The Mel-Tones was an American vocal group of the 1940s and 1950s, formed and led by

Mel Tormé Melvin Howard Tormé (September 13, 1925 – June 5, 1999), nicknamed "The Velvet Fog", was an American musician, singer, composer, arranger, drummer, actor, and author. He composed the music for "The Christmas Song" ("Chestnuts Roasting on an Op ...

. 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 Artie Shaw (born Arthur Jacob Arshawsky; May 23, 1910 – December 30, 2004) was an American clarinetist, composer, bandleader, actor and author of both fiction and non-fiction. Widely regarded as "one of jazz's finest clarinetists", Shaw led ...

's records. Besides Tormé, the members were Betty Beveridge, Ginny O'Connor (who married

Henry Mancini Henry Mancini ( ; born Enrico Nicola Mancini, ; April 16, 1924 – June 14, 1994) was an American composer, conductor, arranger, pianist and flautist. Often cited as one of the greatest composers in the history of film, he won four Academy Award ...

in 1947), Bernie Parke, and Diz Disruhd (later replaced by

Les Baxter Leslie Thompson "Les" Baxter (March 14, 1922 – January 15, 1996) was a best-selling American musician and composer. After working as an arranger and composer for swing bands, he developed his own style of easy listening music, known as exotica ...

). Tormé (still a teenager when he formed the group, in 1943) was lead singer and arranger. The group disbanded in 1945 or 1946, but Tormé reformed them from time to time for special projects. A 1957 release of Tormé's ''

California Suite ''California Suite'' is a 1976 play by Neil Simon. Similar in structure to his earlier ''Plaza Suite'', the comedy is composed of four playlets set in Suite 203-04, which consists of a living room and an adjoining bedroom with an ensuite bath, in ...

'' featured the Mel-Tones, with

Loulie Jean Norman Loulie Jean Norman (March 12, 1913 - August 2, 2005) was a coloratura soprano who worked with arranger Gordon Jenkins. Jenkins and Norman collaborated on a number of albums. Norman was also a member of The Rhythmaires and the Ray Conniff Singers. ...

replacing Betty Beveridge. 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.

Selected discography

Singles

*"It Happened In Monterrey" / "Born To Be Blue" – Mel Tormé And His Mel-Tones, with

Sonny Burke Joseph Francis "Sonny" Burke (March 22, 1914 – May 31, 1980) was an American musical arranger, composer, Big Band leader and producer. In 1937, he graduated from Duke University, where he had formed and led the jazz big band known as the Duke ...

And His Orchestra (1946, Musicraft) *"Try A Little Tenderness" / "Willow Road" – Mel Tormé And His The Mel-Tones '' ic' (1946, Musicraft) *"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) *"South America, Take It Away" / "Try A Little Tenderness" – Mel Tormé And His Mel-Tones, with Sonny Burke And His Orchestra (Musicraft, 1946) *"Don't You Believe It Dear" (B-side of "Connecticut", which has vocals by

Ralph Blane Ralph Blane (July 26, 1914 – November 13, 1995) was an American composer, lyricist, and performer. Life and career Blane was born Ralph Uriah Hunsecker in Broken Arrow, Oklahoma. He attended Tulsa Central High School. He studied singing with ...

) – Artie Shaw and His Orchestra Featuring Mel Tormé and His Mel-Tones (Musicraft, 1946) *"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 Frank Denny De Vol (September 20, 1911 – October 27, 1999) was an American actor, and using the name De Vol was an arranger and composer. As a composer he was nominated for four Academy Awards. Early life and career De Vol was born in Moundsvi ...

and His Orchestra (

Capitol A capitol, named after the Capitoline Hill in Rome, is usually a legislative building where a legislature meets and makes laws for its respective political entity. Specific capitols include: * United States Capitol in Washington, D.C. * Numerous ...

, date unknown)

EPs

*''Love For Sale'' – Artie Shaw and His Orchestra Also Featuring Mel Tormé and His Meltones (1965, A.R.C. Records)

Albums

*''Artie Shaw and His Orchestra Featuring Mel Tormé and the Meltones (Society #SOC 983) *''Back In Town'' – Mel Tormé and the Meltones (1960,

His Master's Voice His Master's Voice (HMV) was the name of a major British record label created in 1901 by The Gramophone Co. Ltd. The phrase was coined in the late 1890s from the title of a painting by English artist Francis Barraud, which depicted a Jack Russ ...

#CLP 1382 (UK); 1960,

Verve Verve may refer to: Music * The Verve, an English rock band * ''The Verve E.P.'', a 1992 EP by The Verve * ''Verve'' (R. Stevie Moore album) * Verve Records, an American jazz record label Businesses * Verve Coffee Roasters, an American coffee ho ...

#MG VS 6063, #MVS 2675 (US)) *''Artie Shaw and His Orchestra Also Featuring Mel Tormé and the Meltones '' (1965, Presto #PRE 681) *''Mel Tormé and the Meltones with Artie Shaw and His Orchestra'' (1965, Presto #PRE 685) *''Mel Tormé with the Meltones and Artie Shaw'' (1976, Everest Records Archive Of Folk & Jazz Music #FS 324) *''It Happened In Monterrey'' – Mel Tormé and the Mel-Tones with Sonny Burke & His Orchestra (1982, Musicraft #MVS-510) *''Mel Tormé Sings His California Suite'' – Mel Tormé with His Mel-Tones and Chorus Orchestra conducted by Harold Mooney (1984,

Discovery Discovery may refer to: * Discovery (observation), observing or finding something unknown * Discovery (fiction), a character's learning something unknown * Discovery (law), a process in courts of law relating to evidence Discovery, The Discovery ...

#DS-910) *''Mel Tormé Live with the Mel-Tones, Volume One'' *''Mel Tormé Live with the Mel-Tones, Volume Two'' (1987, Sounds Great #SG-5012) *''Velvet Moods'' – Mel Tormé, the Mel-Tones ( Él #ACMEM90CD) *''That's Where I Came In'' – Mel Tormé and the Mel-Tones (2006, GVC)

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Mel-Tones, The Musical groups established in 1943 Vocal quintets Vocal jazz ensembles

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 th ...