Melissa Manchester (born February 15, 1951) is an American singer-songwriter and actress. Beginning in the 1970s she has recorded a series of albums featuring her own compositions and those of a variety of other songwriters, generally in the adult contemporary genre. She has also appeared as an actress on television, in films and on stage.

Life and career

Manchester was born in the Bronx area of New York City, New York to a musical family of Jewish descent. Her father was a bassoonist for the New York Metropolitan Opera. Manchester started a singing career at an early age, learning the piano and harpsichord at the Manhattan School of Music and Arts, singing commercial jingles at age 15, and becoming a staff writer for Chappell Music while attending Manhattan's High School of Performing Arts.