She played at Woodstock (and later wrote a hit song about it) and was the quintessential flower child folk singer, with an appealingly off-beat voice and rapturous tunes. But unlike many of her peers, Melanie Safka never abandoned the sound or ideals of the hippie generation. Her early career followed the 1960s formula: playing Greenwich Village coffee houses, getting signed by a major label (Capitol) in their frenzy to cash in on the folk scene, and then being unceremoniously dropped shortly afterwards. Since 1969, however, when she opted out of her contract with Buddha Records and started an independent label, Melanie has never stopped recording or touring, making new fans without altering her down-to-earth girl-and-guitar style.