Melody

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A regular creative Jane of all trades, Melody has worked professionally as a recording artist, creative and PR writer, songwriter, model, dancer, puppeteer, occasional comedian and in her spare time creates art and imprint designs for a cafepress store. She has also been a guest radio DJ in New York and is pursuing acting.
Her ambition should not surprise, for she is by blood the daughter of country-bluegrass legend and founding member of The Grand Ole Opry “Jimmy Cook” [The Native American musician is best remembered for his work with Country’s most unforgettable: Roy Acuff—with whom he recorded "Wabash Cannonball", Ferlan Husky—with whom he recorded "On The Wings Of A Dove", and Hank Williams Sr.—with whom he recorded "Blue Eyes Crying In The Rain", in addition to his boyhood friendship with Elvis Presley and founding both a record company and radio station WJDC in the 1950's.]. The 18th of his 20 known children (including two sets of twins and a set of triplets) she is also the maternal grand-daughter of early Rainbow Room Chanteuse and NYC Radio star Elsie Bramer (who was later of "Jerry And The Delmars") and the great-granddaughter of Vienna, Austria opera star Hofbraur, who became one of Barbershop's first pioneers when he emigrated to New York. Named Melody by her birth father, her legal name was changed to Melanie at age 2 when she was adopted by another family. Raised happily on Long Island, she chose to use her birth name as her stage name, as it seemed to better suit a singer.
Following in the same family musical tradition as vocalist and pianist, she writes both pop/country and dance music. She studied piano, music theory and even songwriting privately with the renowned Dino P. Ascari (founder of The Malverne School Of Music and Author of "Effective Piano Teaching") for more than a decade. She studied jazz and tap for several years with popular Long Island dance instructor "Miss. Margerite" and appeared in a number of recitals. She started out singing as many young entertainers do--singing in music and public school shows and later in church, first as a member of the parish folk group and then as Cantor (leader of song). She also performed in church musicals with "Creative Ministries". Wildly ambitious by nature, Melody was thinking big while still tiny--winning a national honor society essay award at 12 and by 14 had written, scored, co-directed and appeared in a school sponsored, full length film titled "Anything For A Dream."
Best known for her work in Freestyle music, Melody first made a name for herself as a teen in New York in the early 90's. The first two of her songs to air in regular rotation on New York mainstream radio were "A Little Bit Wild" and "Too Good" in 1989, followed a year later by "Face In The Crowd", "Lady Killer" and "Primitive Love"—which made it onto compilation albums of the time. Her very first live nightclub venue performance was in the then popular Long Island club "Parasels"--a performance attended by Hot97 FM's Kim Howard, who reported live on-air from the show, announcing Melody as a "Hot New Star". Vocally, she is most often compared to Madonna, Cyndi Lauper and Susanna Hoffs. She is proficient at writing and performing in various genres, including Pop, Techno, R&B, Jazz, Blues and Country.
To honor one of her earliest musical inspirations, Melody composed and recorded a song titled "The Mysterious Mr.Jones" for and about Monkees frontman Davy Jones, which she hand delivered to his manager backstage at one of his Jones Beach, NY appearances. (Much to her surprise and delight, the song was later used during the filming of the 'fans' segment of a television documentary profiling the 60's singer's life and career.) In addition to opening for members of Public Enemy in 1990, she appeared as a guest on two national television talk shows (in 1993 and 1996) and New York radio as a guest and guest deejay, once co-hosting WSHR’s all night Christmas marathon.
Although she may not be identified with “intentional” comedy, her natural sense of humor seldom goes unnoticed. One of her greatest honors was to be invited to perform musical comedy at the legendary Long Island comedy club “The White House Inn.” She jokes about her little known affair with the art, explaining “My parents knew I was warped early on but what confirmed it for them was when, at 16, I competed in the Long Island Teen Talent Competition in comedy, providing my observations of life as a teenager. While one of the four judges was crying with laughter and applauding madly, of the other three I can only say this: I’d never seen such confused expressions outside of high school algebra class. Oh, I bombed badly but loved every minute of it.” She has considered the prospect of developing a sit com with friends in the business.
She made further strides in establishing herself as an artist while living and working in the Hamptons with the late folk rock singer-songwriter Carlos McCausland (1960-2004), with whom she had a son, now 12. For a time the couple owned and operated "Time Out Entertainment" together, providing Karaoke and track acts. In the early to mid 1990's she performed regularly on Long Island's east end with and without Carlos at various venues and resturaunts including "Mimosa", "Montauk Downs" Golf Course, "The Pointe De Vista", "The Montauk Theatre Group", "The Blue Marlin" and with John Rinell at world famous resturaunt and resort "Gurney's Inn". She was also interviewed on East Hampton Radio and recieved a mention in the East Hampton Star.
As a journalist she has won minor awards, her work included in anthologies, and in several major publications—most recently the Boston Globe. In addition to doing PR for other entertainers (including being editor in chie and contributer to IANLAND - Ian Crawford's fanzine which was distributed on both coasts) and freelance for smaller record labels including LawTown Music and Funusual World, she is presently both penning her memoirs and working on an authorized celebrity biography.
