the 2002 album Bad Bad One by singer/songwriter Meredith Brooks, released in 2004. An instrumental version of the title track was theme song for Dr. Phil from 2004 to 2008...
. Television psychologist Dr. Phil chose the song "Shine" as the theme for his show.
If I Could Be...If I Could Be...If I Could Be... is the fifth album by Meredith Brooks, released in 2007.-Track listing:# Drive the Car # If I Could Be... # Dance, Shake, Wiggle! # The La La Song # Every Dog # What's Your Name?...
[2008] and BeccaBecca (Singer)Rebecca "Becca" Emily Hollcraft is an American singer/songwriter and guitarist. Also known as Bec Hollcraft and Becca-chan.-Early life:...
Most recently, Brooks has completed a new children's album titled If I Could Be...If I Could Be...
If I Could Be... is the fifth album by Meredith Brooks, released in 2007.-Track listing:# Drive the Car # If I Could Be... # Dance, Shake, Wiggle! # The La La Song # Every Dog # What's Your Name?...
and continuing to develop new artists as a producer and songwriter. In particular, she is producing Sony Music Entertainment
Sony Music Entertainment Japan
is Sony's music arm in Japan. SMEJ is directly owned by Sony Corporation and independent from the United States-based Sony Music Entertainment due to its strength in the Japanese music industry....
artist Becca
Becca (Singer)
Rebecca "Becca" Emily Hollcraft is an American singer/songwriter and guitarist. Also known as Bec Hollcraft and Becca-chan.-Early life:...
, a pop/rock singer/songwriter from Portland, Oregon
Portland, Oregon
Portland is a city located in the Pacific Northwest, near the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers in the U.S. state of Oregon. As of the 2010 Census, it had a population of 583,776, making it the 29th most populous city in the United States...
.
Albums
| Year | Album | US Billboard 200 Billboard 200 The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists... |
|---|---|---|
| 1997 | Blurring the Edges Blurring the Edges Blurring the Edges is the first album by American singer-songwriter Meredith Brooks, released in 1997.-Track listing:#I Need – 4:10#Bitch – 4:12#Somedays – 3:45... |
22 |
| See It Through My Eyes See It through My Eyes See It Through My Eyes is an album of recordings by American singer/songwriter Meredith Brooks originally done in the early 1980s. It was released in 1997 by the record company in an attempt to capitalize on her newfound success created from Blurring the Edges.-Track listing:#"Pick It Up" #"The... |
— | |
| 1999 | Deconstruction | — |
| 2002 | Bad Bad One Bad Bad One Bad Bad One is the fourth album by American singer/songwriter Meredith Brooks, released in 2002.- Track listing :# "Crazy" – 3:51# "High" – 3:20# "Bad Bad One" – 4:45# "Pleasure" – 4:24... |
— |
| 2004 | Shine Shine (Meredith Brooks album) Shine is a re-issue of the 2002 album Bad Bad One by singer/songwriter Meredith Brooks, released in 2004. An instrumental version of the title track was theme song for Dr. Phil from 2004 to 2008... |
— |
| 2007 | If I Could Be... If I Could Be... If I Could Be... is the fifth album by Meredith Brooks, released in 2007.-Track listing:# Drive the Car # If I Could Be... # Dance, Shake, Wiggle! # The La La Song # Every Dog # What's Your Name?... |
— |
Singles
| Year | Title | Chart positions | Album | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| U.S. | UK UK Singles Chart The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ... |
IRE Irish Singles Chart The Irish Singles Chart is Ireland's music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by the Irish Recorded Music Association and compiled on behalf of the IRMA by Chart-Track. Chart rankings are based on sales, which are compiled through over-the-counter retail data captured... |
NED Dutch Top 40 The Dutch Top 40 is a weekly music chart, which started as the "Veronica Top 40", because the offshore radio station Radio Veronica was the first to introduce it. It remained "The Veronica Top 40" until 1974, when the station was forced to stop broadcasting... |
AUS ARIA Charts The ARIA charts are the main Australian music sales charts, issued weekly by the Australian Recording Industry Association. The charts are a record of the highest selling singles and albums in various genres in Australia. ARIA commenced compiling its own charts in-house from the week ending 26 June... |
NZ |
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| Hot 100 Billboard Hot 100 The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday... |
Main Top 40 | Adult Top 40 Hot Adult Top 40 Tracks Adult Top 40 is a variation on the United States Billboard charts... |
Modern Rock Modern Rock Tracks Alternative Songs is a music chart in the United States that has appeared in Billboard magazine since September 10, 1988. It lists the 40 most-played songs on modern rock radio stations, most of which are alternative rock songs... |
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| 1997 | "Bitch" | |
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Blurring the Edges |
| "I Need I Need (Meredith Brooks song) "I Need" is the second single taken from the album Blurring the Edges by rock singer Meredith Brooks. It was released on November 25, 1997.... " |
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| 1998 | "What Would Happen What Would Happen "What Would Happen" is the third single taken from the album Blurring the Edges by American rock singer Meredith Brooks. It was released on February 10, 1998.-Track listing:# What Would Happen # Come Undone # Stop... " |
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| "Stop" | |
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| 1999 | "Lay Down (Candles in the Rain)" | |
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Deconstruction |
| "Shout" | |
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| 2004 | "Shine" | |
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Bad Bad One |
| "You Don't Know Me" | |
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| "Where Lovers Meet" | |
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External links
- Kissing Booth, Brook's blog
- Meredith Brooks Top 40 Mainstream Page