Melissa Etheridge brings music and the fight against opioid addiction to Clearwater

CLEARWATER — Melissa Etheridge has been rocking stages since the early '90s, when she broke out with hits like “I'm the Only One” and “Come to My Window.” She says performing in the Tampa Bay area has always been special.

“People still enjoy listening to the songs. People still enjoy going out and having fun,” Etheridge said.

While the two-time Grammy winner is currently touring the country, she is also working to promote the Melissa Etheridge Foundation.

She founded the organization after her son Beckett died from opioid addiction. She wants people to learn more about the causes of addiction and alternative treatment options.

“Once you start changing people’s hearts and minds, you can really make a difference,” Etheridge said.

Her foundation raises money for research into herbal medicines.

“When we say herbal medicines, we mean psychedelics. We mean psilocybin, Hawaska, even cannabis. Things that can help an addict. Help an addict. Help someone with opioid use disorder get off it for good,” Etheridge said.

Etheridge found fame and fortune through music, but her story is known to many people, especially in the Bay Area.

Like Kelly Mothershead, whose son was hospitalized after an accident at work.

She said she called to warn them that he had previous problems with addiction.

“They told me on the phone that he was over 21 and that the doctor would do what he thought was necessary. And my son left the hospital with a prescription for Oxycontin and was dead three days later,” said Mothershead, a real estate agent who is now also deputy mayor of New Port Richey.

Kelly has spent the past 13 years helping other families.

“Everyone deals with greed differently and for me it was talking about it. I had to go out and talk about it,” Kelly said.

She is a member of several organizations that work to combat addiction.

She also established a scholarship in her son's name.

“Once we can break down that stigma, we can recognize that it happens to everyone and that probably everyone you know has someone in their family or a close friend who has an addiction problem.”

This includes rock legends like Melissa Etheridge, who says that music is still the focus of her concerts.

“But if you're interested. If you want to know. Of course, we're always happy to receive financial support. But sometimes it's just the information, the knowledge, the education that we really want to spread,” Etheridge said.

Melissa Etheridge performs with Jewel at Baycare Sound on Thursday night.