Brandi Carlile Net Worth

What is Brandi Carlile's Net Worth?

Brandi Carlile is a singer-songwriter and record producer who has a net worth of $2 million. Brandi Carlile released her self-titled debut album to success in 2005. Since then, she has had further success with such albums as "The Story," "The Firewatcher's Daughter," "By the Way, I Forgive You," and "In These Silent Days," earning multiple Grammy Awards in the process. Carlile also worked as a producer and songwriter on Tanya Tucker's albums "While I'm Livin'" and "Sweet Western Sound," and in 2019 formed the country music supergroup the Highwomen.

Early Life and Education

Brandi Carlile was born on June 1, 1981 in Ravensdale, Washington, a rural town 30 miles outside of Seattle. She has a brother named Jay and a sister named Tiffany. At the age of four, Carlile came down with bacterial meningitis, which almost claimed her life. Having survived, she grew up immersed in music, teaching herself how to sing and performing country songs on stage. When she was 15, Carlile began writing songs, and at 16 served as a backup singer for an Elvis impersonator. She attended Tahoma High School, but dropped out to pursue her career in music. She went on to learn how to play the piano and guitar.

Solo Albums and Singles

After beginning her music career playing Seattle music clubs with twin musicians Phil and Tim Hanseroth, Carlile released her eponymous debut album in 2005 to great critical acclaim. She subsequently went on the road with the Hanseroth brothers and honed the songs that would become part of her second album, "The Story." Produced by T Bone Burnett, "The Story" reached number 41 on the Billboard 200 and launched the hit single of the same name. Carlile's next album, "Give Up the Ghost," debuted at number 26 on the Billboard 200 in 2009. It featured collaborations with Elton John, Amy Ray, Chad Smith, and Benmont Tench. Carlile went on to release her first live album, "Live at Benaroya Hall with the Seattle Symphony," in 2011. That was followed in 2012 by "Bear Creek," which peaked at number 10 on the Billboard 200. Three years later, Carlile released "The Firewatcher's Daughter"; it reached number nine on the Billboard 200 and earned Carlile her first Grammy Award nomination, for Best Americana Album.

Carlile continued her success with her sixth studio album, "By the Way, I Forgive You," which was released in early 2018. In addition to reaching number five on the Billboard 200, making it Carlile's highest-charting album yet, it earned six Grammy Award nominations, including Album of the Year. Carlile ended up winning three of the nominations: Best Americana Album, Best American Roots Song, and Best American Roots Performance, the latter two for the song "The Joke." She had another huge hit with her next album, 2021's "In These Silent Days," which received ten total Grammy Award nominations and won three, including Carlile's second for Best Americana Album. The album's single "Broken Horses" also won for Best Rock Song and Best Rock Performance. Carlile returned to the Grammys the next year, winning Best Americana Performance alongside Brandy Clark for the song "Dear Insecurity." She also earned a nomination for Best Pop Duo/Group Performance for "Thousand Miles," a collaborative song with Miley Cyrus.

(Photo by Frazer Harrison/Getty Images for The Recording Academy)

Collaborations with Tanya Tucker

A major fan of country music legend Tanya Tucker, Carlile served as a producer and songwriter on Tucker's 2019 album "While I'm Livin'." The album received enthusiastic acclaim from critics, and went on to win Grammy Awards for Best Country Album and Best Country Song, the latter for "Bring My Flowers Now." The creation of the album was documented in the 2022 documentary film "The Return of Tanya Tucker: Featuring Brandi Carlile." Carlile subsequently worked as a producer and songwriter on Tucker's 2023 album "Sweet Western Sound."

The Highwomen

In 2019, Carlile formed the country music supergroup the Highwomen with Amanda Shires and Maren Morris. The trio eventually added Natalie Hemby, making the group a quartet. In the summer of 2019, the Highwomen released their self-titled debut album to critical acclaim and commercial success. The album's single "Crowded Table" went on to win the Grammy Award for Best Country Song.

Other Notable Performances

Among her other notable performances, Carlile performed the entirety of Joni Mitchell's renowned album "Blue" at the Walt Disney Concert Hall in Los Angeles in 2019. A few years later, she performed with Mitchell as the closing act of the Newport Folk Festival, which was Mitchell's first full-length performance in about 20 years. The same year, Carlile headlined the Pilgrimage Music & Cultural Festival in Franklin, Tennessee. In early 2023, she headlined the inauguration party of Massachusetts governor Maura Healey, the first openly lesbian governor in the United States.

Activism and Philanthropy

Carlile has been heavily involved in activism and philanthropy related to LGBTQ rights, racial justice, and humanitarian aid. In 2008, she and the Hanseroth twins founded the nonprofit Looking Out Foundation, which has given grants to such organizations as Reverb, Children in Conflict, Black Visions Collective, Campaign Zero, and the Human Rights Campaign.

Personal Life

Openly lesbian, Carlile married Catherine Shepherd in 2012. They have two daughters and reside in Maple Valley, Washington. Shepherd serves as the executive director of Carlile's nonprofit Looking Out Foundation.