Melissa Etheridge to Headline 'Women Who Rock' Benefit Concert

Women will rock Stage AE in Pittsburgh, PA on August 28th as the annual Women Who Rock™ Benefit Concert Presented by Gibson Gives returns with Melissa Etheridge headlining.

All proceeds from the Women Who Rock™ Benefit Concert support understudied and underfunded women’s health research at Magee-Womens Research Institute (MWRI), the nation’s first and largest research institute dedicated solely to life-saving women’s health research and reproductive biology.

“The Women Who Rock benefit concert is all about raising funds for life-saving women’s health research which is underfunded and understudied,” says Melissa Etheridge. “I went through my own health issue 20 years ago, I’m still cancer free now and I know how important it is for women’s health to be studied specifically and independently.”

Music fans that can’t attend the August 28 concert in Pittsburgh, now have the chance to make a charitable donation and walk away with a piece of rock ‘n’ roll history. Starting today, through August 28, bids will be open for the auction of a Gibson 1968 Les Paul Custom guitar in Ebony, autographed by Melissa Etheridge on CharityBuzz.com. All proceeds from the auction of the Les Paul Custom guitar will go to support the important work of the Magee-Womens Research Institute and Foundation.

The 1968 Les Paul Custom stood apart from its 1950s predecessors in a few significant ways. Instead of a solid mahogany body, it now had a solid maple top on a mahogany back - adding the clarity and bite that many rock guitarists sought. It also came standard with two humbuckers as opposed to three, providing additional picking clearance. And lastly it had a 14-degree peghead angle for reduced string tension. This set of features instantly became the new standard for the Les Paul Custom model, which has been produced continuously by Gibson ever since. This 1968 Les Paul Custom Reissue was designed to be the final say in historical accuracy, tone and feel. Every detail is meticulously revived by the skilled artisans at Gibson Custom to provide an amazing, life-long vintage ownership experience.

This year’s Women Who Rock™ Benefit Concert stars headliner Melissa Etheridge. Melissa Etheridge stormed onto the American rock scene in 1988 with the release of her critically acclaimed self-titled debut album, which led to an appearance on the 1989 Grammy Awards show. For several years, her popularity grew around such memorable originals as "Bring Me Some Water," "No Souvenirs" and "Ain't It Heavy," for which she won a GRAMMY® Award in 1992. Etheridge hit her commercial and artistic stride with her fourth album, Yes I Am (1993). The collection featured the massive hits, "I'm the Only One" and "Come to My Window," a searing song of longing that brought Etheridge her second GRAMMY® Award for Best Female Rock Performance. In 1995, Etheridge issued her highest charting album, Your Little Secret, which was distinguished by the hit single, "I Want to Come Over."  

In October 2004, Etheridge was diagnosed with breast cancer, a health battle that, with her typical tenacity, she won. Despite losing her hair from chemotherapy, Etheridge appeared on the 2005 GRAMMY® telecast to sing "Piece of My Heart" in tribute to Janis Joplin. By doing so she gave hope to many women afflicted with the disease.

Women Who Rock™ Benefit Concerts feature a 100% female-fronted music lineup, as part of WWR’s mission is to support women in music.

Read/share the brand-new interview with the trailblazing rock star and activist Melissa Etheridge and Melinda Colaizzi, Founder of Women Who Rock, on the Gibson Gazette HERE.

The GBU Life Stage will also feature DJ Femi, a performance from this year’s WWR Rising Star Contest Winner, and a special in-show moment honoring SURVIVORS WHO ROCK, presented by UPMC Magee-Womens Hospital.

Legendary iHeart Radio 102.5 WDVE rock radio personality Michele Michaels will be honored live with the 2024 WWR Impact Award.

Actress and singer-songwriter Margot Bingham will emcee this special evening. Margot is known for her roles as Max in “The Walking Dead,” Evie in “New Amsterdam,” and Sara Jumper in “Lawmen: Bass Reeves.”

Women Who Rock™ concert attendees will be able to rock the signature Pink Carpet entrance presented by UPMC Health Plan, and also indulge in the Beauty Bar offering free beauty perks and giveaways, a social sharing photo booth, the Rockstar Silent Auction, and a limited number of VIP tickets include access to the VIP Lounge, Gifting Suite and Pre-Show Happy Hour.

As presenting sponsor for the Women Who Rock™ Benefit Concert from the beginning, the leading global guitar brand Gibson continues to shape the sounds of generations of musicians across the globe. Gibson supports the global music community through its philanthropic division, Gibson Gives. The mission of Gibson Gives committed to making the world a better place by supporting non-profit organizations and developing programs in our efforts to advance musicians through music education, and health and wellness initiatives worldwide. 100% of donations to Gibson Gives go towards giving the gift of music. In the last four years, Gibson Gives has raised over $4.5 million dollars and enabled $46 million in funding for key organizations through product donations and meaningful giving worldwide.

Tickets for the 2024 Women Who Rock™ Benefit Concert are on sale now HERE:

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