Melissa Etheridge will play Lawrence for her 'One Way Out' tour: 'I want to go back to Kansas'

For her latest album, "One Way Out," Grammy Award-winning singer and songwriter Melissa Etheridge recorded songs that had fallen through the cracks.

Now Etheridge, a native of Leavenworth, is bringing them into the light.

"I've just loved having them out now because I can play these songs live," she said. "I really missed them. I didn't record them way back then, but those reasons are so silly now to me. I'm so happy to have them out."

Etheridge is adding them to her extensive repertoire, which includes hits like "I'm the Only One," "Like the Way I Do" and "Come to My Window."

Etheridge will bring those tunes and more to life on stage at  8 p.m. Aug. 14 at Liberty Hall, 644 Massachusetts St. in Lawrence.

Former band members helped her in cutting her new album, which is on sale in tangerine vinyl for $23.98.

"I did them with my original musicians from the '80s," Etheridge said. "It was really fun to get back together with them."

'Feel the fear and do it anyway'

The title of Etheridge's album and tour, "One Way Out," signifies how she approaches life.

"The way out is just walk right through it, and don't let anything stop you," she said. "Feel the fear and do it anyway."

Etheridge has experienced fear numerous times in her life, such as when she faced stigma coming out as gay in 1993, when she was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2004 and when she watched as her child struggled with and subsequently die from opioid addiction in 2020.

Etheridge stands up for the issues that have affected her the most — equality for the queer society, support for people affected by cancer and their ability to use cannabis products for treatment, and for an end to opioid addiction.

"This is a big part of what I speak about and the path that I walk," Etheridge said. "Those things are important to me. They're part of my life."

Rock star: Equality for queer society is in a precarious situation

"It is something that we unfortunately think about," said Etheridge in light of the overturning of Roe v. Wade. "I always hope for the best.

"The world is filled with a lot of fear, and people are very fearful of the 'other,' of any thing that's not just like them, and it's unfortunate that our love is fearful to them."

Etheridge said she is sad but hopeful she will see the pendulum swing back to a more inclusive direction.

Melissa Etheridge: Marijuana needed as a treatment for illness

"Having gone through breast cancer, I used cannabis, and I enjoy legal cannabis here in California," Etheridge said.

"I wish that there were (laws legalizing marijuana) in Kansas because there are many people suffering that cannabis helps, and there's, again, a whole lot of misinformation about it," she said.

Kansas-born singer says opiates are a menace to society

The rock star's son, Beckett Etheridge, was 17 years old when he became addicted to opiates after breaking his ankle in 2016.

He battled the addiction for four years, eventually becoming a user of fentanyl, which is 50 to 100 times more powerful than morphine.

According to The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, nearly 75% of drug overdose deaths in 2020 involved an opioid.

"There were no alternatives, and he was having such a hard time," Melissa Etheridge said. "That's why we have the Etheridge Foundation."

The organization supports scientific research into new treatments for opioid use disorder.

An enduring love for Kansas

The songstress said she loves being back in Kansas, although she was more than ready to spread her wings after high school.

"I lived about three blocks from the penitentiary, and I tell people, 'I've spent 18 years in Leavenworth,'" she said. "I was one of those people that, 'I can't wait to get out of here and into the world,' and now that I have children and I've seen the world, I'm like, 'Come on, I want to go back to Kansas.'"

Melissa Etheridge loves the work ethic, the "Do good in life and harm no one" and "Be a good person" philosophies of Kansas, she said.

"That's pretty much what I learned in my hometown," she said.

How to get tickets to see Melissa Etheridge in Lawrence

Tickets for Melissa Etheridge's "One Way Out Tour" cost between $69 and $122 at Ticketmaster's website. Those wishing to purchase tickets are urged to do so soon, as availability is decreasing, and ticket prices are likely to increase.

The event organizer is requiring COVID-19 vaccination proof for attendees (14 days past the final vaccination shot).

Children younger than 12 years may be required to take a COVID-19 diagnostic test (generally within 48 to 72 hours before the event) and provide proof of negative result prior to entering the venue.

Proof of vaccination can be a physical paper copy or a snapshot on a mobile device, along with a matching photo ID.

Catheryn Hrenchir is a feature writer for The Topeka Capital-Journal. She can be reached at chrenchir@gannett.com or (785) 817-6383.

This article originally appeared on Topeka Capital-Journal: Grammy Award-winning Melissa Etheridge to play Aug. 14 in Lawrence