Melanie, Emmy-winning singer-songwriter whose career launched at Woodstock, dies at 76

Melanie, who performed at Woodstock and won an Emmy Award in 1989 for her songwriting on the CBS series "Beauty and the Beast," has died. She was 76.

Her publicist Billy James told The Associated Press that Melanie, who lived in central Tennessee, died Tuesday. The cause was not immediately revealed.

Her children shared the news Wednesday in a post on the singer/songwriter's official Facebook page. "This is the hardest post for us to write, and there are so many things we want to say, first, and there’s no easy way except to say it," the statement begins. "Mom passed, peacefully, out of this world and into the next on January, 23rd, 2024."

The post continued, "She was one of the most talented, strong and passionate women of the era and every word she wrote, every note she sang reflected that. Our world is much dimmer, the colors of a dreary, rainy Tennessee pale with her absence today, but we know that she is still here, smiling down on all of us, on all of you, from the stars."

Her children – Leilah, Jeordie, and Beau Jarred – shared that information about a celebration of life would be forthcoming. The event "will be open to all of you who want to come and celebrate her. The details will be announced as soon as they are in place. We look forward to seeing you there," the post reads.

USA TODAY has reached out to Melanie's record label for comment.

Among her accolades was winning the outstanding achievement in music and lyrics award alongside Lee Holdridge during the 1989 Emmys for composing the lyrics to the "Beauty and the Beast" (1987–1990) theme song. The series starred Ron Perlman, Roy Dotrice, Jay Acovone, Linda Hamilton and Renn Woods.

Melanie's discography includes her Billboard Hot 100 chart-topper "Brand New Key" (which Ray Charles and Nina Simone released their own renditions of), "What Have They Done to My Song Ma" and "Lay Down (Candles in the Rain)." According to her website, Melanie co-founded Neighborhood Records with husband Peter Schekeryk, making her the first American woman to open a mainstream record label.

Born Melanie Safka, the daughter of a jazz singer, in Queens, New York, she studied at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts and performed in the coffee houses of Greenwich Village and other New York folk hubs.

She released her self-titled debut album in 1969, and had hit songs in Europe with "Bobo's Party" and "Beautiful People."

That summer, she was one of only three female solo performers, along with Joan Baez and Janis Joplin, to perform at the generation-defining Woodstock Music and Art Fair in upstate New York.

After performing at Woodstock, Melanie 'walked off a celebrity'

In an interview with the Asbury Park Press, part of the USA TODAY network, in 2018, Melanie recalled her experience at Woodstock in August 1969. Her mother, Polly Safka, had driven her to Max Yasgar's farm in Bethel, New York.

"It was just me and my mother. I didn't have a band, I didn't have a roadie. I didn't have Peter (Schekeryk), my husband, manager and who was my producer. I was relatively unknown, especially in America," she said. At the time, her first single, "Beautiful People," was generating some buzz.

"People really connected quickly with me and it instantly resonated with 500,000 people at that one moment," Melanie said. "I walked on the stage an unknown person and walked off a celebrity."

Melanie was married to her manager and producer Peter Schekeryk from 1968 until his death in 2010. They had three kids together.

Contributing: Chris Jordan, Asbury Park Press

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Melanie Safka dies: Woodstock singer, Emmy-winning songwriter was 76