Mel Tormé facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Mel Tormé
Tormé in 1979
Background information
Birth name	Melvin Howard Tormé
Also known as	The Velvet Fog
Born	(1925-09-13)September 13, 1925 Chicago, Illinois, U.S.
Died	June 5, 1999(1999-06-05) (aged 73) Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Genres	Jazz
Occupation(s)	Singer musician composer arranger actor author
Instruments	Vocals drums
Years active	1929–1996
Labels	Decca, Musicraft, Capitol, Bethlehem, Columbia, Concord
Associated acts	Artie Shaw, Marty Paich, George Shearing

Melvin Howard Tormé (born September 13, 1925 – died June 5, 1999) was an amazing American musician, singer, and songwriter. He was often called "The Velvet Fog" because of his smooth, clear singing voice. Mel Tormé also played the drums, arranged music, acted, and wrote books. He is famous for writing the music for the classic Christmas song, "The Christmas Song" (also known as "Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire"). He wrote the lyrics with his friend, Bob Wells.

Early Life and Talents

Melvin Howard Tormé was born in Chicago, Illinois. His parents were William David Torme and Betty Torme. From a very young age, Mel was a child prodigy, meaning he had incredible talent early in life.

• He first performed professionally at just four years old! He sang with the Coon-Sanders Orchestra in Chicago.
• He played drums in his school's drum-and-bugle band.
• From age eight to sixteen, he acted in popular radio shows like The Romance of Helen Trent and Jack Armstrong, the All-American Boy.
• He wrote his first song when he was 13. Just three years later, his song "Lament to Love" became a hit for a famous bandleader named Harry James.

Mel Tormé's Music Career

Becoming a Teen Idol and Solo Star

In the early 1940s, Mel Tormé joined a band led by Chico Marx (from the famous Marx Brothers). He sang, played drums, and even helped arrange the music. In 1943, he made his first movie appearance in the musical Higher and Higher, which also starred Frank Sinatra. His role in the 1947 movie musical Good News made him a popular teen idol.

In 1944, Mel started his own singing group called Mel Tormé and His Mel-Tones. They were inspired by Frank Sinatra's group, The Pied Pipers. The Mel-Tones had several hit songs, sometimes with Artie Shaw's band and sometimes on their own. They were one of the first groups to blend jazz into their singing style, paving the way for many other famous vocal groups.

After serving in the United States Army for a short time, Mel Tormé began his solo singing career in 1947. He performed at famous nightclubs like the Copacabana in New York. It was there that a local radio DJ gave him the nickname "The Velvet Fog" because of his smooth, high voice. Even though it was a compliment, Mel Tormé didn't really like the nickname!

His song "Careless Hands" became his only number-one hit in 1949. He also made popular versions of songs like "Again" and "Blue Moon". Mel Tormé was also a pioneer in a style of jazz called cool jazz.

Jazz and Pop Hits

From 1955 to 1957, Mel Tormé recorded many jazz albums with a group led by Marty Paich. He became well-known for his skills in arranging music, earning the respect of other musicians.

Even though he mostly sang jazz, Mel Tormé loved classical music. He wasn't a big fan of rock and roll, calling it "three-chord manure."

In the 1960s and 70s, Mel Tormé also sang popular pop songs. He had two smaller hits: "Mountain Greenery" in 1956 and the R&B song "Comin' Home Baby" in 1962. The famous singer Ethel Waters once said that "Tormé is the only white man who sings with the soul of a black man" after hearing "Comin' Home Baby."

Mel Tormé on Screen

Acting and TV Shows

Mel Tormé also had a career in television and movies.

• In 1960, he appeared in the TV crime show Dan Raven.
• He played "The Deacon" in the movie Walk Like a Dragon, a gunfighter who protects a woman and teaches a young man how to draw a gun quickly. In real life, Mel Tormé was very good at the fast draw!
• From 1963 to 1964, he wrote songs and arrangements for The Judy Garland Show and appeared as a guest. Later, he wrote a book about his time on the show, which caused some disagreement with Judy Garland's family.
• In 1967, he appeared with Lucille Ball in an episode of The Lucy Show. He played a songwriter and even performed a song he wrote for the episode with Lucille Ball.
• He made nine guest appearances on the 1980s TV comedy Night Court. The main character, Judge Harry Stone, was a huge fan of Mel Tormé.
• He appeared in commercials and even played himself in a 1995 episode of the popular sitcom Seinfeld.
• He worked with his son, Tracy Tormé, on the TV show Sliders. In one episode, Mel Tormé played a version of himself from a different universe who was a country music singer and an FBI informant!
• In a 1988 Warner Bros. cartoon, The Night of the Living Duck, Daffy Duck sings like Mel Tormé after inhaling a special substance. Mel Tormé provided the actual singing voice for Daffy in that cartoon!

Later Career and Awards

In the 1970s, jazz singing became popular again, which was great for Mel Tormé. His live performances helped him become known as a top jazz singer once more. He often performed more than 200 times a year around the world.

• In 1976, he won an Edison Award (like a Grammy in the Netherlands) for best male singer.
• He also won a DownBeat award for best male jazz singer.
• In the 1980s and 1990s, he performed and recorded six albums with the famous jazz pianist George Shearing.
• He also reunited with Marty Paich for tours and albums.
• Mel Tormé played drums with jazz legends like Benny Goodman and Teddy Wilson. He even owned a drum set that belonged to the famous drummer Gene Krupa.

Tormé on drums with Benny Goodman and Teddy Wilson

Writing and Songwriting

Besides his music, Mel Tormé was also an author. He wrote several books:

• The Other Side of the Rainbow (1970), about his time working on Judy Garland's TV show.
• Traps, the Drum Wonder (1991), a biography about his friend, the drummer Buddy Rich.
• My Singing Teachers: Reflections on Singing Popular Music (1994), about singing.
• Wynner (1978), a novel.
• It Wasn't All Velvet (1988), his autobiography about his own life.

Mel Tormé wrote more than 250 songs, and many of them became very popular. He often wrote the musical arrangements for the songs he sang. His most famous song is "The Christmas Song" (1946), which he wrote with Bob Wells. They wrote it on a very hot day in California, trying to think of "mid-wintery" things to cool themselves down! The song was first recorded by Nat King Cole. Mel Tormé once said he wrote the music in just 45 minutes and called it "my annuity" because it earned him money for many years.

Personal Life and Legacy

Mel Tormé was married four times and had five children: Steve March-Tormé, Melissa Torme-March, Tracy, Daisy, and James Tormé. He also had two stepchildren. His sons, Tracy and James, and his daughter Daisy, also work in the entertainment industry. Steve March-Tormé is also a singer and songwriter.

Illness and Passing

On August 8, 1996, Mel Tormé had a stroke, which sadly ended his 65-year singing career. In February 1999, he received the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award, a very special honor for his long and successful career. He passed away from another stroke on June 5, 1999, at the age of 73. He is buried in the Westwood Village Memorial Park Cemetery in Los Angeles.

Tormé's grave

Films and Television Appearances

Mel Tormé appeared in many films and television shows throughout his career. Here are some of them:

Films

Television

Family

Mel Tormé's children and stepchildren:

• Steve March-Tormé (born 1953), singer-songwriter
• Melissa Torme-March (born 1955), actress
• Tracy Tormé (born 1959), screenwriter and film producer
• Daisy Tormé (born 1969), singer, actress, broadcaster
• James Tormé (born 1973), singer

See also

In Spanish: Mel Tormé para niños