ISSUE #39 MMUSICMAG.COM INDIEINDIE SCENE SCENE Randee St. Nicholas MELISSA MANCHESTER Thanks to a 21st century team approach, she brings her smoky vocals to a new set

MUCH HAS CHANGED IN THE FOUR Manchester’s been busy passing landing a record deal and breaking out with decades since “Midnight Blue” made the torch as an adjunct professor at the the Top 10 hit “Midnight Blue” in 1975. Melissa Manchester a star and the noted Thornton School of Music at the Others followed, including “Don’t Cry Out 10 years since her last studio album University of Southern California in L.A. Loud,” “Just You and I” and “You Should When I Look Down That Road. But as But the teacher learned a few things from Hear How She Talks About You,” which she releases her new album, You Gotta her students that helped launch the new won her a Grammy in 1982. Manchester Love the Life, there are some things record. “My students would show up with also collaborated with to that haven’t changed. their CDs, and I would ask them how they pen his 1978 hit duet with , “I really do have the same passion I got them recorded, thinking they were with “Whenever I Call You Friend.” did when I was 17,” says Manchester. “The an independent label,” says Manchester. “People yell at me for not making good news for me personally is that I have “They taught me about this funding method music anymore,” she laughs. “But the way grown into myself, and for an artist, that is a called Indiegogo. ‘You should do this,’ music gets out now represents a sort very deep truth to fi nally access. I think it’s they said. So one of my students became of democratization of music, because refl ected in the tone of my voice, the quality my project manager and several others anybody can release a song and post of my songs, and the quality of the artists assisted with other things. It was amazing, something on YouTube. My platform for who wanted to participate in the album.” a new adventure in a new land.” music is an album. That’s just what I do, Written by Manchester, with the Despite the modern crowd-funding and for me, albums are events. It gives the exception of a few covers—“,” platform, Manchester was intent on making listener a chance to see what the artist has “Let’s Face the Music and Dance” and “From the album old-school. “I wanted to go been up to. This Moment On”—the record attracted a back and reclaim that feeling of making “And it takes a while to put an album host of A-list guest stars including Stevie an album with great musicians,” she says. together. It doesn’t need to take 10 years, Wonder, , , “What you’re hearing are real players. but the truth is this album showed up Dave Koz and . “Many of the We recorded it at a college that had a exactly when it needed to show up. The musicians are beloved friends I have worked teaching studio with an engineer who’s journey we’ve been on to get this done with over the years,” says Manchester, 64. a professor. It was incredible—the most affi rms the fact that there are no accidents. “I didn’t want this to be a duets album—it exciting experience of my life, really.” It’s the culmination of all of the millions of really isn’t—but I do have some beautiful That is quite a claim considering steps that got me to this point. The timing guests, and I have history with every one Manchester’s notable accomplishments— was perfect. So now it unfolds, and we’ll of them. So it was so touching when being discovered by and see how the world welcomes the work.” those folks said yes.” singing backup for , all before –Lee Zimmerman

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