Melissa Etheridge’s 4 Children: All About Bailey, Beckett, Johnnie, and Miller

Melissa Etheridge's 4 Children: All About Bailey, Beckett, Johnnie, and Miller

by Tasha Mayberry

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Musician melissa etheridge has always been a trailblazer—not just for her blues-infused rock but for her activism and the way she’s built her blended family. She welcomed daughter bailey jean and son beckett with ex julie cypher in the late ’90s. In 2006, she and then-partner tammy lynn michaels had twins johnnie rose and miller steven. Etheridge has been married to wife linda wallem since 2014.

“My children are my priority,” etheridge said in 2017. “They are four of the most amazing human beings on earth. I live a very blessed life.”

Sadly, etheridge lost her eldest son, beckett, to an opioid overdose in 2020. In 2023, she published talking to my angels, a book about her grief and learning to “Choose love” in the face of loss. “I can see my son’s death as a tragedy, or I can honor the life he lived,” she said. “He’s taught me so much, and I find great comfort in him in the non-physical.

Bailey Jean Cypheridge, 28

Born feb. 10, 1997, bailey and her younger brother beckett were conceived with the help of musician david crosby. Their unique family dynamic was shared in rolling stone and larry king live, where cypher explained that the idea came up while vacationing with crosby and his wife, jan. “We were talking about having kids, and jan just said, ‘what about david?’”

Though crosby wasn’t in a parenting role, he maintained a close bond with bailey and beckett, whom they called “croz,” until his passing in 2023.

Beckett Cypheridge

Born nov. 18, 1998, beckett was etheridge’s second child. As a baby, she spoke about the deep bond between parent and child: “It doesn’t matter how you become a parent—it’s about that connection.”

Beckett struggled with addiction after a snowboarding injury at 17 led to painkiller dependency. Etheridge got him into rehab, but he left at 18. “The drug abuse turned him into someone I didn’t recognize,” she said. “He was paranoid, angry, and even got involved with guns. It’s heartbreaking because that wasn’t who he was.

Johnnie Rose and Miller Steven Etheridge, 18

Etheridge and michaels welcomed twins johnnie and miller on oct. 17, 2006, via an anonymous donor. As babies, their mom noticed how different they were. “They have their own language, but their personalities are completely different,” she said. “Miller tries to break things; johnnie contemplates them.”

After etheridge and michaels split in 2010, etheridge later married wallem, and the twins grew up largely out of the spotlight. They occasionally appear on older sister bailey’s instagram.

Who is Melissa Etheridge’s Wife? All About Linda Wallem

Etheridge and wallem were best friends for 10 years before they started dating. After etheridge’s split from michaels, wallem moved in to support her and the kids, and their friendship turned into love. They married in 2014.

“Even after all these years, she’ll grab me in the kitchen and slow dance to whatever’s playing,” etheridge shared. “And if there’s no music, she’ll sing to me. It makes me feel like the luckiest girl in the world.”

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