|
From there, she got a call from producer Bill Motley.
"He was a genius and was really ahead of his time,"
she says in her southern drawl. "He was the first
person to take a hit song and turn it into a disco song.
I recorded 'Ain't No Mountain High Enough' at 126 beats
per minute, which was unheard of back then. It turned
out to be a huge hit. Time went by and I got a call saying
that I had broken the world record as the highest entry
on the Hot Billboard Chart at #69. Of course now artists
and labels can buy into the #1 spot, but back then it
was a result of the DJ's spinning your records."
Since then, Manley has toured the
world, recorded three CD's, had her songs placed on movie
soundtracks and was chosen to be the voice in the Mercedes
Benz commercials for Morris Media Radio.
Manley hasn't given up wanting to
be a star and sell a million records, but says it's not
so much about that anymore. "Now it's more about
the freedom that success can afford those around me, like
being able to send my niece and nephew to that University.
I'm starting to embrace that it's okay to not have to
be Britney Spears anymore. I've certainly had some rough
times, but it's all about the journey. I feel very fortunate
to be able to make a good living doing what I love. And
if my lesson is to be a middle-class musician, well there's
certainly a lot worse.
It sounds cliché, but for
me, performing is like an orgasm. To be able to connect
with your audience and watch them get into your music
and each other and themselves and forget the problems
of the day. To watch those magic moments happen and be
able to create that is such a blessing."
Recently, Manley met her all-time
idol, James Brown. "When I was on a military tour
in Bosnia and Kosovo, I met this Captain who just happened
to be good friends with James Brown's attorney. Well I
had written this song called "I Love James Brown,"
which will be on my next album and I also cover his song
"This Is A Man's World." I've been fortunate
enough to meet him and be his guest at his shows three
times. There's even talk of us opening for him in the
future. I mean what a thrill. I got to hang out with the
Godfather of Soul!"
Manley is also grateful for the gig
at Augusta's. "Denise Robergé really invested
a lot in me in the beginning. I remember when I first
started performing there with three people in the audience
and two of them were my roadies," she laughs. Now
she packs the house every Saturday. She has built a royal
following as a result of her sexy, dynamic stage performances,
killer voice and genuine personality. The lady knows how
to treat her audience. Being the consummate professional
that she is, even though she has probably performed her
repertoire of cover songs a thousand times, she never
gives off that bored, mechanical performance vibe. Every
night, on every song, Manley makes it seem as if it's
the first time she has delivered that tune.
While Manley's talent is that of
diva proportions, her attitude is not. She comes across
as someone who has learned from her mistakes, enjoyed
the journey and is truly content with where her life has
taken her so far.
During her shows, while the men are
drooling over the petite sex kitten, Manley is focusing
her attention on the women, who she refers to as her "sister
girls," and that we all need to stick together. In
today's commercial world of music marketing and phony
fabricated artists, that would be a great tactic or ploy.
However, with Manley there's no strategic ploy or anything
phony. This woman is the real deal.
Manley agrees that one of the biggest
compliments a performer who does mostly cover tunes at
their shows can get, is having a fan request their original
material. When I first heard her songs "I Like Me
Better Now" and "I Want Him Back," I was
sure that they were already hits by someone else, since
they were well-written, catchy tunes that were definitely
hit-worthy and radio ready. But I was wrong and they were
written by the sultry song stress herself.
Manley has been compared to Aretha
Franklin, Tina Turner and Janis Joplin, because of her
powerful chops that possess incredible vocal range and
control, along with her passionate delivery. She says
she gets compared to Tina because of the high heels and
short dresses. During one of her shows, she did a most
haunting cover of Joplin's "Bobby McGee" that
brought the house down. At the end of the song, she was
literally laying down on the dance floor pounding her
fist on the ground while singing as if Janis had been
reborn inside of her. Then, amazingly enough, she was
able to get herself back up on her six inch stiletto heels
ever so gracefully, without missing a beat. Now that was
something to see...
Manley will be doing her last show
at Augusta's (at least for awhile), Saturday, June 26th.
On June 28th, she will leave for Iraq to go perform for
the troops. She has been begging for months to be able
to go to Iraq, at a time when not many performers are
willing to go to such a dangerous and volatile place.
But that's just a testament to the kind of person Cynthia
Manley is.
"Finally I got the call from
promoter Dan Marconi of AKA Productions saying it was
all set. I feel very honored to be able to do this. I
have lived such a blessed life and I feel this is the
ultimate payback. So I'm going to put my balls on the
line and go spread some love to our men and women who
put their lives on the line for us every day. It's a little
scary, but more sad and surreal," she says. "
And I have a fantastic bunch of musicians going with me.
Frank Scarpelli will be on bass, Rich Harper on guitar,
Shawn Jones on guitar and B.J. Rogers on drums."
After Iraq, she will go to Fuiggi,
Italy on July 6th to record her fourth CD with successful
European producer, Christian de Walden. She hope to release
the CD this fall. When she returns home on July 30th,
she will be going the Festival scene in Southern California.
Definitely an action packed summer.
Make sure and catch her last show
at Augusta's, Saturday June 26th when she'll be bringing
in a bigger band than usual and doing an extra special
show to thank all of her fans for their support. Let's
show the lady some love!
|
