Melissa Manchester is an American singer-songwriter and actress…. whose songs have been carried by adult contemporary radio stations since the 1970’s….that’s dang near 50 years folks….plus, she has appeared on television, in films, and on stage.
Melissa studied songwriting at New York University with Paul Simon…. and played the Manhattan club scene….where she was discovered by Barry Manilow….who introduced her to Bette Midler….and in 1971, she became a member of the Harlettes, the back-up singers for The Divine Miss M….then Manchester made a brief speaking appearance as “Yoko Ono” on the 1972 album National Lampoon Radio Dinner on the track entitled “Magical Misery Tour”….as her debut album, Home to Myself, was released in 1973….wherein she co-wrote many of the songs with Carole Bayer Sager. Two years later, Manchester’s album Melissa produced her first top-ten hit, “Midnight Blue”….which enjoyed 17 weeks on the Billboard Hot 100 charts…..with a peak on the charts at # 6 for the week of August 9, 1975.
As seen in this video herewith….while performing at the July 4, 1986 Lady Liberty concert in New York harbor….with John Williams and The Boston Pops providing awesome orchestral music….as Melissa Manchester sings a medley of George Gershwin songs including Rhapsody in Blue, The Man I Love, Summertime and I’ve Got Rhythm. Man, is this library awesome or what!?!
