Grammy winning singer/songwrite Michelle Branch is putting on a con cert of her own brand of folk rock fo the University of Memphis3 students.

The concert, which is sponsored b) the Student Activities Center, will bt held Monday on the U of M campus ai the Rose Theatre. U of M students car buy up to two $7 tickets with theii student ID4. Tickets for the general public are $ 15.

"We have planned this concert for about two months now," said University Traditions Committee chair Chris Hawk, sophomore journalism major5. "We put on a major concert every semester and try to rotate with genres6. Last semester, we had an R8B7 concert, and we wanted to try and reach a different audience this semester so we wanted to go with a modern rock concert. It was suggested by our production company that we use Michelle Branch, and it was the perfect genre we were looking for. "

Branch is currently touring college campuses across the country on the Virgin College Mega Tour8, presented by Dentyne Ice and Dentyne Fire9. Opening acts will include singer/songwriters Gavin DeGraw and Joe Firstman10, who will both be supporting their debut albums.

From her first release, Broken Bracelet in 2000, to her major label debut, The Spirit Room in 2001 , Branch has played a key part in the resurgence11 of the female singer/songwriter. In a business where many females are manufactured for glitz and glam12, Branch showed how writing songs could pay off. Not only did The Spirit Room sell 2.5 million copies, Branch toured with the likes of Sheryl Crow13 and won a Grammy for a duet14 she did with Carlos Santana15.

Her latest effort, Hotel Paper, finds Branch moving forward into maturity as an artist. Written during her tour in support of her debut, Hotel Room is almost a strike to those who ignored her works because of her age.

"I never asked for comparisons to other artists, nor did I expect outstanding

reviews," Branch said. "I did, however, demand a fair and honest critique of my work, and that simply never happened. Hotel Paper guarantees that my growth as an artist will overshadow16 non-related questions that followed me. Don't ask: I'm 20 years old now. "

SAC17 will also be sponsoring an event during the afternoon of the concert.

"We call it a ' Village, ' " said Hawk. " It will be at the Student Activities Plaza. We will have a couple novelty acts as well as some guys out there playing some acoustic18 guitars. Since Dentyne Ice is sponsoring the tour, I'm sure they'll be outside giving away stuff. "

Hawk said he is looking forward to seeing such a talented artist as Branch on campus.

"I'm also looking forward to the audience, how many people from the com-munity come out and support this show," he said. " I hope we get a diverse crowd. "

April Garner, senior psychology major19 , met Branch at a concert at the University of Central Arkansas two years ago.

"My friends and I met her in the bathroom at the concert," Garner said. She was in touring with The Calling20 and Lifehouse21 and was the only girl on tour, so she had to change in the front bathrooms. She was really nice and signed our CDs. My friends love her. "