Back in the mid ’90s, Melissa Etheridge and her former long-term partner Julie Cypher knew they didn’t want an anonymous sperm donor to be the father of their children — so they asked guitarist and singer David Crosby to donate, who happily obliged. Now, Etheridge has opened up about the decision, and claims that Crosby, who died in 2023, had fathered numerous other children via sperm donation that they’re apparently still learning about.
Speaking to People ahead of the July 9th premiere of Etheridge’s new Paramount+ docuseries Melissa Etheridge: I’m Not Broken, the singer and songwriter spoke highly of Crosby and his willingness to participate in artificial insemination, which resulted in the birth of Cypher and Etheridge’s daughter Bailey and their late son Beckett.
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According to Etheridge, Crosby’s wife Jan Dance had suggested him to Etheridge: “They had just had help having their son and they appreciated that. They wanted to pay it forward.” She continued, saying, “We’re still finding kids from David Crosby out in the world. My daughter’s like, ‘I have another half-sister.’”
Though Etheridge and Cypher separated in 2000, they maintained a great relationship with Crosby up until his death. “[Crosby] did not need to be [a father]. And that’s what really made it clear for me, was that he was willing to say, ‘Yeah, I was the biological father.’ And my kids call him bio dad, so he’s the biological father, but they didn’t need a relationship with him.”
While it’s unknown whether Crosby lent his sperm to other couples, Etheridge’s quote seems to suggest that Crosby and Dance were happy to extend the miracle of life to other couples who couldn’t conceive. When Crosby passed in 2023, Etheridge wrote on Instagram, “He gave me the gift of family. I will forever be grateful to him, [son] Django, and [wife] Jan. His music and legacy will inspire many generations to come. A true treasure.”
Etheridge isn’t just gearing up for the release of her new docuseries — she’s got a pair of tours coming up this summer with both Indigo Girls and Jewel. Get tickets to see Melissa Etheridge here.