by James Christopher Monger
Country siren and accomplished singer/songwriter Jessi Alexander was born in Jackson, TN, in 1972 and raised simultaneously in Memphis and Georgia (her parents divorced when she was three). Alexander -- named after outlaw country singer/songwriter and wife of Waylon Jennings, Jessi Colter -- found comfort in music immediately, relying on the sounds of Motown, bluegrass, country, and rock & roll to help ease her through a problematic home life. She sang in bands throughout college, eventually dropping out to pursue music full-time, eventually finding herself in Nashville as a working backup singer and staff writer for Warner-Chappell. In 2001, after a friend submitted a demo tape to the NARAS Grammy Showcase, Alexander -- who had no prior knowledge of the submission -- found herself a very surprised winner, an achievement that helped the young singer get signed to Columbia in 2003. Her debut, Honeysuckle Sweet was released in March 2005.