Melissa Manchester facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Melissa Manchester
|
|
|---|---|
Manchester in concert (2009)
|
|
| Background information | |
| Born | February 15, 1951 New York City, U.S. |
| Genres | |
| Occupation(s) |
|
| Instruments |
|
| Years active | 1971–present |
| Labels |
|
| Associated acts |
|
Melissa Manchester (born February 15, 1951) is an American singer, songwriter, and actress. She became famous in the 1970s with her pop and R&B songs. You might have heard her music on the radio! Besides singing, she has also acted in TV shows, movies, and plays.
Contents
Early Life and Musical Start
Melissa Manchester was born in New York City into a family that loved music. Her dad, David Manchester, played the bassoon for the famous Metropolitan Opera for 30 years. Her mom, Ruth Manchester, was one of the first women to start her own clothing company.
Melissa began her singing journey very early. She learned to play the piano and harpsichord at the Manhattan School of Music. When she was just 15, she started singing in commercials. By age 17, she was writing songs for a music company while attending the High School of Performing Arts in Manhattan.
She even studied songwriting at New York University with the famous singer-songwriter Paul Simon. While performing in clubs in New York, her friend Barry Manilow introduced her to Bette Midler. In 1971, Melissa and Barry helped create the "Harlettes," who were Bette Midler's backup singers.
Becoming a Solo Star
Melissa Manchester released her first album, Home to Myself, in 1973. She wrote many of the songs on it with Carole Bayer Sager. Just two years later, her album Melissa gave her a huge hit song called "Midnight Blue". This song was very popular, staying on the Billboard Hot 100 charts for 17 weeks and reaching number 6!
In 1979, Melissa had another big hit with "Don't Cry Out Loud". This song earned her a nomination for a Grammy Award. She even performed two nominated songs at the Academy Awards show that year!
A few years later, in 1982, she released "You Should Hear How She Talks About You". This song was a massive success, reaching number 5 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. It also won her a Grammy Award in 1983 for Best Pop Female Vocal Performance. This was a huge achievement!
Throughout the 1980s, Melissa continued to have popular songs on the Adult Contemporary charts. She also started acting more. She appeared with Bette Midler in the movie For the Boys and on the TV show Blossom. She even co-wrote and starred in a musical called I Sent a Letter to My Love.
Recent Career and Achievements
In 2001, Melissa Manchester wrote and recorded the music for the animated movie Lady and the Tramp II: Scamp's Adventure.
After a break, she released a new album in 2004 called When I Look Down That Road. People praised her strong voice and how she kept her unique style while also trying new things.
In 2013, Melissa started working on her 20th studio album, You Gotta Love the Life. She used a special online campaign called Indiegogo to raise money from her fans to release the album herself. This album was a success, reaching number 17 on the Billboard Jazz Albums chart.
In 2017, Melissa released an album called The Fellas. On this album, she sang songs by male artists who had influenced her, like Tony Bennett and Frank Sinatra. She even sang a duet with Barry Manilow on the album!
During the 2020 pandemic, Melissa worked on her 24th album, RE:VIEW. This album features new versions of her older hits. She released one song and video each month, often talking about important social topics.
In 2021, Melissa Manchester received a special honor called the "New Standard Award" from the Songbook Hall of Fame. This award is given to artists whose music will continue to be popular and loved for a long time.
Awards and Recognitions
Melissa Manchester has received many awards and honors for her amazing career:
- She won a Grammy Award in 1983 for her song "You Should Hear How She Talks About You".
- She has a spot on the Bronx Walk of Fame in her hometown.
- The National Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences gave her the Governor's Award for her important contributions to music.
- Her work as a singer and songwriter was even featured in an exhibit at the Lyman Allyn Art Museum.
- She teaches as a professor at the USC Thornton School of Music.
Personal Life
Melissa Manchester married Kevin De Remer in 1982. They had two children together before they divorced in 2014.
Music Albums
Here are some of Melissa Manchester's studio albums:
- 1973: Home to Myself
- 1975: Melissa
- 1976: Better Days and Happy Endings
- 1978: Don't Cry Out Loud
- 1982: Hey Ricky
- 1985: Mathematics
- 1989: Tribute
- 1995: If My Heart Had Wings
- 2004: When I Look Down That Road
- 2014: You Gotta Love the Life
- 2017: The Fellas
- 2024: Re:View
Popular Songs
Here are some of Melissa Manchester's most well-known songs:
- "Midnight Blue" (1975)
- "Don't Cry Out Loud" (1978)
- "Through the Eyes of Love" (1979)
- "You Should Hear How She Talks About You" (1982)
- "Walk On By" (1989)
- "Feelin' for You" (2015)
Movies and TV Shows
Melissa Manchester has also appeared in several movies and TV shows:
- For the Boys (1991) - She played Corrine.
- Blossom (1993-1995) - She played Maddy Russo.
- Dirty Girl (2010) - She played the piano teacher.
- She also wrote songs for animated films like The Great Mouse Detective (1986) and Lady and the Tramp II: Scamp's Adventure (2001).
Images for kids
-
Melissa Manchester in concert (2009)
See also
In Spanish: Melissa Manchester para niños
