| She was discovered by Bette Midler and Barry Manilow; when the two hired her as a backup singer in 1971. It made her one of the first "Harlettes." She recorded her debut album, "Home To Myself," in 1973, co-writing many of the songs with Carole Bayer Sager. 1975's "Melissa" produced her first Top Ten hit, "Midnight Blue," and set the tone for most of her career with its direct, slickly produced MOR pop sound. In 1979 Manchester returned to the Top Ten with "Don't Cry Out Loud." 1980 saw Manchester become the first singer to have two movie themes nominated for Academy Awards (Ice Castles and The Promise); two years later she achieved her highest Billboard singles chart placing with the number five disco hit "You Should Hear How She Talks About You," which won a Grammy for Best Female Vocal Performance. 1983's 12" single release, a remake of "My Boyfriend's Back" failed to garner the same success. Her last album for Arista records did produce another club favorite. 1983's "Emergency" contained a delicious track, that when remixed for Hot Tracks, climbed high on the club charts. But no 12" was released of "City Lights" and her contract with Arista lapsed. Following her success in the disco market her first release with her new label MCA records spawned two 12" singles, "Mathematics" and "Energy." Both failed miserably and she fled back to her beloved MOR audiences. Throughout the remainder of the 1980's and 1990's, Manchester alternated occasional recording with scriptwriting and acting, appearing with Bette Midler in "For The Boys" and on the television series "Blossom" as the title character's birth mother. In the spring of 2004 she released her first new album in over 10 years. |
