Grammy Award-winning artist Melissa Manchester was born in New York where her father was a bassoonist for the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra and her mother was one of the first women to design and found her own clothing firm, Ruth Manchester Ltd. They introduced her to all the classics, and by the age of 15, Melissa was already a published poet. After graduating from the High School of the Performing Arts (where she studied acting), Melissa entered New York University and enrolled in a songwriting class taught by Paul Simon. She landed a staff writing job at Chappell Music and performed as a solo singer/pianist in the clubs of Greenwich Village. While working in the New York jingle singing circuit, she met Bette Midler and Barry Manilow. As a back-up singer for Bette, Melissa fulfilled her childhood fantasy of playing Carnegie Hall. Six months later, she had a recording contract, and went on to headline at Carnegie Hall and Radio City Music Hall, and performed for sold-out audiences across the country. Melissa’s music has served to establish her as a compelling singer/songwriter.  Her debut releases Home To Myself and Bright Eyes positioned her as a dynamic new talent, and Melissa launched the smash hit single “Midnight Blue.” Melissa and Kenny Loggins co-wrote the radio classic “Whenever I Call You Friend,” and her songs have been recorded by Barbra Streisand, Dusty Springfield, Alison Krauss, Roberta Flack, Johnny Mathis, Kathy Mattea, Peabo Bryson, Cleo Laine and Barbara Cook, among many others. Her international hits “Through The Eyes Of Love” and “Don’t Cry Out Loud” were written for her by her friend and frequent collaborator Carole Bayer Sager, Marvin Hamlisch and the late Peter Allen. Melissa was nominated for a Grammy in 1978 and 1979 and received the Grammy Award in 1982 for Best Female Vocalist.  In 1980 she became the first artist in the history of the Academy Awards to have two nominated movie themes in a given year — “Through The Eyes Of Love” and “The Promise” – and went on the make Oscar history by performing both songs during the worldwide telecast. For her acclaimed release Tribute, Melissa came full circle, honoring the great singers who influenced her.  From Garland to Streisand, Piaf to Fitzgerald, Melissa paid homage to the icons with lush Peter Matz arrangements for this collection of classics. Melissa has combined her acting and singing talents in starring roles in Andrew Lloyd Weber’s Song And Dance and Music Of The Night, and in a recurring role in the hit television series Blossom. She also worked again with Bette Midler, co-starring in the film For The Boys, released by 20th Century Fox. In 1998, Melissa released her first Christmas album on Angel/EMI Records. The CD, entitled Joy, was hailed by the New York Times as “a heartfelt Christmas album that sounds classic on first listen.” In yet another career first, Melissa has written the musical I Sent A Letter To My Love, based on the acclaimed Bernice Rubens novel of the same name. She performed the leading role in a National Public Radio broadcast and the staged musical premiered in Boston at the North Shore Music Theatre in 2002. Melissa returned to the stage when she co-starred with Kelsey Grammer (“Frasier”), in Stephen Sondheim’s musical masterpiece Sweeney Todd at The Ahmanson Theater in Los Angeles, and she recently starred in the Chicago premiere of HATS!, a new musical that contains several songs she co-wrote with Sharon Vaughn. She also composed for Disney’s The Great Mouse Detective, co-wrote the score for Lady And The Tramp II, and she released her sixteenth CD, When I Look Down That Road, all the while celebrating four decades of performing with appearances throughout the United States. In 2010, Melissa co-created and starred in the five-time Ovation Award nominated ballroom dance spectacular Fascinating Rhythms at the Rubicon Theatre, and her song “I Know Who I Am”, co-written with Joanna Cotton and Greg Barnhill, was recorded by Leona Lewis for the Tyler Perry feature film For Colored Girls. Most recently, nine of Melissa’s songs were highlighted in the feature film Dirty Girl, including the original theme song “Rainbird” which Melissa recorded and co-wrote with the movie’s star, Mary Steenburgen. Melissa Manchester has received the Governor’s Award from the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences for her contributions to the music and recording arts, and her body of work to date as a singer/songwriter was a featured exhibit at the Lyman Allyn Art Museum.

“Cindy is the personification of what it takes to be a superstar. Her writing is insightful and poignant. Her stage presence is utterly unforgettable, and her musicianship is flawless. She also possesses that rarest of charisma that one cannot manufacture: she was born to perform.” – David Lawrence, Host and Executive Producer of NET MUSIC COUNTDOWN Born and raised in Los Angeles, Cindy was trained at the acclaimed USC School of Drama but realized quickly that there was enough “drama” in real life and the best part she could play… was herself. So, she wrote what is now 9 cd’s (and added to numerous compilations and soundtracks) worth of her life, which she has performed all across the United States, Japan, Germany, Ireland, and islands as far as Barbados and Guantanamo Bay. Music has always been the key to her adventure, and she soaks up the stories of those she meets, the cultures, the geography, the spirit and the down and dirty details of the road she travels. As a seasoned writer and performer, she has tackled numerous subjects – not only the classic singer/songwriter confessional fare of dysfunctional relationships, marriage, and motherhood, but also her personal discovery and recovery from breast cancer, the perils of the entertainment business, classic literature, sexuality, spirituality, history and the human condition. There is no topic which is out of bounds – she tells The Truth. “P-nut,” as she is affectionately known by her fans, has a voice that defies her petite stature. Classically trained, this coloratura soprano hits the high notes like an angel but also bellows with rich, velvety tones in the lower half of her over three octave range. She’s a storyteller, and her show benefits from the stories, humor and banter with the audience in between songs as it is does from the music and exceptional execution. Cindy Alexander CONNECTS, and her relationship with her fans has funded her recording projects and fueled her continued success as a touring indie musician. She’s won a multitude of awards including David Foster’s/NBC Star Tomorrow, L.A. Music Awards Songwriter of the Year/ Independent Pop Album of the Year/ Producer’s Honors – Best of Last 25 Years Female Singer-Songwriters, All Access Magazine’s Best Female Pop Vocalist, Just Plain Folks Song of the Year/Female Artist of the Year, L.A. Music Critic’s Best Female CD (3 time winner) and Best Pop/Rock Artist. Even with accolades and a “record deal” as a prize for winning a reality show, she’s stayed independent on her own JamCat Records, which found the perfect partner in Blue Élan Records in 2014. Cindy has shared the stage with John Hiatt, Bacon Brothers, America, Suzanne Vega, Joan Osborn, Rick Springfield, Beth Hart, Everclear, The Bangles, Edwin McCain, Marc Cohn, Melissa Manchester etc. and has appeared on compilations along side Sarah McLachlan (Chilled Sirens – Water Music Records), Aimee Mann (Eclectic Cafe – Water Music Records) and Norah Jones (Sunday Brunch – Treadstone Records). She has also appeared on soundtracks: Sugar & Spice (Trauma Records) and has been featured in films (Here on Earth, Smokers, Sugar & Spice, Dorm Daze II, People I’ve Slept With, My Trip Back to the Dark Side, etc.) and TV (Party of 5, Chasing Farrah, So You Think You Can Dance, VH1/MTV). Cindy sings the theme song to China’s highest grossing animated feature: Boonie Bears - the Big Shrink (English version) and can be heard as Princess in Sony Play Station’s White Knight Chronicles 2. Aside from being a singer/songwriter/recording artist, Cindy is a mother of twins, breast cancer survivor, health advocate and ambassador to BreastCancer.org and the Kay Yow Cancer Fund, volunteer, hiker, animal rescuer, reader, baker of OCD chocolate chip cookies, and guacamole lover.