Background
James Melton was born on January 2, 1904 in Moultrie, Georgia. He was the son of James Wilburn Melton, a lumberman and amateur musician, and of Rose Thornton, an organist. Soon after his birth, the family moved to Citra, Florida.
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book
James Melton #1 Recorded 1927 - 1936
(James Melton was best known as an opera singer at the Met...)
James Melton was best known as an opera singer at the Metropolitan Opera, but had recorded many beautiful ballads in the twenties and early thirties. This disc is comprised of fresh hi-definition transfers from original 78 rpm records for fresher, fuller,smoother sound. You will find this track list in the CD case for your reference. 1-DEAR,ON A NIGHT LIKE THIS COL 1238-D 12/14/27 145408 CAESAR-CONRAD 2-AMONG MY SOUVENIRS COL 1238-D 12/14/27 145407 LESLIE-NICHOLLS 3-IN MY BOUQUET OF MEMORIES BEN SELVIN COL 1337-D 03/31/28 145896 LEWIS-YOUNG-AKST 4-RAMONA BEN SELVIN COL 1337-D 03/31/28 145895 GILBERT-LESLIE 5-MY ANGEL (ANGELA MIA) COL 1493-D 06/20/28 146563 SCHIPA-RAPEE-POLLACK 6-NEAPOLITAN NIGHTS COL 1493-D 06/27/28 146588 KERR-ZAMECNIK 7-I LOVED YOU THEN COL 1614-D 10/17/28 147132 BALLARD-MACDONALD-AXT-MENDOZA 8-SALLY OF MY DREAMS COL 1614-D 10/17/28 147133 KERNELL 9-UPS-A-DAISY VICTOR ARDEN-PHIL OHMAN OR. JAMES MELTON-LEWIS JAMES-ELLIOT SHAW VIC 21774 10/30/28 47797 SIMON-GENSLER 10-MARCHETA COL 1760-D 12/10/28 147404 SCHERTZINGER 11-ROSES OF PICARDY COL 1760-D 12/10/28 147405 WOOD-WEATHERLY 12-SLEEPY VALLEY COL 1797-D 12/28/28 147736 STIRLING-HANLEY136 13-DAWN COL 1797-D 12/28/28 147737 HARBACH-HAMMERSTEIN-STOTHART-KALMAN 136 14-MACUSHLA COL 1932-D 12/18/28 147716 OLCOTT 15-BECAUSE COL 1932-D 12/18/28 147717 D'HARDALOT 16-THERE'S DANGER IN YOUR EYES,CHERIE VIC 22335 02/07/30 58622 RICHMAN-MESKILL-WENDLING136 17-YEAR FROM TODAY VIC 22335 01/24/30 58623 JOLSON-DREYER-MACDONALD 18-BLUE IS THE NIGHT NAT SHILKRET VIC 22290 01/20/30 58506 FISHER 19-NOW YOU'RE IN MY ARMS COL 2465-D 05/15/31 151553 WRUBEL-DOWNEY 20-BEAUTIFUL LOVE COL 2465-D 05/15/31 151554 YOUNG-KING-VAN ALSTYNE 201 21-WHERE AM I? VIC 25185 10/31/35 95684 DUBIN-WARREN 22-CARRY ME BACK TO THE LONE PRAIRIE VIC 25185 10/31/35 95685 CARSON ROBISON 23-LITTLE HOUSE THAT LOVE BUILT DEC 1093 12/16/36 61485 DUBIN-WARREN 24-SUMMER NIGHT DEC 1093 12/16/36 61487 DUBIN-WARREN
https://www.amazon.com/James-Melton-Recorded-1927-1936/dp/B00FP5HTEK?SubscriptionId=AKIAJRRWTH346WSPOAFQ&tag=prabook-20&linkCode=sp1&camp=2025&creative=165953&creativeASIN=B00FP5HTEK
James Melton #2 Recorded 1932 - 1945
(A special digital hi-definition process was used for full...)
