Melanie, the stalwart folk singer-songwriter who rose to fame in the Woodstock era, died Tuesday, according to multiple reports. She was 76. Born Melanie Anne Safka-Schekeryk, the artist best known for her chart-topping 1971 hit “Brand New Key” was raised in Long Branch and attended Long Branch High School. She later transferred to Red Bank High School and graduated in 1964. She began performing at the popular Inkwell coffeeshop in Long Branch (closed in 2022) before branching out to gigs in New York City. In 1969, she landed the set that would change her life, taking the stage at Woodstock as…