Singer Melanie Safka, known for her 1970s hits “Brand New Key” and “Lay Down (Candles in the Rain),” passed away on Tuesday at the age of 76. Her children, Leilah, Jeordie, and Beau Jarred, shared the sad news on Wednesday, noting that she had been ill, though the exact cause of death was not specified.
“This post is the hardest for us to write because we have so many things to say,” her children wrote. “Mom peacefully crossed over from this world to the next on January 23, 2024.”
To honor their mother, they asked fans to light a candle on Wednesday at 10 p.m. Central time.
“She was one of the smartest, bravest, and most passionate women of her time, and it showed in everything she wrote and sang,” they wrote. “Without her, our world is much darker, but we know she is still here, smiling down at us from the stars.”
Melanie, born in Astoria, New York, on February 3, 1947, was working on a new album of cover songs titled Second Hand Smoke, which would have been her 32nd album.
She gained fame after performing at Woodstock in 1969. Reflecting on the experience in a 2019 interview with the AP, Melanie said she was nervous about performing in front of such a large crowd. “The fear kept building up in me,” she said. “It scared me to think about performing in front of all those people on that big stage by myself.”
Melanie began her music career by performing in Greenwich Village’s coffee shops and folk clubs while studying at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts. In 1967, she met Peter Schekeryk, who became her manager, producer, and husband.
Her big break came with the release of her first album by Buddah Records after she left Columbia Records. “Lay Down” was her first major U.S. hit, followed by “Peace Will Come,” “What Have They Done to My Song Ma,” “The Nickel Song,” and a cover of the Rolling Stones’ “Ruby Tuesday.” In 1971, Billboard named her the best-selling female artist in the U.S.
Melanie made history by founding her own record label, Neighborhood Records, the first independent rock label owned by a woman. The label’s first release was the world-renowned single “Brand New Key,” which gained renewed attention through a commercial for HP printers.
Throughout her career, Melanie remained active in music and philanthropy, becoming a UNICEF spokesperson and continuing to perform live with her children. She recorded and produced shows of their home concerts for the Internet after her husband’s passing in 2010.
Her children shared a heartfelt message to her fans:
A message from Beau Jarred, Leilah, and Jeordie
To All of You,
We’re having a hard time writing this post because we have so many things we want to say first. There’s no easy way. On January 23, 2024, Mom peacefully left this world and went to the next.
We are so sad, but we want to thank all of you for how much you loved our mother and tell you that she died loving all of you. Every word she wrote and every note she sang showed that she was one of the smartest, strongest, and most passionate women of her time.
Today, her absence has made our world much darker, and the colors of Tennessee’s gray and rainy days are less vivid. But we know that she is still here, smiling down at us from the stars.
We ask that each of you light a candle tonight, January 24th, at 10 p.m. Central time, in Melanie’s honor. Lift them up high, high, high again. Light up the darkness, and let’s all remember the amazing woman who was a wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, and friend to a huge number of people.
We are planning a Celebration of Life for Mom, and anyone who wants to come can. As soon as the details are set, they will be shared. We hope to see you there.
Right now, please give her family some space to grieve, remember her, and figure out how to get through this crazy world without her.
She really appreciated all of your love.
Peace and Love,
Jean, Leilah, and Beau Jarred
