Etta Britt

About

It all started with a hairbrush. As a youngster, Etta Britt (born Melissa Prewitt) would spend hours at her bedroom mirror, belting out Supremes songs into her Stanley hairbrush. The seasoned veteran has toured the world and shared a stage or recording studio with everyone from Engelbert Humperdinck to REO Speedwagon. With what she calls a "cool groove record" -- her first album for the Wrinkled Records label -- Etta stakes her claim as one of the most versatile singers working today. She also happens to write her share of heart-piercing, soul-affirming tunes. Think Bonnie Raitt meets John Hiatt.

Born in Lancaster, Ky., a town of 3,500 south of Lexington, Melissa first became Etta at age 11, thanks to her little sister. "She called me Etta and I called her Myrna. We don't know why. It could've been a couple of old ladies in our hometown out in the country. We don't know."

In 1978, Melissa joined Dave Rowland and Sue Powell in the country-music trio Dave & Sugar. Melissa stayed with the trio from 1979 to 1985, during which time they received CMA Vocal Group of the Year nominations five years in a row. They toured with Kenny Rogers, Dottie West and Conway Twitty, among many others. The experience led to countless TV appearances -- everything from Pop! Goes the Country and Solid Gold to the Dinah Shore Show and Dance Fever.