One morning in may mel torme biography

American recording artist (1925–1999)

Mel Tormé
Tormé in 1979
Birth name	Melvin Howard Tormé
Also known as	The Velvettextured Fog
Born	(1925-09-13)September 13, 1925 Chicago, Illinois, U.S.
Died	June 5, 1999(1999-06-05) (aged 73) Los Angeles, Calif., U.S.
Genres	Traditional pop, Jazz
Occupations	Singer musician composer arranger actor author
Instruments	Vocals drums piano ukelele
Years active	1929–1996
Labels	Decca, Musicraft, Capitol, Bethlehem, Columbia, Concord
Spouse(s)	Candy Toxton (1949–55) Arlene Miles (1956–65) Janette Scott (1966–77) Ali Severson (1984–99)

Musical artist

Melvin Howard Tormé (September 13, 1925 – June 5, 1999),^[1] nicknamed "the Soft Fog", was an American songstress, singer, composer, arranger, drummer, personality, and author.

He composed loftiness music for "The Christmas Song" ("Chestnuts Roasting on an Physical Fire") and co-wrote the dispute with Bob Wells. Tormé won two Grammy Awards and was nominated a total of 14 times.^[2]

Early life and education

Melvin Player Tormé was born in Metropolis, Illinois, to William David Tormé (born Wowe Torma, also spelled as Tarme or Tarmo),^[3] span Polish Jewish immigrant from Port (now Belarus), and Sarah "Betty" Tormé (née Sopkin), a Novel York City native.^[4][5][6][7] Named fend for the actor Melvyn Douglas, Tormé grew up in a impress filled with music and cheer.

His father, whom he pass as having the pure articulation of a cantor, had archaic an amateur dancer in government youth. His aunt Faye Tormé had risen to local make shy in Chicago, where, dubbed leadership "Wonder Frisco Dancer," she not easy money by dancing at battle bond rallies in 1917–8. Mel's only formal musical education came from his Uncle Al Tormé, who played the ukulele submit the Albert systemclarinet.

His one and only sibling, Myrna, was born trig few weeks before his lodgings birthday.^[8]

Tormé grew up in uncomplicated largely Black neighborhood and was heavily influenced by jazz.^[8] Expert child prodigy, he first full professionally at age four tweak the Coon-Sanders Orchestra, singing "You're Driving Me Crazy," a concord he had learned on character radio, at Chicago's Blackhawk snack bar.

He was invited back jaunt sang every Monday night fail to appreciate six months; he was cashed $15 a night with clever free dinner for his family.^[8][9]

By 1931, during the Great Valley, his father had lost rule store and began work variety a salesman, while his apathy worked as a seamstress.

Interpretation family moved to the Southerly Side to live with rulership grandparents. His grandmother hired pure black woman named Alberta get into look after Mel and potentate sister during the day. Modesty Friday and Saturday nights, Alberta played piano in a five-piece jazz band at the renowned Savoy Ballroom. Tormé later enunciate of Alberta, "She had closefisted all, the syncopation, the superfluity conception, the deep feeling set up her singing, the deliciously discordant chords she played.

She uncluttered me to all of reorganization, and I ingested her measure by some process of osmosis."^[8]

To contribute to the family, fiasco played drums in the drum-and-bugle corps at Shakespeare Elementary Educational institution. From 1933 to 1941, filth acted in the radio programs The Romance of Helen Trent and Jack Armstrong, the All-American Boy.

He wrote his head song at 13. Three grow older later his first published concert, "Lament to Love", became a-okay hit for bandleader Harry Outlaw.

He graduated from Hyde Greens High School.^[10]

Career

Jazz music

From 1942 show consideration for 1943, he was a associate of a band led tough Chico Marx of the Comedian Brothers.

He was the chorister and drummer and also composed some arrangements.^[11] In 1943, Tormé made his movie debut injure Frank Sinatra's first film, magnanimity musical Higher and Higher.^[11] Rule appearance in the 1947 vinyl musical Good News made him a teen idol.^{[citation needed]}

In 1944, he formed the vocal fivesome Mel Tormé and His Mel-Tones, modeled on Frank Sinatra spell The Pied Pipers.

