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Lisa Melonie Fischer (born December 1, 1958) is an American singer and songwriter. She found success with her 1991 debut album So Intense, which produced the Grammy Award–winning hit single "How Can I Ease the Pain". She has been a back-up singer for a number of artists, including Sting, Luther Vandross, and Tina Turner, and she toured with The Rolling Stones from 1989 to 2015.
In an interview with Christian Wikane of PopMatters, Fischer stated she was influenced by Freda Payne, Marvin Gaye and Melba Moore, and others early in her childhood. In the years before launching her solo mainstream career, she noted significant influence from the black LGBT community, particularly in developing a stage image with adventure, quality, and beauty.
Fischer maintained her career as a session musician, and has accompanied The Rolling Stones on tour since 1989. She worked as a backing vocals during the same period for Luther Vandross for the 22 years prior to his death alongside friend and collaborator Ava Cherry, juggling his concert tours and those of The Rolling Stones, with whom she grew an audience playing the Comedic foil to Mick Jagger onstage. During tours with the Rolling Stones, she shares lead vocals on several songs, including "Monkey Man, and "Gimme Shelter", which showcase her vocal talents.
Fischer recorded on various projects including providing Lead vocalist on the power ballad "Colors of Love" featured on the Soundtrack album for the film Made in America. Fischer says a contributing factor in her decision to discontinue her solo career following the release of her debut album was her fondness for backing vocalist rather than a solo artist. In a 2013 article, Fischer compared back-up singing to a "tuning fork", and noted she rejected the idea of dissatisfaction and the theory of always aspiring for something more while creating music and supporting other artists. In 1992, Fischer traveled to Japan to perform in the Earth Voice Concert with Lee Ritenour, Phil Perry, Bobby Caldwell, Brenda Russell, James Ingram, Michael McDonald, Anita Baker, and others. During the concert, Fischer sang her 1991 hit "How Can I Ease The Pain", and provided backing vocals for her fellow musicians.
Fischer sang on Sting's album If on a Winter's Night... as a backing vocalist. In September 2009, Sting and his band with Fischer performed in Durham Cathedral. The rehearsals as well as the concert are available as a DVD. The behind-the-scenes documentary surrounding the event was produced jointly by the BBC, and was screened on December 29 that year. She appeared at the 2010 CareFusion Newport Jazz Festival in Newport, Rhode Island with jazz trumpeter Chris Botti. She toured with Botti through 2010, including appearing nightly as guest vocalist during the trumpeter's annual holiday engagement at the Blue Note Jazz Club in New York city. She remained a guest artist with Botti's band in 2011, and continued to appear at their 2012 concerts.
In 2012, she joined the Rolling Stones for their 50 & Counting Tour in October 2012, and toured globally with the band until July 2013. The band announced a follow-up tour 14 On Fire scheduled to start in February, including dates in the Middle East, Asia, and Europe in summer 2014, and Australia in fall 2014.
In 2013, Fischer joined the rock band Nine Inch Nails as a backing vocalist for their Tension 2013 tour.
In 2014, Fischer re-united with many of the back-up singers in 20 Feet From Stardom including Darlene Love, Merry Clayton, and Judith Hill to sing the national anthem at the 100th Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California.
In 2015, she, along with her musical director, the composer, arranger, and pianist JC Maillard, collaborated with choreographer Alonzo King to create the music/dance ensemble piece entitled The Propelled Heart for the Alonzo King LINES Ballet. The Propelled Heart premiered at the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts in San Francisco on November 6, 2015. In September 2017, Fischer reprised her role in The Propelled Heart at the Kwai Tsing Theatre in Hong Kong. The program returned to the SF Bay Area's Yerba Buena Center for the Arts in November 2017 in honor of the 35th Anniversary of LINES Ballet.
In addition to her collaboration with King, in 2016, Fischer provided vocal performances on three Grammy nominated projects including Louie Vega Starring...XXVIII with Louie Vega and The Elements of Life; Sing Me Home with Yo-Yo Ma, The Silkroad Ensemble, and Gregory Porter; as well as New York Rhapsody with Lang Lang and Jeffrey Wright. In February 2018, Fischer's vocal performances were featured in the HBO Film presentation Notes From The Field written and produced by playwright Anna Deavere Smith.
Fischer and Grand Baton partnered with Seattle Symphony for their program Just A Kiss Away in February 2018 in which rock music such as The Rolling Stones' "Gimme Shelter" were re-created . The orchestral arrangements were composed by Chris Walden.
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| 1996 | Born to Sing! | Doris Winter | Union Square Theatre August 1996 – January 1997 |
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