Lisa Melonie Fischer was born December 1, 1958, in Brooklyn, New York. The singer/songwriter attended The High School of Music & Art in Manhattan. She enjoyed singing with her mother, who was a talented vocalist. Her father, a warehouse worker, abandoned his family when Fisher was 14. leaving his wife to become a single parent with three kids. Sadly, when Fisher was 17 years old, her mother passed away. leaving her and her two younger brothers with no parents in their life.
Fischer pursued a career in music and initially performed under the stage name Xena. She released the song “On the Upside,” a classic freestyle single in 1983, with moderate success. Known for her distinctive pitch and high vocal range, Fischer rose to stardom with her 1991 Grammy award winning hit, “How Can I Ease the Pain,” from her debut album, “So Intense.” The single spent two weeks at the number one spot on the US Billboard Hot R&B/Hip Hop chart. She also won a Soul Train Music Award for the hit song.
Fischer’s powerful voice made her a sought after vocalist in the music industry. She’s performed with several music legends as a backup singer including Luther Vandross, Teddy Pendergrass, Tina Turner, Angela Bofill, Cheryl Lynn, and Chaka Khan, to name a few. She also regularly joined the Rolling Stones on tour, and provided lead vocals on “Colors of Love,” featured on the soundtrack from the film “Made in America.”
Over the years, Lisa Fischer has written songs for a wide variety of recording artists. She’s also performed on Broadway and appeared in the Oscar winning documentary “20 Feet From Stardom.” Today she continues to write songs for other artists and tour around the globe.
