‘Brand New Key’ chart-topper, Melanie Safka dead at 76

Melanie Safka, who performed at Woodstock Music and Art Fair in 1969 and dropped hits including Brand New Key and Lay Down (Candles in the Rain), passed away at the age of 76.

The music maker Melanie Anne Safka-Schekeryk, professionally known by her first name died on Tuesday, confirmed by kids Lelilah, Jeordie, and Beau Jarredon Wednesday without revealing the cause of death.

Her kids took to Facebook and posted a heartfelt message via Melanie’s official account, "This is the hardest post for us to write, and there are so many things we want to say first, and there’s no easy way except to say it… Mom passed, peacefully, out of this world and into the next on January, 23rd, 2024."

They went on to share their grief with their mother’s fans, "We are heartbroken, but want to thank every one of you for the affection you have for our Mother, and to tell you that she loved all of you so much!"

"She was one of the most talented, strong, and passionate women of the era and every word she wrote, every note she sang reflected that," they added.

The three asked fans to light candles in the memory of Melanie on Wednesday, January 24, at 10 PM central time.

In addition to that, the kids revealed that they are "planning a Celebration of Life for Mom and it will be open to all of you who want to come and celebrate her," for which they will provide the details shortly.

Until then, they asked for some "time please allow us, her family, privacy as we grieve for her, remember her, and figure out how to navigate this crazy world without her."

The Saddest Thing songstress was "an extraordinary woman who was a wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, and friend to so very many people" as penned by her kids.