The Mel-Tones

The Mel-Tones was an American vocal group of the 1940s and 1950s, formed and led by Mel Tormé. They are sometimes credited as The Meltones.

The Mel-Tones appeared on several radio programs and released several records on their own, and also as the vocalists on some of Artie Shaw's records.[1]

Besides Tormé, the members were Betty Beveridge, Ginny O'Connor (who married Henry Mancini in 1947),[2] Bernie Parke, and Diz Disruhd (later replaced by Les Baxter). Tormé (still a teenager when he formed the group, in 1943)[3] was lead singer and arranger.[1] The group disbanded in 1945[1] or 1946,[4] but Tormé reformed them from time to time for special projects.[4] A 1957 release of Tormé's California Suite featured the Mel-Tones, with Loulie Jean Norman replacing Betty Beveridge.[5] The Mel-Tones last album, Back in Town, was recorded in 1959 and released in 1960; personnel at that time was original members Ginny O'Connor and Bernie Parke, and Sue Allen and Tom Kenny.[4]

The Mel-Tones performed "Quoth the Raven" in the 1944 Olsen and Johnson comedy Ghost Catchers and starred in the 1945 short film Lullaby of Broadway.

Selected discography

Singles

  • "It Happened In Monterrey" / "Born To Be Blue" – Mel Tormé And His Mel-Tones, with Sonny Burke And His Orchestra (1946, Musicraft)[1]
  • "Try A Little Tenderness" / "Willow Road" – Mel Tormé And His The Mel-Tones (1946, Musicraft)[1]
  • "I Got The Sun In The Morning" / "Along With Me" – Artie Shaw And His Orchestra, vocal by Mel Tormé and The Meltones[sic] (1946, Musicraft)[1]
  • "South America, Take It Away" / "Try A Little Tenderness" – Mel Tormé And His Mel-Tones, with Sonny Burke And His Orchestra (Musicraft, 1946)[1]
  • "Don't You Believe It Dear" (B-side of "Connecticut", which has vocals by Ralph Blane) – Artie Shaw and His Orchestra Featuring Mel Tormé and His Mel-Tones (Musicraft, 1946)[1]
  • "Don't Do Something to Someone Else (That You Wouldn't Want Done to You)" (B-side of "The Blossoms On The Boug", which has vocals credited to Mel Tormé alone) – Mel Tormé And His Mel-Tones, with Frank De Vol and His Orchestra (Capitol, date unknown)[1]

EPs

  • Love For Sale – Artie Shaw and His Orchestra Also Featuring Mel Tormé and His Meltones (1965, A.R.C. Records)[1]

Albums

  • Artie Shaw and His Orchestra Featuring Mel Tormé and the Meltones (Society #SOC 983)[1]
  • Back In Town – Mel Tormé and the Meltones (1960, His Master's Voice #CLP 1382 (UK); 1960, Verve #MG VS 6063, #MVS 2675 (US))[1]
  • Artie Shaw and His Orchestra Also Featuring Mel Tormé and the Meltones (1965, Presto #PRE 681)[1]
  • Mel Tormé and the Meltones with Artie Shaw and His Orchestra (1965, Presto #PRE 685)[1]
  • Mel Tormé with the Meltones and Artie Shaw (1976, Everest Records Archive Of Folk & Jazz Music #FS 324)[1]
  • It Happened In Monterrey – Mel Tormé and the Mel-Tones with Sonny Burke & His Orchestra (1982, Musicraft #MVS-510)[1]
  • Mel Tormé Sings His California Suite – Mel Tormé with His Mel-Tones and Chorus Orchestra conducted by Harold Mooney (1984, Discovery #DS-910)[1]
  • Mel Tormé Live with the Mel-Tones, Volume One[3]
  • Mel Tormé Live with the Mel-Tones, Volume Two (1987, Sounds Great #SG-5012)[1]
  • Velvet Moods – Mel Tormé, the Mel-Tones (Él #ACMEM90CD)[1]
  • That's Where I Came In – Mel Tormé and the Mel-Tones (2006, GVC)[6]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 "The Mel-Tones". Discogs. Retrieved February 13, 2017.
  2. ↑ "Henry Mancini Biography". Henry Mancini Institute – Frost School of Music – University of Miami. Retrieved February 14, 2017.
  3. 1 2 "Mel Torme & The Mel-Tones". Singers.com. Retrieved February 13, 2017.
  4. 1 2 3 Scott Yanow. "Back In Town – AllMusic Review by Scott Yanow". Allmusic. Retrieved February 14, 2017.
  5. ↑ Debra Robins (1984). "Mel Tormé Sings His California Suite (liner notes)". Mel Tormé Sings His California Suite. Retrieved February 13, 2017.
  6. ↑ "That's Where I Came In (product description)". Amazon.com. Retrieved February 13, 2017.
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