5 Things
Beckett Cypher: 5 Things To Know About Melissa Etheridge’s Son Who Died At 21
At only 21 years old, Beckett Cypher sadly left the world. Learn more about the son of Grammy-winning singer Melissa Etheridge and her ex-partner Julie Cypher.
Melissa Etheridge, 58, lost her own son Beckett Cypher at just 21 years old. The cause of death wasn’t initially revealed when the Grammy-winning singer’s team broke the heartbreaking news in a tweet on May 13, 2020: “We’re sad to inform you that Melissa’s son Beckett passed away and there will not be a Concerts From Home show today. – #TeamME.” HollywoodLife has reached out to Melissa’s rep for comment in the wake of this tragic news.
However, a few hours later, Melissa sadly announced that her son passed away after battling an opioid addiction. “Today I joined the hundreds of thousands of families who have lost loved ones to opioid addiction. My son Beckett, who was just 21, struggled to overcome his addiction and finally succumbed to it today. He will be missed by those who loved him, his family and friends. My heart is broken…We struggle with what else we could have done to save him, and in the end we know he is out of the pain now. I will sing again, soon. It has always healed me,” the mourning mother wrote in a message shared on Twitter. Now, learn more about Melissa’s son whom she loved dearly:
1. Beckett’s other parent is filmmaker Julie Cypher. Julie (who directed the 1995 film Teresa’s Tattoo) was known for fighting for gay rights, just like Melissa. They were each other’s partners in the ’90s and welcomed Beckett in 1998, but split in 2000. HollywoodLife has also reached out to Julie for comment.
2. Beckett’s biological father was another famous figure: David Crosby. Beckett was welcomed via artificial insemination with the help of David Crosby, who is Beckett’s biological father and a friend of Melissa and Julie’s. Melissa didn’t reveal the identify of Beckett’s father until her son was one years old, when she did a cover story for Rolling Stone magazine in 2000. The folk rock singer is an esteemed musician like Melissa, and was a founding member in two bands: The Byrds and Crosby, Stills & Nash.
3. Beckett has a sister and two half-siblings. Before Beckett was born, Melissa and Julie welcomed another child through artificial insemination in 1997: their daughter Bailey. David Crosby is also the biological father of Beckett’s sister, who is now 23 years old. After Melissa split from Julie, the singer had a relationship with actress Tammy Lynn Michaels and welcomed twins: son Miller and daughter Johnnie, making Beckett a big brother.
— Melissa Etheridge (@metheridge) May 14, 2020
4. Beckett’s mom has a decorated career in music. Melissa’s self-named debut album, released in 1998, launched her into the public eye. The rock singer is most known for her hit songs “I’m The Only One,” “Ain’t It Heavy” (which earned her a Grammy Award) and “Come To My Window.” She’s an Oscar-winner as well, after nabbing the honor for “Best Original Song” for “I Need To Wake Up,” played in the 2001 documentary film An Inconvenient Truth.
5. Stars have come forward with their condolences for Beckett. Melissa has many celebrity friends — so much so, she and Julie once even considered Brad Pitt to be their sperm donor. Beckett’s death was widely mourned across Hollywood, and stars came forward with tributes on Twitter. “Oh my God oh my God no. Prayers and love to Melissa Rest In Peace dear Beckett,” Rosanna Arquette wrote, and Rosie O’Donnell posted, “all my love to melissa etheridge on the loss of her beautiful boy beckett … no words #onlylove.”
