Talking with Amanda McBroom

Imagine what it must feel like to write a song that not only is great (really, I mean, GREAT), but also becomes a worldwide hit AND a signature song for the incomparable Bette Midler? That experience, and more, belongs to Amanda McBroom, songwriter of “The Rose,” the Grammy-nominated title track to the 1979 film starring the Divine Miss M.

Since bursting on the scene with “The Rose” (and winning a Golden Globe for Best Original Song in a Motion Picture), Amanda has built a thriving career as a musical storyteller, lyricist, songwriter and performer. Her soulful lyrics and tuneful music have been recorded by a wide variety of performers, including Barbara Cook, Judy Collins, Betty Buckley, Barry Manilow, Anne Murray, Harry Belafonte, The Manhattan Transfer and Nana Mouskouri. Amanda performs her songs regularly in concert halls and cabaret venues around the world.

Amanda began her career as a musical theater actress, performing on Broadway in Seesaw (1973) and in touring and regional productions of Jacques Brel is Alive and Well and Living in Paris, Sweeney Todd, A Little Night Music, and Mame. In 1989, Amanda wrote her first musical, Heartbeats, based on her songs, which made its debut in Los Angeles in 1989. Amanda’s latest musical, A Woman of Will, made its off-Broadway debut in 2005.

On screen, Amanda has written lyrics for 16 animated movies, including the Land Before Time series from Universal Animation. She was also a featured lyricist for the cult classic TV series Cop Rock. Die-hard Trekkies may also recognize Amanda as JAG Captain Phillippa Louvois from Star Trek: The Next Generation.