Woodstock 1999, Yasgur’s Farm, Bethel, N.Y. Part 161 [Melanie ; played at Woodstock 1969]

Woodstock 1999, Yasgur’s Farm, Bethel, N.Y. Part `161 (Melanie Anne Safka-Schekeryk) [Melanie played at Woodstock 1969] Video by Larry Blumenstein Video Productions. Contact: larryblumenstein@, 917-817-2112. (Copyright 1999) (c) ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- [If you the name of the band, members,or song, reply to update Title and Description] ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Melanie was invited to play at the now- historic rock festival, Woodstock. Decades later, she reminisced about the event for Rolling Stone: “It was magical. I had never performed in front of so many people in my life. I had my first out-of-body experience. I was terrified, I had to leave. I started across that bridge to the stage, and I just left my body.... I watched myself walk onto the stage, sit down and sing a couple of lines. And when I felt it was safe, I came back.“ Performing at Woodstock inspired Melanie to write and record her 1970 peace anthem “Lay Down“-- subtitled “Candles in the Rain.“ She told Rolling Stone: “It started to rain right before I went on and the announcer said that if you lit candles, it would help to keep the rain away. By the time I finished my set, the whole hillside was a mass of little flickering lights.“ ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Melanie Anne Safka-Schekeryk (born 2-3-47 in Astoria, NY) is a singer-songwriter and is known simply as Melanie. She performed at Woodstock. The inspiration for “Lay Down“ apparently arose from the Woodstock audience lighting candles during her set. A gospel-boosted genuine one-off that combined high drama with Melanie’s trademark hippy sincerity, the recording became a hit in both Europe and here in the spring and summer of 1970. The B-side of the 45 single featured Melanie’s spoken-word track “Candles in the Rain“. In 1970 Melanie was the only artist to brave the court injunction banning the Powder Ridge Rock Festival and played for the crowd on a homemade stage powered by Mr. Softie trucks. Her biggest US hit was the novelty-sounding 1972 number one, “Brand New Key“. She has been awarded three gold albums. Three of Melanie’s compositions were hits for The New Seekers: “Look What They’ve Done to My Song Ma“, “Beautiful People“ and “The Nickel Song“. Since 1969 Melanie has released almost one album a year. With one exception her albums have been produced by her husband, Peter Schekeryk. Her three children -- Leilah, Jeordie and Beau-Jarred -- are also musicians. Beau-Jarred is a guitarist and accompanies his mother on tour. In 1999, Meredith Brooks covered “Lay Down (Candles in the Rain)“ with backing vocals by Queen Latifah. The 2003 hip-hop track “The Nosebleed Section“ by The Hilltop Hoods sampled “People In The Front Row“. In 2004 Melanie released Paled by Dimmer Light, which is co-produced by Peter and Beau-Jarred Schekeryk, including “To be the one“, “Extraordinary“, “Make it work“ and “I tried to die young“. Although she is viewed by many as the definitive “flower child“ she identifies herself politically as a Libertarian rather than a Liberal. She currently resides in Nashville, Tennessee. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Roy Howard was perhaps best-known for owning the home and land on which Max Yasgur lived -- just down Route 17B from where Yasgur famously welcomed half a million people to the 1969 Woodstock festival. Howard and his wife, Jeryl Abramson, carried on that welcoming spirit, hosting Woodstock-themed “reunions“ on their property that drew thousands of revelers -- and complaints from neighbors and the Town of Bethel. The couple fought the town over the events for years, winning and losing court battles, always maintaining that Woodstock aficionados needed somewhere “to land.“ That concern prompted the affectionate nickname of “Roy and Jeryl“ by their fans, ultimately adopted by news agencies and bloggers around the world. Though sometimes deeply discouraged by the local reaction, the duo persevered in seeking to create a welcome home for the free-spirited August crowds, and were currently engaged in gaining temporary campground approval on their land for Woodstock’s 44th anniversary. Abramson said those efforts will continue. ------------------------------------------------------------------- Woodstock, 1999, Yasgurs Farm, Bethel, N.Y.,Roy Howard,Roy and Jeryl, Jeryl Abramson, Larry Blumenstein,Melanie Anne Safka-Schekeryk,Melanie