Information AboutMel Torme |
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Melvin Howard Tormé ( September 13 , 1925 – June 5 , 1999 ) was a Jazz singer with a light, velvety, high-tenor voice. He is considered by many to be one of the greatest male singers in the history of jazz. Tormé also wrote a number of classic jazz songs and wrote almost all the arrangements for the songs he sang. CHILD PRODIGY Tormé was born in Chicago to immigrant Russia n Jew ish parents. A child prodigy, he began singing publicly at the age of four, acting by age nine, and playing drums in Chicago 's Shakespeare Elementary School drum and bugle corps by the time he was a teenager. His first published song, "Lament to Love," was recorded by Harry James when Tormé was only 15. AS A SONGWRITER Tormé went on to publish some 5 songs, mostly in collaboration with Bob Wills . Their best known effort is " The Christmas Song ", recorded by Nat King Cole in 1945 , and a holiday classic ever since. Tormé frequently commented that the song took less than an hour to write and was not one of his personal favorites. AS A PERFORMER During the War Years , Tormé performed in and led the Mel-Tones, a Vocal Group specializing in jazzy arrangements, usually backed by the Swing Band of Artie Shaw . In 1947 , Tormé went solo, recording a number of hits, including the Number One "Careless Love". His high tenor, smooth vocal style earned him the sobriquet "The Velvet Fog", which he disliked. He also came to pioneer Cool Jazz . During the 1950s , as Rock & Roll music increased in popularity, which he termed 'three chord manure' Tormé was forced to abandon the commercial path and turned more and more to jazz. Critics say his art reached its first creative peak on a series of albums arranged by Marty Paich , one of the leading figures in West Coast Jazz of that period. In 1963 – 1964 he was an occasional guest on '' The Judy Garland Show '' (appearing twice as a featured guest) and frequently worked as both a writer and musical arranger for it. He later wrote a book chronicling his experiences while on the show, "The Other Side of the Rainbow." Tormé also appeared on an episode of the sitcom Seinfeld , in which he dedicates a song to Michael Richards ' character, Kramer . Tormé also made several appearances on ''Night Court'' A LONG CAREER IN JAZZ With the resurgence of jazz in the 1970s , Tormé entered another artistically fertile period. During the last twenty years of his career he recorded frequently in a variety of settings, the best known of which were a series of concerts with pianist George Shearing ; and his big band work with Rob McConnell and his Boss Brass orchestra. In addition to producing a steady stream of albums, Torme performed globally up to two hundred live dates annually, and appeared regularly on television, including nine guest appearances (as himself) on the '' Night Court '' Sitcom where he was the idol of the main character played by Harry Anderson . While on the sitcom Night Court he got to work with Harry Anderson , John Larroquette , Richard Moll , Charles Robinson , Markie Post , and Marsha Warfield . In the mid-90s he gained new popularity among Generation X ers for his appearances in a series of Mountain Dew commercials and on the '' Seinfeld '' sitcom. In August 8 , 1996 , a debilitating Stroke abruptly ended his 65-year singing career. In February 1999, Tormé was awarded the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award . He died in Los Angeles at the age of 73 on June 5 , 1999 . In eulogy, John Andrews wrote {Link without Title} :
DISCOGRAPHY ''For a partial Mel Torme discography, please see the Mel Torme Discography ''. FAMILY Father of Tracy Tormé . Father of broadcaster, Daisy Tormé. Father of rising singing star, James Tormé PUBLICATIONS Includes:
MARRIAGES
SAMPLES
FILMOGRAPHY
TELEVISION WORK
EXTERNAL LINKS
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