About 250 people came to the concert of the legendary American singer and songwriter Melanie Safka -Schekeryk (62) and her son Beau to the concert in P60 in Amstelveen on Thursday, October 9, 2008.
(Photo Amstelveenweb.com – 2008)
American singer and songwriter Melanie Safka during her performance at P60 on October 9, 2008
Melanie Anne Safka-Schekeryk (February 3, 1947 – January 23, 2024), known professionally as Melanie or Melanie Safka, was an American singer-songwriter. She is widely known for the 1971-1972 global hit “Brand New Key”; her 1970 version of “Ruby Tuesday”, originally written and recorded by the Rolling Stones, her composition “What Have They Done to My Song Ma”; and her 1970 international breakthrough hit “Lay Down (Candles in the Rain)” (inspired by her experience performing at the 1969 Woodstock music festival).
Melanie was born and raised in the Astoria neighborhood of Queens, New York City. Her father, Frederick M. Safka (1924–2009), was of Ukrainian descent, and her mother, jazz singer Pauline “Polly” Altomare (1926–2003), was of Italian descent. Melanie made her first public singing appearance at the age of four on the radio show Live Like A Millionaire, performing the song “Gimme a Little Kiss”.
She moved with her family to Long Branch, New Jersey, and attended Long Branch High School. Worried about being labeled a “beatnik” at school by her classmates, she ran away to California and, upon returning to New Jersey, transferred to Red Bank High School in Red Bank, New Jersey; she graduated in 1964, although she was unable to attend her commencement exercise due to a late library book.
