Jessi Alexander

Born in Jackson, Tennessee, during 1972, the country siren and seasoned singer/songwriter Jessi Alexander spent her childhood dividing time between Memphis and Georgia after her parents split when she turned three. She received her name in tribute to Jessi Colter, the outlaw country singer/songwriter married to Waylon Jennings. Music offered her immediate refuge, as she drew on Motown, bluegrass, country, and rock & roll to navigate a difficult domestic situation. While attending college she performed with various bands, yet she ultimately left school to chase a career in music, which soon led her to Nashville where she worked as a backup vocalist and staff songwriter for Warner-Chappell. In 2001 a friend entered her demo into the NARAS Grammy Showcase without her knowledge; the unexpected victory surprised Alexander and paved the way for her signing with Columbia in 2003. Her first album, Honeysuckle Sweet, arrived in March 2005.