Mayor Jermaine Wilson to present Melissa Etheridge, Grammy Award Winner, with a Mayor’s Award for Community Service
Calendar Date:
May 15, 2023
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Location: Leavenworth, KS, City Hall, 100 N. 5th Street
11:00 a.m., May 27, 2023
LEAVENWORTH — Leavenworth is the hometown of award-winning, world famous musician Melissa Etheridge. While her career and her fame have taken her far and wide, she has never forgotten where she comes from. After graduation from Leavenworth High School, she has been a consistent inspiration to her community and a role model for young musicians wanting to follow in her footsteps.
Melissa was born on May 29, 1961 and lived in Leavenworth until 1979 when she left to pursue her music career. Many of her songs over the years commemorate her growing up in Leavenworth, KS and can be noted in the lyrics, such as “Silver Thorn on a Midwest Rose”, and her “Kansas Dancing Shoes.” She has given generously to the community over the years such as the A-X-1 Band Organ she donated to the C.W. Parker Carousel Museum in 2003.
In 2012, Melissa paid homage to 4th Street in Leavenworth on her aptly titled 4th Street Feeling album. She has sung the national anthem at NFL games as well as locally in 2015 when Melissa returned to Sportsfield Park in Leavenworth to dedicate a baseball field in honor of her late father and his years in support of youth sports. In 2016, she played a concert for the Leavenworth Public Schools Education Foundation as part of their fundraising efforts. In November 2019, Melissa held a “Hometown Tour” for her biggest fans and they enjoyed the day visiting all of Melissa’s places that were meaningful to her while growing up. She returned to Leavenworth last fall to meet with another hometown musician, Daysia Reneau, a contestant on the hit TV singing competition “The Voice.”
Mayor Jermaine Wilson will present Melissa Etheridge with a Mayor’s Award for Community Service on May 27, 2023 at 11:00 a.m. The ceremony will take place on the south lawn of City Hall, 100 N. 5th Street, Leavenworth. The public is welcome to attend and observe the presentation. The presentation will be moved inside City Hall if there is inclement weather.
Contact: Kristi Lee
Leavenworth Convention and Visitors Bureau
100 N 5th Street
Leavenworth, KS 66048
913-758-2948
