Who Is Melissa Etheridge’s Wife? All About Linda Wallem

"Ain't It Heavy" singer Melissa Etheridge and her wife, Linda Wallem, share the same birthday

Melissa Etheridge and her wife, Linda Wallem, were best friends for 10 years before they started dating.

In 2010, Wallem moved in with Etheridge’s family following the singer's split from her partner Tammy Lynn Michaels. What started as a built-in support system for Etheridge and her four children — Bailey, Beckett, Johnnie and Miller — flourished into a romance and an eventual wedding in 2014.

“Even though we’ve been friends all these years, she will still grab me in the kitchen and we’ll slow dance to whatever’s playing,” Etheridge told PEOPLE in 2015. “And if there's no music playing, she will sing into my ear, and it will make me feel like the luckiest girl.”

Related: Melissa Etheridge's 4 Children: All About Bailey, Beckett, Johnnie and Miller

The couple celebrated their 10th wedding anniversary in May 2024.

“[Linda and I are] so supportive of each other. It’s the best relationship I’ve had in my whole life,” the “Come to My Window” singer told PEOPLE.

So, who is Melissa Etheridge’s wife? Here's everything to know about Linda Wallem and her relationship with the legendary musician.

She is a showrunner and executive producer

Etheridge’s wife has built a career for herself in Hollywood. She starred in the 1993 rom-com Sleepless in Seattle and had a recurring role in the TV series Cybill. She’s also the producer behind mega-popular shows like That ‘70s Show, Whitney and Nurse Jackie.

The Emmy-nominated producer also has a famous brother, actor Stephen Wallem, who portrayed the role of Thor in her series, Nurse Jackie.

"We're very close," Stephen told the Advocate of their familial bond. "And we were both been blessed with the most supportive family to come out to."

Etheridge and Wallem first met in the early 2000s

Following the hit success of That ‘70s Show, Wallem headed production on a new iteration of the series called That ‘80s Show. During the casting process, Wallem tapped Etheridge to play a record store owner.

“I thought somebody like Melissa would give levity to the part and legitimacy. I couldn’t believe she hadn’t been on TV before,” Wallem explained in a 2020 Q&A with Variety.

And while the role didn’t pan out, the pair remained close friends after Etheridge’s audition. “We had never met before that, so she called me in,” added Etheridge. “I couldn’t do the part. It didn’t work out, but we remained best friends for 10 years.”

They share the same birthday

Remembering her wife’s birthday isn’t a problem for the legendary guitarist, who was also born on May 29, 1961.

“I can tell you it helps. It helps a lot,” Etheridge joked to PEOPLE while promoting her docuseries Melissa Etheridge: I'm Not Broken. “We’re Gemini, so we just think we’re the coolest. We just have a lot of fun.”

Etheridge invited Wallem to move into her family home amidst her divorce

Following her split from Michaels in 2010, Etheridge invited Wallem to move into her family home. At the time, they were just friends, but Wallem’s eagerness to help out with Etheridge and her children was a source of comfort for the singer-songwriter.

Between the kids’ busy schedules and weeknight dinners, the pair felt like they had organically assumed the role of a married couple.

“I had so much fun with her as a person. We were able to slowly step into it, and it was so perfect,” Etheridge told PEOPLE in 2024. “Life is not just second chances — life is always chances. There’s no, 'Well, that’s just the way it is.' We can always make a different choice.”

They got married in 2014

Etheridge and Wallem said “I do” just two days after their 53rd birthdays, on May 31, 2014. They held an intimate outdoor ceremony at the San Ysidro Ranch in Montecito, Calif., surrounded by the Santa Ynez Mountain range.

Etheridge’s four children were all in attendance, as were A-listers Jane Lynch, Chelsea Handler, Whitney Cummings and Sia.

“The setting was perfect. It was something Melissa and Linda wanted early on. It was as perfect as they envisioned,” a guest told PEOPLE at the time. “They were so happy. It was really beautiful.”

As for their vows, Etheridge performed a new love song she wrote especially for the wedding. “She sang her vows to me, which is pretty hard to follow,” Wallem told Variety. “It was one of the most beautiful moments of my life.”

Etheridge credits their relationship’s success to their many years of friendship

"She was my best friend for nine years, so it's an interesting relationship. I've never been friends with someone for that long and then entered into a romantic relationship,” the musician told Revue in 2011. "Usually it's that you enter a romantic relationship and hope you can be friends.”

But, Etheridge prefers their friendship-to-romance timeline. "This way, she already knows everything. She's my friend and it's really pretty amazing. I'm happier than I've ever, ever been,” she explained.

They collaborated on a Broadway show

The couple joined forces to create Etheridge’s autobiographical Broadway show, Melissa Etheridge: My Window, which premiered at the Circle in the Square Theatre in 2023. The emotional musical was co-written by Wallem and featured some of Etheridge’s classic hits.

“It’s so great to have a sounding board that I really, really trust ... I mean, she’s a master,” Etheridge told PEOPLE of working with Wallem.

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