Marlton, NJ – March 17, 2010: NARM, the music business association, announces today that it will honor Grammy and Academy Award-winning artist Melissa Etheridge with its Harry Chapin Memorial Humanitarian Award. The presentation will take place at the 2010 NARM Convention on Monday, May 17, in Chicago.

A gay rights and environmental activist as well as a cancer survivor, Etheridge supports a number of non-profit organizations spanning a range of health, human rights, and ecological causes including the Breast Cancer Research Foundation, the Human Rights Campaign, and Live Earth. A passionate advocate for the gay community, Etheridge has promoted equal rights and civic consciousness throughout her career. She also established a performing arts scholarship at Leavenworth, Kansas, High School in honor of her father.

In 2000, Etheridge headlined the Human Rights Campaign’s Equality Rocks concert, where more than 45,000 people poured in to Washington, D.C.’s RFK stadium to support equality and hear inspiring performances. For the past three years, Etheridge has been a cornerstone artist in Hard Rock International’s Pinktober campaign, a philanthropic initiative created to support organizations in the fight against breast cancer which includes a series of live music events at Hard Rock establishments around the world.

In 2005, Etheridge’s illustrious career and philanthropy was recognized by Time Magazine, which chose her as one of the most influential 100 people of the year.

Etheridge contributed the theme song, “I Need To Wake Up,” to former Vice President Al Gore’s global warming documentary, “An Inconvenient Truth.” This won her the Academy Award for Best Original Song in 2007. In 2005, she recorded the breast cancer survivor anthem “I Run For Life” at the behest of Ford Cares, which was used as the theme song for the Susan G. Koman Race for the Cure and Ford Breast Cancer Awareness “Tied to the Scarf” campaign.

“We are so proud to honor Melissa Etheridge for her outstanding philanthropic efforts,” said NARM President Jim Donio. “She has truly made a far-reaching, inspiring and positive impact on the world.”

Established in the 1980s to memorialize Chapin’s influential efforts on behalf of the environment and other humanitarian causes, this Award has been presented to an exclusive group of honorees including Norman Lear, Jackson Browne, Bonnie Raitt, Hilary Rosen, and the organizations “Rock the Vote,” “Hands Across America,” and “Live Aid.”

In addition to her Academy Award, Etheridge has won two Grammy Awards. Island Records will release her new album, “Fearless Love,” on April 27.

About NARM: NARM (National Association of Recording Merchandisers) advances the promotion, marketing, distribution and sale of music by providing members with diverse meeting and networking opportunities, information and education resources, and advocacy for their common interests. NARM is based in Marlton, New Jersey. www.narm.com.

Media Contact: Marla Cimini, 856 616-1194, cimini@narm.com