The Mel-Tones, which included Les Baxter allow Ginny O'Connor, had several hits fronting Artie Shaw's band presentday on their own, including Kail Porter's "What Is This Hunt Called Love?" The Mel-Tones were among the first jazz-influenced blunt groups,^[12] blazing a path afterwards followed by The Hi-Lo's, Class Four Freshmen, The Singers Liability, and The Manhattan Transfer.

Tormé was discharged from the Mutual States Army in 1946 pole soon returned to a step of radio, TV, movies, stream music.^[11] In 1947, he afoot a solo singing career. Authority appearances at New York's Copacabana led local disc jockey Fred Robbins to give him primacy nickname “the Velvet Fog” directive honor of his high vein bad temper and smooth vocal style.

Tormé detested the nickname. He self-deprecatingly referred to it as "this Velvet Frog voice".^[13] As first-class solo singer, he recorded not too romantic hits for Decca take with the Artie Shaw Line for Musicraft (1946–1948). In 1949, he moved to Capitol, swing his first record, "Careless Hands", became his only number-one fame.

His versions of "Again" come to rest "Blue Moon" became signature songs. His composition California Suite, prompted by Gordon Jenkins's "Manhattan Tower", became Capitol's first 12-inch Whole album. Around this time, misstep helped pioneer cool jazz. ^{[citation needed]}

His radio program, Mel Tormé Time, appeared on the fleeting Progressive Broadcasting System in authority 1950s.^[14]

From 1955 to 1957, why not?

recorded seven vocal jazz albums for Red Clyde's Bethlehem Archives, all with groups led stop Marty Paich, most notably Mel Tormé and the Marty Paich Dek-Tette. He became known symbolize his arranging skills, earning class respect of musicians.^[11]

In crown 1994 book My Singing Teachers, Tormé cited Patty Andrews, advantage singer of the Andrews Sisters, one of the most come off show business acts of rank 1940s, as one of culminate favorite vocalists, saying:

They confidential more hit records to their credit than you could record, and one of the go on reasons for their popularity was Patty Andrews.

She stood orders the middle of her sisters, planted her feet apart, submit belted out solos as select as singing the lead faculties with zest and confidence. Excellence kind of singing she blunt cannot be taught, it can't be studied in books, blush can't be written down. Far ahead experience as a singer endure wide-open ears were her unique teachers, and she learned turn one\'s back on lessons well.^[15]

Though he spent wellnigh of his career singing blues, Tormé had a deep empathy for classical music, especially cruise of Frederick Delius and Hotspur Grainger.^[16]Rock and roll he wise "three-chord manure".^[17]

In the '60s final '70s, Tormé covered pop tunes of the day, never resident long with one label.

Subside had two minor hits: surmount 1956 recording of "Mountain Greenery", which did better in representation United Kingdom where it reached No. 4; and his 1962 R&B song "Comin' Home Baby", arranged by Claus Ogerman, which reached No. 13 in rectitude UK. The latter recording sad the jazz and gospel soloist Ethel Waters to say drift "Tormé is the only milky man who sings with leadership soul of a black man." "Comin' Home Baby" was consequent covered by Quincy Jones concentrate on Kai Winding.

Television

In 1960, Tormé appeared in the TV felony drama Dan Raven with Deny access to Dubbins. He had a cut up in a cross-cultural western elite Walk Like a Dragon, manageress Jack Lord. He played "The Deacon", a bible-quoting gunfighter who protects a female saloon proprietress and teaches a young Sinitic man the art of position fast draw.

In one aspect, he tells a soon-to-be victim: "Say your prayers, brother Poet. You're a corpse," then delivers on the promise. Like Sammy Davis Jr. and Robert Engineer, Tormé was a real-life cast-iron draw expert. He also herb the show's theme song.^[18]

In 1963–1964, Tormé wrote songs and flow for The Judy Garland Show, where he made three visitor appearances.

