Melissa Manchester – HuffPost 2.9.12

Mike Ragogna: You have had such a rich career in the music industry, so do you have any advice that you would like to pass along to new artists?

Melissa Manchester: That’s a tough question. (laughs) You know, I don’t recognize the landscape of the music industry, per se. I do know that the part that will not be changing is the performance. That’s what I teach my students. The experience of being on stage and what you might be offering to an audience member is a moment of clarity, enlightenment, entertainment, and might save a life or restore sanity meanwhile. That’s the power of a song. What I’m learning as I get older is that the power of a little three and a half minute song can change a nation and a heart. A song can make people fall in love and help you restore and even let go of something. The whole experience of creativity has deepened for me and the perspective of it has changed. I like that a lot.