A special digital hi-definition process was used for fuller, clearer, smoother sound from original 78 rpm records. You will find this track list in the CD case for your reference. Showboat Cast Album-Victor Young Orchestra 1-SHOWBOAT-OVERTURE COL C15573 08/24/32 12230 0 HAMMERSTEIN-KERN 2-OL' MAN RIVER PAUL ROBESON COL C15573 07/21/32 12096 0 HAMMERSTEIN-KERN 3-BILL HELEN MORGAN COL C15574 08/09/32 12161 0 HAMMERSTEIN-KERN 4-CAN'T HELP LOVIN' DAT MAN HELEN MORGAN COL C15574 08/09/32 12162 0 HAMMERSTEIN-KERN 5-YOU ARE LOVE JAMES MELTON COL C15575 07/20/32 12094 0 HAMMERSTEIN-KERN 6-MAKE BELIEVE JAMES MELTON COL C15575 08/09/32 12160 0 HAMMERSTEIN-KERN 7-WHY DO I LOVE YOU? COUNTESS ALBANI-FRANK MUNN COL C15576 08/09/32 12159 0 HAMMERSTEIN-KERN 8-SHOWBOAT-FINALE SHOWBOAT CHORUS COL C15576 08/24/32 12231 0 HAMMERSTEIN-KERN 9-SEPTEMBER IN THE RAIN DEC 1247 04/20/37 62137 0 WARREN-DUBIN 10-MELODY FOR TWO DEC 1247 04/20/37 62138 0 WARREN-DUBIN 11-ALL THROUGH THE DAY VIC 11-9224 / / 0 0 136 12-WHERE'S MY BESS? VIC 11-9224 / / 0 0 GERSHWIN 136 13-IL MIO TESORO VIC / / 0 0 MOZART 136 14-THE PALMS VIC 13592 01/28/41 1060389 0 FAURE 136 15-HOLY CITY VIC 13592 01/28/41 1060386 0 ADAMS 136 16-OH,DRY THOSE TEARS VIC 18219 05/28/41 1065370 0 17-I'LL TAKE YOU HOME AGAIN,KATHLEEN VIC 18219 / / 0 0 136 18-HILLS OF HOME VIC 10-1237 / / 0 0 FOX 19-ALL DAY ON THE PRAIREE VIC 10-1237 / / 0 0 GUION 20-OKLAHOMA
https://www.amazon.com/James-Melton-Recorded-1932-1945/dp/B00FP5GXSI?SubscriptionId=AKIAJRRWTH346WSPOAFQ&tag=prabook-20&linkCode=sp1&camp=2025&creative=165953&creativeASIN=B00FP5GXSI
James Melton
Edit ProfileEducation
Melton attended the public schools and was chorister and soloist in the town church. At the University of Florida, which he entered in 1920 with the intention to study law, he formed and led a dance orchestra and sang with the school band. The president of the university, Albert A. Murphree, became convinced of his talent and urged him to consider a musical career. With this in mind, Melton left the university in his sophomore year to enter the School of Music at the University of Georgia, earning his way by playing the saxophone in the college band. In 1923 Melton transferred to Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tennessee, in order to study singing with Gaetano de Luca. After a year he left Vanderbilt but continued his vocal studies privately with de Luca.
Career
Melton came to New York in 1927 to find a career as a singer. An appearance on a radio program attracted the interest of S. L. (Roxy) Rothafel, manager of the Roxy Theater in New York, who engaged him for the Roxy Gang, which performed weekly over the Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS) radio network. After an engagement with The Revelers, one of the earliest "precision" singing groups on the radio, Melton became the singing star of his own radio show, "The Seiberling Singers" (1928). During the next dozen years, he was one of radio's most popular singing attractions, starring on such major programs as "The Voice of Firestone, " "Sealtest Sunday Night Party, " "The Telephone Hour, " and "Palmolive Beauty Box Theater. " While working on radio, Melton studied singing with Enrico Rosati. On April 22, 1932, he made his concert debut at Town Hall in New York City. It was received unfavorably by some critics. Refusing to admit defeat, Melton continued his vocal studies in preparation for a career in opera, and his debut took place in Cincinnati, