On August 15th, 2023, Ferrick released Black Dress, their first single in eight years, via the venerable Kill Rock Stars Records. This release coincides with the 30th anniversary of Ferrick's critically acclaimed major label debut, Massive Blur. Ferrick celebrated the release and her 30th Anniversary by touring a retrospective show titled, Throughlines. In other big news, Melissa has opened a booking agency and consulting company called, Drive Music Agency (DMA). DMA focuses on the independent music business, music publishing, securing royalties, touring in the United States and Canada, and harnessing and nurturing one's creative process. DMA allows Melissa to participate in one of her favorite pastimes, connecting like-minded creators and music industry experts.
Besides her work in the music industry, Ferrick is a Professor of Practice at Northeastern University, where she teaches courses in music business, songwriting, creative entrepreneurship, demo recording and production, live performance, and the psychology of creativity. From 2013 to 2019, Melissa was an Associate Professor of Songwriting at Berklee College of Music. She holds an Ed.M from Harvard University.
Melissa Ferrick is regarded in the industry and by their peers as one of the most prolific, generous, and hardworking people in the business. After opening for Morrissey in the U.S. and UK, Ferrick signed with Atlantic Records at the age of 21 and released her debut and sophomore albums with them. Between 1996 and 1999, Melissa released three albums with the Colorado-based indie label W.A.R. Records. In 2000, Melissa launched the nationally distributed independent record label Right On Records. Ferrick published two critically acclaimed albums with NY-based label MPress Records between 2011 and 2013. She's released seventeen albums over the last twenty-five years and has won numerous awards for songwriting, production, and performance. Melissa has shared the stage with countless acts, some of which include Morrissey, Joan Armatrading, Weezer, Tegan and Sara, Mark Cohen, Paul Westerberg, Bob Dylan, John Hiatt, Ani DiFranco, k.d. Lang, Suzanne Vega, Shawn Colvin, and many others.
*Melissa Ferrick is the named plaintiff of the class action lawsuit Ferrick v. Spotify for willful copyright infringement.
