Linda Perry is a highly accomplished American singer-songwriter, musician, and record producer. She gained fame as the lead vocalist and songwriter for the band 4 Non Blondes. Following her time with the band, Perry established two record labels and went on to compose and produce numerous hit songs for renowned artists such as Christina Aguilera, Gwen Stefani, and Pink. Her songwriting and production contributions extend to albums by Adele, Alicia Keys, and Courtney Love. Notably, Perry played a pivotal role in launching James Blunt's career in the United States. In recognition of her significant contributions to the music industry, she was honored with induction into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2015.
April 15, 1965: Birth of Linda Perry
Linda Perry was born on April 15, 1965.
1986: Move to San Francisco
At 21 years old, Linda Perry moved to San Francisco in 1986.
1989: Linda Perry Joins 4 Non Blondes
Linda Perry wrote her first professional song, "Down On Your Face," and joined 4 Non Blondes after being recruited by Christa Hillhouse in 1989.
July 1991: 4 Non Blondes Signs Record Deal
4 Non Blondes, with Linda Perry as the lead singer, signed a record deal with Interscope Records in July 1991.
1992: 4 Non Blondes Records Debut Album
4 Non Blondes recorded their debut and only album, "Bigger, Better, Faster, More!", in 1992.
March 1993: "What's Up?" Released
4 Non Blondes released "What's Up?", written by Linda Perry, as a single in March 1993.
1994: Success of "Bigger, Better, Faster, More!"
By 1994, 4 Non Blondes' album "Bigger, Better, Faster, More!" had sold 1.5 million copies and spent 59 weeks on the Billboard 200.
1994: 4 Non Blondes Disbands
Citing creative differences and dissatisfaction with their first album, 4 Non Blondes disbanded in late 1994.
1994: Displays "Dyke" on Guitar
During a performance with 4 Non Blondes at the 1994 Billboard Music Awards, Linda Perry displayed the word "dyke" on her guitar.
1995: Comes Out as Lesbian
In a 1995 interview with The Advocate, Linda Perry publicly came out as a lesbian.
1996: "In Flight" Released
Linda Perry released her debut solo album, "In Flight", in 1996.
1997: Hosting the "Bammies"
Linda Perry hosted the Bay Area Music Awards, also known as the "Bammies", in 1997.
1997: Moves to Los Angeles
Linda Perry relocated from San Francisco to Sherman Oaks, Los Angeles in 1997.
1998: Hosting the "Bammies" Again
Linda Perry hosted the Bay Area Music Awards, also known as the "Bammies", for the second time in 1998.
1999: "After Hours" Released
Linda Perry released her second solo album, "After Hours", on Rockstar Records in 1999.
2000: Collaboration with Pink
Linda Perry was contacted by Pink in 2000 to collaborate on her second album, "Missundaztood".
2003: Grammy Award Nomination and Wins
In 2003, Linda Perry won two awards from the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers and was nominated for a Grammy Award for "Song of the Year" for "Beautiful". Though not winning "Song of the Year", the song won a Grammy for "Best Female Pop Vocal Performance" at the 46th Annual Grammy Awards.
2005: "In Flight" Re-released, Work on Aguilera's "Back to Basics" Begins
Linda Perry re-released her solo album "In Flight" and started working with Christina Aguilera on her album "Back to Basics" in 2005.
2006: Aguilera's "Back to Basics" Released
Christina Aguilera's album "Back to Basics", which Linda Perry collaborated on, was released in 2006.
2007: Contribution to Carlton's Album
Linda Perry contributed to Vanessa Carlton's third studio album, "Heroes and Thieves", in late 2006 and early 2007.
2008: Linda Perry Signs Little Fish
Linda Perry signed the group Little Fish to her label in 2008.
2009: "A Loaded Smile" Written and Produced for Adam Lambert
Linda Perry wrote and produced the song "A Loaded Smile" for Adam Lambert's debut album, "For Your Entertainment", in 2009.
2009: Relationship with Clementine Ford
Linda Perry was in a relationship with actress Clementine Ford from 2009 to 2010.
June 2010: Deep Dark Robot Formation and Album Announcement
In June 2010, Linda Perry announced the formation of her new band, Deep Dark Robot, and their upcoming album.
August 2010: Little Fish's "Baffled and Beat" Released
Linda Perry's label released Little Fish's album, "Baffled and Beat", in August 2010.
November 5, 2010: Performance with Roger Rocha
Linda Perry performed live in San Francisco with 4 Non Blondes guitarist Roger Rocha on November 5, 2010, at an event celebrating the release of Rocha's band's album.
2010: Aguilera's "Bionic" Released
Christina Aguilera released her sixth studio album, "Bionic", which included the song "Lift Me Up", written and produced by Linda Perry, in 2010.
March 2011: "8 Songs About a Girl" Released
Deep Dark Robot, Linda Perry's band, released their album, "8 Songs About a Girl", in March 2011.
July 2011: Acoustic Cover Songs Released Online
Linda Perry began sharing acoustic cover songs recorded on her iPhone in July 2011.
2011: Begins Relationship with Sara Gilbert
Linda Perry and actress Sara Gilbert began their relationship in 2011.
April 2013: Engagement to Sara Gilbert
Linda Perry and Sara Gilbert announced their engagement in April 2013.
March 30, 2014: Marries Sara Gilbert
Linda Perry and Sara Gilbert married on March 30, 2014.
2014: Appearance on "Make or Break: The Linda Perry Project"
Linda Perry appeared on the VH1 reality show "Make or Break: The Linda Perry Project" in 2014.
January 12, 2015: Scheduled "The Talk" Appearance
Linda Perry was scheduled to appear as the house band for a series of "The Talk" airing the week of January 12, 2015.
February 28, 2015: Birth of Son
Sara Gilbert gave birth to her and Linda Perry's son on February 28, 2015.
June 2015: Songwriters Hall of Fame Induction
Linda Perry was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame at a ceremony in New York in June 2015.
2015: Collaboration with Adele and "Hands of Love"
In 2015, Linda Perry co-wrote "Can't Let Go" with Adele for her album "25" and wrote "Hands of Love", performed by Miley Cyrus, for the film "Freeheld".
2015: Linda Perry's Contributions Recognized
In 2015, Linda Perry's contributions to the music industry were recognized, including her work with various artists and songwriting credits.
2017: Launches We Are Hear
Linda Perry, in partnership with Kerry Brown, launched We Are Hear, a record label, music publisher, and artist management company, in 2017.
2018: Collaboration with Dolly Parton
In 2018, Linda Perry collaborated with Dolly Parton on the song "Girl In The Movies" for the Netflix film Dumplin'.
2018: One Love Malibu Festival
We Are Hear, co-curated by Linda Perry, organized the One Love Malibu festival in 2018, raising funds for the Woolsey Fire relief efforts.
December 2019: Separation from Sara Gilbert
Sara Gilbert filed for legal separation from Linda Perry in December 2019.
2020: The Art of Elysium Fundraiser
In 2020, Linda Perry co-curated The Art of Elysium fundraiser, "Heaven Is Rock & Roll", featuring numerous prominent artists.
2020: Co-writes "A Beautiful Noise"
Linda Perry co-wrote the song "A Beautiful Noise" with seven other female writers in 2020. The song, performed by Alicia Keys and Brandi Carlile, aimed to encourage voting in the 2020 US Presidential Election.