Mel Melton facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Mel Melton
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| Background information | |
| Born | Gastonia, North Carolina, U.S. |
| Genres | Zydeco, Cajun music Blues |
| Instruments | Voice, harmonica, rubboard |
| Years active | 1972-present |
Mel Melton is an American musician, singer, and chef. He is famous for his lively Zydeco music and delicious cooking, which often features flavors from southern Louisiana.
Mel Melton's Life Story
Mel Melton grew up in Gastonia, North Carolina. One summer, he visited a college friend in Lafayette, Louisiana, to play music. He loved the culture and beauty of southwest Louisiana so much that he decided to stay! Soon, Mel moved to Lafayette for good and started a band with a talented slide-guitar player named Sonny Landreth.
Becoming a Chef and Musician
To support his music, Mel took various jobs. This is how he discovered a new skill: Louisiana cooking! For the next fifteen years, he worked hard to improve both his music and his cooking. He became a well-known Cajun chef. At the same time, he gained fame as a singer and harmonica player. His unique Zydeco style made him very popular. Mel often played with the "King of Zydeco," Clifton Chenier, and even toured for a year with the internationally known musician Zachary Richard.
Playing in Bands
Melton played on Sonny Landreth's first record, Blues Attack. Other famous musicians like C.J. Chenier and Buckwheat Zydeco also played on this album. In 1982, Landreth and Melton formed a band called Bayou Rhythm. Later, C.J. Chenier joined them. The band recorded Way Down in Louisiana in 1985. A song from that album, “Congo Square,” was co-written by Landreth and Melton. Many other artists, including The Neville Brothers and John Mayall, have since recorded this song. Bayou Rhythm toured a lot and opened for big stars like Ray Charles, B.B. King, and Stevie Ray Vaughan.
Cooking and Music Together
A special part of Bayou Rhythm's concerts started at the American Music Festival in 1986. Mel Melton had a gumbo cook-off challenge with another musician, Rockin Dopsie. It was a big hit! After that, Mel often cooked for his band's shows, making them even more fun.
Moving to Chicago
In 1986, Mel left the band to become a full-time chef in Chicago. In his first month there, he won a big cooking award at the Rolls-Royce/Krug Champagne Invitational Chef Competition. His restaurant, Capers, was even named one of the top ten new Chicago restaurants of 1987! He often gave cooking demonstrations and appeared on TV and radio shows in Chicago. He was also a featured chef at major events like the Chicago Jazz Festival.
Back to North Carolina
In 1990, Mel moved back to his home state of North Carolina. He continued to show off his cooking skills at many events and cooking schools. He also opened several restaurants. In 1995, he formed his current band, Mel Melton & the Wicked Mojos. In 1998, they released their first CD, Swampslinger. The Washington Post named it one of the top ten blues CDs of the year! His next album, Mojo Dream (2000), was named “Zydeco Record of the Year” by Real Blues Magazine. Mel also wrote his first cookbook, Cookie Boy, the Authentic Cajun Recipes of Mel Melton.
Newer Music and "Mojo Music"
Melton's third album with his band was Papa Mojo’s Roadhouse. It featured guest appearances by Sonny Landreth and Johnny Garcia. The album included many styles of Louisiana dance hall music, from Zydeco to blues and New Orleans funk. Music journalist Philip Van Vleck said it was Mel's best record yet, praising his strong vocals and brilliant harmonica playing.
Melton's band includes Max Drake on guitar. Mel calls his band's sound “Mojo Music.” He explains, “It’s like the food. Down in Louisiana everyone cooks, and they like to stir it up their own way. And when people leave one of our shows I want them to feel like they’ve been down in the swamp at a big party and they’ve had a great time. That’s what it’s all about.”
Papa Mojo's Roadhouse Restaurant
In 2007, Mel opened Papa Mojo's Roadhouse in Durham, North Carolina. This restaurant became a popular spot for touring musicians to perform. The food at Papa Mojo's Roadhouse was highly praised as some of the best authentic Cajun food outside of Louisiana. In 2008, famous TV chef Bobby Flay even presented Mel with an award for the restaurant's casual dining. In 2014, Mel closed Papa Mojo's Roadhouse to focus more on his music and teaching cooking. He still performs often in North Carolina and Virginia.
Music Albums
With Sonny Landreth
- 1981 – Blues Attack
With Bayou Rhythm
- 1985 – Way Down in Louisiana
With Mel Melton and the Wicked Mojos
- 1998 – Swampslinger
- 2000 – Mojo Dreams
- 2003 – Papa Mojo’s Roadhouse
Culinary Achievements
Mel Melton has received many awards and honors for his cooking:
- Charter Member of Chefs de Cuisine Acadian, Lafayette, LA, 1983
- Grand prize winner, Rolls-Royce / Krug Champagne Invitational Chef Competition, Chicago, IL, June 1986
- Named one of the top ten new restaurants in Chicago, Chicago Tribune & Pioneer Press, Chicago, IL, January, 1987
- Certified Senior Executive Chef, Marriott Conference Services, Duke University Fuqua School of Business, Durham, NC, 1991
- Grand Prize Winner - Casual Restaurant, Best in the State Award, State of N.C. Agricultural Commission, 2008
- Second Place Winner - Casual Restaurant, Best in the State Award, State of N.C. Agricultural Commission, 2009 & 2010
- Voted Best Cajun Restaurant in the Triangle - Indy Week, 2009 - 2013
- Performed and cooked with Paula Deen at the Durham Performing Arts Center, 2010
- Named one the Fifteen Best Cheeseburgers in the U.S. - Wisconsin Cheese Board, 2012
- Selected to appear on Deep Fried Masters, episode featuring fair food and “Got to Be NC”, 2013
Cookbooks
- 2000 - Cookie Boy, the Authentic Cajun Recipes of Mel Melton (Kartobi Press)