As a song-writer, actor/model and back up dancer she has worked primarily with Rudolph Valentino's grand-nephew Ian Crawford (recording artist, model and actor who appeared in Patrick Snee's "The Sleep Cure" & "Widows", with Mira Sorvino.) She performed with him at several events in the NY tri-state area, including those for Big Brothers & Sisters Of America (at Dowling College) and The Make A Wish Foundation. She also appeared as a bar girl in his music video for the song "Do You Like What You See?", for Sony Records. She hosted and performed at Long Island's Earth Day Celebration in 1992. She was years ago selected as an MTV Dancer but ultimately declined the gig when on the first day of taping she learned that a friend had been murdered and was too grief stricken to go on. As an aspiring actress, she auditioned for roles in a few major motion pictures. Her first successful reading came in 1993 when—while signed to the Dixon Agency as a leg model—she landed the lead in a TV movie, opposite Rosie O'Donnell. With the working title of "The Lot", it was the pilot for a series in the same vein as Beverly Hills 90210, but was to be based in Miami. Although the project closed early in production due to a lack of sufficient funding, she showed the industry that she had among her other talents, serious acting chops. Melody hopes to have another opportunity to act professionally.
Her personal and professional pursuits have been the subject of several articles in Suffolk Life, The New York Daily News, The Weekender and New York Newsday in addition to Boston's Rumbo News and Nohmasohma. She is also remembered admirably in a publication chronicling the career of Public Enemy for having 'grace under pressure'. Originally hired as an opening act for band member Andreus 13 during his 1990 “Look Out!” Tour, she unexpectedly was called on to carry the second New York night of the tour alone following a tour bus accident which hospitalized several of the other stars. While being considered for a contract by EMI Records in 1991 she was both booked at Budweiserfest in NYC and booked at the Meadowlands to appear with Salt N Pepas as a Special guest on their televised special, but these plans fell through due to a change in management. This was a discouraging setback, but Melody is nothing if not determined.
Although working as an independent artist for much of her career she did not quite make Billboard, she did enjoy time on the online charts. In 2000, her song "Temptation" reached number one 'highest rated' and 'most downloaded' for all genres on the Lycos Music Independent Music Charts, and with "Is This Love?" and "Another Lover" remained in the Pop Chart top ten for two years, until the charts were discontinued. In the early 2000's these songs could be heard on London Radio.
Melody has collaborated with a number of other artists over the years. She most recently teamed up with dance music sensation Bylli Crayone, co-writing his number one charting club hit "Dizzi Boi", which was remixed by the renowned Orangefuzzz. (http://blog.myspace.com/byllicrayone) Her brand new solo projects include new original dance single titled "SHY NO MORE" (produced by Brian Taylor), released Dec 18, 2007 on FUNUSUAL RECORDS, which will also be included on the LAWTOWN MUSIC Compilation album in the Spring of 2008, and her jazz/swing JAZZY LITTLE CHRISTMAS album. Recording in her own home 24 track recording studio, she hopes to release a full independent pop/dance/R&B album in 2008. Never one to dodge the touchy topics, Melody's first cuts finished are "Method To My Madness" which addresses the unpleasent scrutiny many entertainers live with, "Magic", which is about a magician's assistant who falls in love with her employer, and is dedicated 'to all the beautiful and talented music men who fill our lives with wonder', the flirty, R&B flavored "Be My Baby" the bluesy "Shake Your Tree (Dirty Blues Mix)", the Joyful, country-tinged "Lovesick", the heartfelt, heart-breaking "Say Goodnight" and the powerful title track "Invincible". She has been asked to record Ian Crawford's new album when he flies in for a visit this spring.
Melody has won several awards for her music and writing, including:
• Long Islands 1990 Teen Talent Competition (for "Forever" an original ballad she performed) sponsored by Newsday and WLIH Radio. Debbie Gibson was a previous teen winner.
• New York’s 1993 Star Quest Competition as a finalist, landing a modeling and music contract with the Dixon agency.
• Voted 1994 Jutebox Café’s Talent Competition’s final vocal winner by Sony Music and WBAB FM Radio.
• She has earned the distinction of being named one of entertainments “Top 100 Acts” -her name added to the plaque of honor hanging on the wall of Long Island's famous comedy club "The White House Inn", alongside acting-comedy greats Jerry Seinfeld, Rosie O'Donnell, Billy Crystal, Kevin James and Eddie Murphy.
• Is hailed for her "uncommon versatility” by actor-director-producer Richard Dixon in his forthcoming Hollywood how-to book "The Talent Factor".
Melody hopes through hard work and dedication to prove herself worthy of the legacy she's inherited and worthy of success in her own right. To learn more about Melody, please visit her official web sites:
New CD: www.myspace.com/mizmelodymusic
www.Official-Melody.com
www.myspace.com/mizmelody
Dance Music: www.myspace.com/officialmelody
Pop Music: www.myspace.com/melodypopcountryproject
Older Pop Music: www.myspace.com/11513184
LITTLE KNOWN FACTS: Melody is also the great grand niece of early Baseball player Smiling Mickey Welch, who was the sports very first pinch hitter. In the mid 80's, as his only surviving decendents, her family was invited to attend the centennial celebration of his induction into the Hall Of Fame, to recieve the new plaque dedication in his name. In the time since she has been consulted by two authors writing 2 books on the History Of Baseball.
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