Malone was born and raised in Atlanta, Georgia, by her mother and grandmother, both professional singers. Malone first began performing at age four in a church choir, and later learned to play saxophone, guitar, and drums, which she played in her first band at age twelve. As a teenager, Malone began to write songs. While studying voice at Agnes Scott College, she began performing professionally in and around Atlanta. She left school upon receiving a recording contract from Clive Davis at Arista Records, for whom she recorded, with her band Drag the River, the albumRelentless, produced by Lenny Kaye of the Patti Smith Group. She later signed with Walter Yetnikoff at his Velvel Records label. In 1992 Malone started her own label, SBS Records, and continues to record and tour. Over the course of her 30-year career, Malone has won numerous awards including Best Female Vocalist and Best Acoustic Guitarist, and Album of the Year. Her albums Sugar Foot and Debris, released on SBS Records, were both on the Grammy Award ballot for best Contemporary Blues and Best Americana Albums respectively. Her songs have appeared in the films Bam Bam and Celeste, All Over Me, and Shotgun Jesus and television programsTrue Blood, Dawson's Creek, Felicity, and Brooklyn South, and have been recorded by Indigo Girls, Antigone Rising, and Vistoso Bosses. Malone appeared with The Harshed Mellows on a recording of the song "U.S. Blues" for the Grateful Deadtribute albumDeadicated. She was also featured in a Georgia Tourism TV commercial with Elton John in 1994. In 2010, Malone took part in a virtual concert performing to a screen displaying avatars, as part of Michael Nesmith's Video Ranch 3D project. Malone has collaborated in the studio and on stage with such artists as Gregg Allman, Chuck Leavell, John Mayer, Sugarland members Jennifer Nettles, Kristen Hall, and Kristian Bush, Indigo Girls, Shawn Mullins, Justin Vernon of Bon Iver, Kevn Kinney, Drivin' N Cryin', Little Feat, Albert King, Charlie Musselwhite, Johnny Winter, Lurrie Bell, Lonnie Brooks, ZZ Top, Robert Cray, Keb Mo, Tinsley Ellis, Rory Block, Marcia Ball, Chris Whitley, Steve Earle, KT Tunstall, Shawn Colvin, Jackson Browne, James Taylor and Joan Osborne, as well as Ellen DeGeneres. Michelle Malone recorded and released Debris, on her own SBS Records label and distributed by Thirty Tigers in Nashville, Tennessee. It was produced and engineered by Nick Didia. Musicians on the CD include Peter Stroud, Phil Skipper, Trish Land, Trina Meade, Tony Reyes, Angela Kaset and Dave Anthony. Touring extensively in support of Debris, Malone and her band performed throughout the United States, Canada, and Europe. Malone recorded and released Day 2 in 2012, produced with Shawn Mullins and Gerry Hansen, with contributing musicians Randall Bramblett, Chuck Leavell, Phil Skipper, Gerry Hansen and Tom Ryan. In January 2014, she released Acoustic Winter, produced and engineered by Gerry Hansen and Ben Holst. In 2014, Malone toured in support of her Acoustic Winter and Day 2 CDs, as well as toured with Kristian Bush of Sugarland in support of his solo releaseSouthern Gravity. Malone plays acoustic and electric guitar, mandolin, and harmonica and sings backing vocals in Kristian Bush's band. She also wrote her record "Stronger Than You Think" during this time and release it in 2017. In 2018, Michelle released her 15th studio album "Slings and Arrows" to critical acclaim. It was recorded in 4 days live in the studio at Bakos Amp Works with Doug Kees on Guitar, Robby Handley on bass, Trish Land on percussion, and Christopher Burroughs. Michelle Malone produced it, Jeff Bakos engineered it, and Gerry Hansen mixed it at Creekside Studios. The record was written, recorded, and performed in Georgia by Georgia musicians. It debuted at No. 8 on the Billboard Blues Albums Chart. Malone is currently on tour in support of Slings and Arrows Malone is also currently working on a Christmas album with her new holiday group, the jazzy cocktail trio Michelle Malone and The Hot Toddies with Doug Kees on guitar and Robby Handley on upright bass. In 2019, Malone and her Band will appear on the Southern Rock Cruise 2019 with Blackberry Smoke, Kentucky Headhunters, Atlanta Rhythm Section, Dickey Betts, Marshall Tucker Band, and Lynyrd Skynyrd.