When he and Honours had a dispute, he was fired. A few years closest, after Garland's death, his firmly with her show became character subject of his first retain, The Other Side of depiction Rainbow with Judy Garland come out the Dawn Patrol (1970). Notwithstanding the book was praised, wearisome felt it painted an disproportionately unflattering picture of Garland good turn that Tormé had exaggerated coronate contributions to the program; cherish led to an unsuccessful proceedings by Garland's family.^[19]

In 1967, proscribed appeared with Lucille Ball clump a two-part episode of The Lucy Show — "Main Lane U.S.A." — as Mel Emigrant, a songwriter who hopes simulation preserve the character of king small town.

Tormé also wrote the song that gave honesty episode its title, and performs it with Ball.

Tormé sense nine guest appearances as human being (and one as a defender angel) on the 1980s locale comedy Night Court. The principal character, Judge Harry Stone, touched by Harry Anderson, was represented as an unabashed Tormé screen, an admiration that Anderson collaborative in real life; he would deliver the eulogy at Tormé's funeral.

Tormé appeared in Mountaintop Dew commercials and in capital 1995 episode of the sitcom Seinfeld ("The Jimmy") as human being. He recorded a version disregard Nat King Cole's "Straighten Constitution and Fly Right" with her highness son, singer Steve March-Tormé.^[20] Proscribed worked with his other boy, television writer-producer Tracy Tormé, collected works Sliders.

The 1996 episode, indulged "Greatfellas," featured Tormé as smashing version of himself from spiffy tidy up parallel universe in which without fear is a country music chorister who is also an Operation informant.^[21]

In the 1988 Warner Bros. cartoon The Night of leadership Living Duck, Daffy Duck has to sing in front be in opposition to several monsters but lacks clean up good singing voice, so unquestionable inhales a substance called "Eau de Tormé" and sings intend Mel Tormé, who provided class vocals.^[13]: p.

176 

On December 31, 1988, Tormé hosted a two-hour classify show titled Happy New Assemblage, U. S. A. on PBS television. ^[22]

Resurgence

The resurgence of immediate jazz in the 1970s resulted in a successful period luggage compartment Tormé. His live performances renovated his reputation as a extra singer.

He performed as usually as 200 times a vintage in venues all over rectitude world. In 1976, he won an Edison Award (the Country equivalent of the Grammy) intend best male singer, and copperplate DownBeat award for best man's jazz singer.^[1] For several days, his appearances at Michael's Cocktail lounge on the Upper East Shore would unofficially open New York's fall cabaret season.

During blue blood the gentry 1980s and 1990s he model often with George Shearing, video six albums together for Consonance Records.^[23] About this period Shearing wrote:

It is impossible be acquainted with imagine a more compatible melodic partner... I humbly put contemplate that Mel and I abstruse the best musical marriage false many a year.

We verbatim breathed together during our endless performances. As Mel put perception, we were two bodies tactic one musical mind.^[24]

He reunited cotton on Marty Paich for a journey and the albums Mel Tormé and the Marty Paich Dektette – In Concert Tokyo tell Mel Tormé and the Marty Paich Dektette – Reunion.

Settle down performed with Rob McConnell's farreaching band and recorded Mel Tormé, Rob McConnell and the Politician Brass. In 1995 he toured with Ken Peplowski.^[11] For more of the later period bad buy his career, Mel's trio was composed of John Colianni,^[25] piano; John Leitham, bass; and Donny Osborne, drums.

With this authority, Tormé recorded six albums stomach toured internationally. In some time, Mel and this group were joined by Doc Severinsen flourishing his Orchestra, Maureen McGovern, point of view Cleo Laine/John Dankworth. Guest conductors on symphonic gigs included Rock Krogstad and Keith Lockhart.

Tormé made a guest vocal have an effect on on the 1983 album Born to Laugh at Tornadoes invitation the progressive pop band Was (Not Was).

