Biography
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Born
12 June 1958 (age 65)
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Born In
Corvallis, Benton County, Oregon, United States
Meredith Ann Brooks (born June 12, 1958 in Oregon City, Oregon, USA) is an American singer-songwriter and guitarist. She's best known for her acclaimed 1997 release 'Blurring the Edges', her debut major label album receiving widespread commercial success and being RIAA certified as double-platinum. Growing up in Corvallis, she left high school at age fifteen in 1974 before working in the Pacific Northwest indie music scene, performing and making independent records. In the early 80s, she moved to Los Angeles, California to further her career in music.
At that time, she recorded a number of songs that appeared years and years later on the album 'See It Through My Eyes'. Before too long, Brooks joined the rock group The Graces. Though only an underground success, the band recorded and released the well-received album 'A Perfect View' in 1989.
In the wake of the enormous popularity of solo rocker Alanis Morissette in 1995, Brooks landed a major label contract with Capitol Records. She was nearly 39 years old before having her first hit single, titled "Bitch", come out in 1997. The single broke her into the mainstream in a huge way, garnering her a nomination for the Grammy Award for Best Female Rock Vocal Performance. 'Blurring the Edges' achieved multi-platinum sales and peaked at #22 on the Billboard 200, her fan base growing internationally. She toured in the U.S. and Europe in 1997 and 1998 to support the album.
Brooks recorded her second major release, titled 'Deconstruction' in 1999. The aptly titled album represented a stylistic and thematic shift away from the melodic alternative rock style of 'Blurring the Edges'. Due to a flood of records by female musicians at the time and the record label's decision to have her tour in Europe instead of promoting in the U.S., the album sold poorly, many fans also feeling uncertain about her new sound. Interestingly, Brooks originally wrote the song "Sin City", which appears on this album, for the Nicolas Cage fronted thriller film 'Snake Eyes', directed by her friend Brian De Palma.
In 2002, Brooks worked on her third solo album Bad Bad One on Gold Circle Records, an independent label. 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.
In 2004, Brooks signed a new contract 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.
As of August 2005, Brooks was working on a children's album titled If I Could Be… and continuing to develop new artists as a producer and songwriter.s.
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