A Breath of Fresh Air May 2

This week:

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A career spanning 50 years, singer-songwriter, actress, recording artist, Grammy award-winning Melissa Manchester has multiple albums and counting. She has recently released her 25th album, Re:View for which she has re-recorded several of her charted hits. She credits the stage for helping her grow and to evolve as an artist and believes that her songs have become reflections of that growth. Melissa tells us that through the pandemic, she found herself in a deeply thoughtful space and used it to reflect on her music. Manchester’s hit song, Don’t Cry Out Loud, is, she says, a reflection of her own experiences. The song speaks of a girl who is an awful lot like her, who is trying to hide her tears, and who is trying to find joy and strength in the face of sadness.

Melissa Manchester is an independent musician who has been creating music for five decades. Her songs reflect the current events and social issues going on in the world, such as the importance of frontline workers and the impact of the presidential election. Manchester believes in the power of music and how it can be used to evoke emotion, inspire, and create meaningful conversations. She also believes that music has a mystical quality and can be used to tell stories and connect people in a unique way. She talks about how she undertook a six month song writing course with Simon and Garfunkel’s Paul Simon while attending New York University. Melissa came from a musical family and was always destined to become a songwriter and performer. She has had her songs recorded by Barbra Streisand, Roberta Flack and Kenny Loggins, to name a few.

She is a wonderfully energetic artist with roots firmly planted in music. Manchester had a unique experience growing up with a musician father in the Metropolitan Opera and a mother in the fashion industry. Her love for music grew and developed when from an early age she began her career, singing jingles for commercials, a road that took her alongside musicians like Barry Manilow. She also created a group called The Harlettes singing backup for Bette Midler. A career sprinkled with creative endeavours, a Grammy win and several Academy award nominations, Melissa shares her journey with us this week.

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