Melissa Etheridge Says Springsteen Inspired Her

Given her raspy voice and thrusting delivery, it should be no surprise that Melissa Etheridge names Bruce Springsteen as one of her biggest musical influences.

In a new interview with Forbes, the singer-guitarist remembers buying her first Springsteen album -- Born to Run -- when she was 14 years old. "That just changed the whole game," she says. "I got it from the Columbia House, order 10, get 10 free. And mine were 8-track, so I had Born To Run on 8-track. From the very beginning when I heard that, to the end, it affected me so greatly. 'Jungleland' is still my favorite song of all time. But that just set the bar for me in what I wanted to do in my life, the kind of artist I wanted to be was right there. I don't have the 8-track anymore, but I got to sing with him."

Etheridge's new album, The Medicine Show, drops this Friday.