Meredith Brooks

Musician, Wife, Mother and Mentor
Michael Holloway

Born: Meredith Ann Brooks
June 12, 1958
Birthplace: Oregon City, Oregon

Meet the woman who gave the word ‘Bitch’ a positive spin with a single song. In 1997 Blurring The Edges captured the attention of a long love affair with this gorgeous vixen. Yet, Meredith Brooks actually began her career thirteen years earlier.

In ’84, Brooks recorded See It Through My Eyes, but was unhappy with the project. So, she shelved the album but did not think to renew her copyright, which reverted back to her former studio, Ulg Records. They hired model Donna Gast for the cover. Gast was blindfolded and photographed in longshot to hide the fact it wasn’t Brooks. Ulg released the album ’97, capitalizing on Brooks’ success of Blurring The Edges.

The Graces

Meredith was recruited into The Graces who worked together from 1989-1992. Perfect View was the only album released by the trio comprised of Charlotte Caffey (from The Go-Go’s) who spearheaded the band, Brooks and Gia Ciambotti.

Bitch

All three women played guitars, and Caffey wrote, or co-wrote all their songs. As good as Perfect View was, Brooks was unknown by the public until Bitch catapulted her to stardom in 1997.

It did not appeal to everyone, particularly conservative radio audiences who were shocked by the brazen use of such a seemingly vulgar word.

New York City even tried to have the word and the song banned. Here Brooks expresses her feelings about this ludicrous situation.

Queen Latifah and Brian DePalma

On Deconstruction, Brooks performed a duet with Queen Latifah, Lay Down (Candles In The Rain), a cover of the classic Melanie Safka tune.  Director Brian DePalma is a friend of Brooks. She consented to let him use Sin City; in the soundtrack of his new movie Snake Eyes featuring Nicolas Cage, released a year before Deconstruction. It is a powerful song about the pitfalls of gambling.

Dr. Phil

Brooks’ 2004 release, Shine was previously released as Bad Bad One two years earlier. The label, Gold Circle, had folded, and despite the strong material, the album fell flat in sales. Brooks re-released the album under the new Savoy Jazz label. TV psychologist Dr Phil McGraw liked the title song so much he featured it on his show as the theme song, giving the album a second lease on life.

Children’s Albums

In 2007, Brooks released her first children’s album If I Could Be  to the delight of parents and children everywhere. Her Graces band mate Gia Ciambotti released a children’s album Snowflake five years earlier, but she chose to mix updated standards with her own compositions. Brooks wrote completely original music for her new project.

Anybody’s Mentoring Program

Besides being a musician, a wife, and mother, Brooks is the founder and spokesperson for the AMP (Anybody’s Mentoring Program).

Here she discusses the message and programs offered by AMP:

“So many people are under the misconception that things either are just handed to them, putting too much value in the “right place at the right time” theory, or that their goals are beyond their reach. Somewhere in our lives, someone we looked up to told us we couldn’t do something we know we could do, and we believed them.”

“How many people are working that honor their creative sides? We all have a unique talent, a special gift, that is locked inside. This is what we are fighting to become one with again.”

“To have one person say one thing, that meant so much to me, and that is what I focus on with AMP. When I look back at my life, I can see through AMP, that sometimes we can be there, not for ourselves, but for what we can give to others.”

“It’s amazing how much you can accomplish, just spending a little time with children and adolescents. But the right message needs to be spread. We have to give them that moment of self realization, when they are the ones who answer their own questions.”

“All our lives we are told by others how we should do things, what is wrong and what is right. When, if we as a society, cannot support our children in their growth and understanding, than we have possibly failed in the most important thing we can pass on. We are just the guides, to support the thought process, and growth of the individual.”

“We have to honor all sides of ourselves. I want to help others build a foundation of confidence and feel good about their art.”

Photos Courtesy Meredith Brooks.

Tagged Anybody's Mentoring Program, Brian DePalma, Charlotte Caffey, Gia Ciambotti, guitar, Meredith Brooks, music, Queen Latifah, singer, The Graces