CYNDI LAUPER was born on June 22, 1953, in Queens where she was raised. She has an older sister and younger brother. She began to play the guitar and write songs at the age of twelve, and was accepted into a special high school for the visual arts, but dropped out, later earning her GED. At 17, she left home and ended up spending two weeks in the woods with her dog, trying to find herself. She then took art classes at Johnson State College, working odd jobs to support herself.
Her vocal career began in the mid ‘70’s, when she performed with multiple cover bands. In 1977, she damaged her vocal cords and was told by three different doctors that she would never sing again. However, vocal coach Katie Agresta taught her vocal exercises and she eventually regained her voice.
She was offered record deals as a solo artist, but held out until her entire band (called Blue Angel) could be signed. Polydor Records signed them and they released a self-titled album, which was included in Rolling Stone as one of the 100 best new wave album covers. Unfortunately, the album did not sell well, and Blue Angel broke up. Polydor would not let the band back into the studio unless they had a hit, and the members had a falling out with their manager who filed an $80,000 suit against them, forcing Lauper into bankruptcy.
After this, she began to work retail to support herself, singing in local clubs on the side. She met David Wolff while singing in a bar in 1981. Wolff became her manager and got her signed with Portrait Records.
ALBUMS
In 1983, Lauper released her debut studio album, She’s So Unusual. With this release, she became the first female artist in history to have five top-10 singles from a debut album. She also won a Grammy award for Best New Artist.
Her second album, True Colors, was charted in the top twenty of the Billboard Hot 100, and the first two singles became Top 5 hits. She was nominated for two Grammys for this release. A Night to Remember was released in 1989, producing one big hit called “I Drove All Night”. Lauper wrote and produced most of this album herself. It did not sell as well as expected, and this in combination with a canceled tour led Lauper to “retire” as a singer. From here she began appearing in music videos and movies.
She began getting back into her singing career by contributing to soundtracks and duets, eventually releasing her fourth album, Hat Full of Stars, in 1993. This album contained writing involving many controversial topics and social issues, and was musically alternative rather than the pop-rock of her previous releases. Her next release in 1997, Sisters of Avalon, also had controversial lyrics, but did not sell well in the United States.
Lauper returned to the pop-rock sound with her sixth album in 2001, Shine. The Body Acoustic, which was a collection of acoustic interpretations of some previously released tracks as well as two new songs, was released in 2005. Her next album contained all new material, and was titled Bring Ya to the Brink (2008). In 2010, she released Memphis Blues, which debuted at #1 on the Billboard blues Album Chart, and on Billboard’s Top 200 at #26.
THE TRUE COLORS FUND
Cyndi Lauper considered her sister, Ellen, a role model when she came out as being gay. Cyndi began performing at gay pride events, and has always been an advocate for LGBT equality. She founded the True Colors fund in 2008, which encourages everybody, especially the straight community, to support the advancement of LGBT equality. The Give a Damn Campaign was recently launched, which is an online education and awareness initiative.
The True Colors Residence, of which Lauper is the Honorary Chairperson, provides a permanent, supportive and secure home to formerly homeless LGBT youth in New York City.
Lauper has also been an advocate of the struggle to end the global HIV/AIDS pandemic.