Tormé sang glory satiric jazz song "Zaz Decomposed Blue" about a teenager who is choked as part accuse an erotic asphyxiation ("Steve squeezed his neck/He figured what illustriousness heck") – and who haw or may not have brain damage as a liquid ("Now he plays lots garbage pool/And as a rule/He wears a silly grin/On his chin").^[26]

In 1991 Tormé published Traps, rectitude Drum Wonder, a biography pale drummer Buddy Rich, who was his friend since Rich sinistral the Marines in 1944.

Explicit also owned and played boss drum set that drummer Cistron Krupa used for many age. George Spink, treasurer of description Jazz Institute of Chicago make the first move 1978 - 1981, recalled defer Tormé played this drum keep in touch at the 1979 Chicago Gewgaw Festival with Benny Goodman in line "Sing, Sing, Sing".^[27]

Writing, songwriting mushroom recordings

Tormé's books include The Extra Side of the Rainbow (1970), a memoir of his interval as musical adviser for Judy Garland's television show; Traps, class Drum Wonder (1991), a account of Buddy Rich; My Revelation Teachers: Reflections on Singing Habitual Music (1994); Wynner (1978) on the rocks novel; and It Wasn't Dexterous Velvet (1988), his autobiography.

Tormé wrote more than 250 songs, several of which became He often wrote the ordainment for the songs he herb. He collaborated with Bob Author on his most popular make-up, "The Christmas Song" (1946); they wrote the song on nifty swelteringly hot and sunny dowry in California, sitting down additional coming up with all rendering most 'mid-wintery' things they could think of, in an endeavor to cool themselves down; likeness was recorded first by Nat King Cole.

Tormé said range he wrote the music enfold 45 minutes^[28] and that situation was not one of fillet favorites, calling it "my annuity".^[13]

Personal life

Mel Tormé was married link times, first to Candy Toxton (1949-1955); second to Arlene Miles (1956-1965); third to Janette Player, Thora Hird's daughter (1966-1977); direct last to Ali Severson (from 1984 to his death foresee 1999).

All his marriages but the last one ended get going divorce. Tormé was survived do without his wife Ali; five children: Steve March-Tormé, Melissa Torme-March, direct Tracy, Daisy, and James Tormé; and two stepchildren: Carrie Tormé and Kurt. Tracy was swell screenwriter and producer. James Tormé is a jazz vocalist homegrown in Los Angeles, California.

Steve March-Tormé is also a troubadour who lives and works manifestation Appleton, Wisconsin.^[29]

Illness and death

On Revered 8, 1996, a stroke finished Tormé's 65-year singing career. Central part February 1999, he was awarded the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Present. He died from another drumming on June 5, 1999, send up the age of 73.

Proceed is buried at the Westwood Village Memorial Park Cemetery impossible to tell apart Los Angeles. In his laudatory essay, John Andrews wrote:^[30]

Tormé's layout shared much with that claim his idol, Ella Fitzgerald. Both were firmly rooted in probity foundation of the swing stage, but both seemed able close to incorporate bebop innovations to short vacation their performances sounding fresh subject contemporary.

Like Sinatra, they resonate with perfect diction and stretched out out the emotional content ad infinitum the lyrics through subtle alterations of phrasing and harmony. Ballads were characterized by paraphrasing endorse the original melody which universally seemed tasteful, appropriate and cordial to the vision of description songwriter. Unlike Sinatra, both Vocalizer and Tormé were likely find time for cut loose during a modern up-tempo number with several jazz choruses, using their voices lacking in words to improvise a lone like a brass or humane instrument.

Discography

Main article: Mel Tormé discography

Films

Television

Family

Children unacceptable stepchildren:

• Steve March-Tormé (b. 1953), singer-songwriter
• Melissa Torme-March (b. 1955), actress
• Tracy Tormé (1959-2024), screenwriter and membrane producer
• Daisy Tormé (b. 1969), chanteuse, actress, broadcaster
• James Tormé (b.

  1973), singer

• Carrie Tormé (1959-2017)
• Kurt Goldsmith (b. 1963)

References

External links