Linda Perry

Linda Perry (born April 15, 1965) is an American singer-songwriter, musician, and record producer.

She was the lead singer and primary songwriter of 4 Non Blondes, and has since founded two record labels and composed and produced songs for other artists, which include: "Beautiful" by Christina Aguilera; "What You Waiting For?" by Gwen Stefani; and "Get the Party Started" by Pink.

Perry has also contributed to albums by Adele, Alicia Keys, and Courtney Love, as well as signing and distributing James Blunt in the United States.

In 1965, Perry was born in Springfield, Massachusetts.

Growing up in an artistic and musical household, Perry displayed an interest in music from an early age.

She has struggled with kidney disease and then drug addiction.

Her mother is Brazilian (Marluce Martins Perry) and her father is Portuguese-American (Alfred Xavier Perry).

In San Francisco, Perry lived in a small, windowless room, and would play her guitar and sing her own songs on city streets.

Third Eye Blind frontman Stephan Jenkins, who at the time was also a struggling musician living in San Francisco, later recalled sitting in a room with Perry, who worked as a waitress down the street, performing their original compositions to one another.

The two played each other early versions of "Semi-Charmed Life" and "What's Up?", both of which would become massive hits for their respective bands.

It would be decades later that Jenkins realized the songs performed in that private session would sell a combined 17 million records.

Perry performed solo at Bay Area clubs and coffeehouses, including Nightbreak, Paradise Lounge, DNA Lounge, and The Kennel Club.

Perry composed her first professional song, called "Down On Your Face," and was recruited into the band 4 Non Blondes by its founder Christa Hillhouse in the middle of 1989.

The band got its start in the San Francisco bar scene, especially lesbian bars, gaining a significant lesbian following.

The band's only album, Bigger, Better, Faster, More!, spent 59 weeks on the Billboard 200 and sold 1.5 million copies between 1992 and 1994.

The single was successful in the United States.

The band contributed the song "Mary's House" to the film Wayne's World 2 in 1993.

The group disbanded in late 1994 during the recording of their second album.

Perry has said that she had been unhappy with Bigger, Better, Faster, More! She has also explained that her sexuality had a part to play in her tensions with the group.

Released in 1996, In Flight, the release received positive notices, but was a poor seller.

Perry joined Red Fish, Blue Fish for her world tour, supporting such acts as The Who.

She promoted her CD with an appearance on The Howard Stern Show, during which she participated in "lesbian dial-a-date" and performed her former band's only hit single, "What's Up?"

Perry also hosted the 1997 and 1998 Bammies (Bay Area Music Awards).

In 1999, she released her second solo album on Rockstar Records, After Hours.

Also in 1999, she opened for Bryan Adams.

In 2000, Perry was contacted by pop rock singer Pink, seeking production and songwriting assistance on her second album.

Perry co-wrote and produced much of Pink's successful album Missundaztood, which brought Perry back into the spotlight as a music producer.

Perry took full writing credits for the songs "Get the Party Started" and "Lonely Girl".

Perry next provided Christina Aguilera the hit "Beautiful".

In 2003, Perry won two American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers awards for her songwriting, and a Grammy Awards nomination for her song "Beautiful" as a contender for "Song of the Year"; the song received the award for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance at the 46th Annual Grammy Awards.

She collaborated with art-dance duo Fischerspooner on a few songs for their upcoming release and ended the year with a few co-writing credits on Gwen Stefani's debut, Love. Angel. Music. Baby., including the album's first single, "What You Waiting For?" Additionally, her Atlantic-distributed label, Custard Records, was launched to promote two new acts, Sunshine and James Blunt.

Perry re-released her solo album In Flight in October 2005.

On November 5, 2010, Perry appeared live in San Francisco with 4 Non Blondes guitar player Roger Rocha at TwentyFifty (formerly CELLSpace).

The appearance celebrated the release of Rocha's album with his band The Golden Hearts.

Perry performed a solo set of cover tunes, including Radiohead's "Creep" and Soundgarden's "Black Hole Sun".

Perry and Roger Rocha performed one song together, Led Zeppelin's "Since I've Been Loving You".

In a 2011 Rolling Stone interview, Perry stated that she "wasn't really a big fan" of 4 Non Blondes due to her dislike for the sound of Bigger, Better, Faster, More!

Perry made a solo CD with Interscope.

The production team selected was Kevin Gilbert, Bill Bottrell, and members of the Tuesday Night Music Club, who had recently produced Sheryl Crow's debut.

Perry was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2015.