Melanie, she was the singer of the song Brand New Key. She s 76.
Her performance at Woodstock in 1969 of “Lay Down (Candles In The Rain)” was absolutely soul-stirring. Her later version was about a year later with the Gospel choir of The Edwin Hawkins Singers which was riveting.
Her rebellion against the music industry was reflected in her song “Look What They’ve Done To My Song Ma” which was the battle cry amongst most of the young talented artists that were forced to conform and knuckle under to the executives of the music industry.
She was a beautiful flower child in her youth. Suffered from anxiety and depression for most of her life, though.
She really embraced that communal spirit of the hippies that many of us shared in the 60’s and 70’s.
Her presence on this earth was much appreciated, as well as her unique emotive style of singing and guitar playing.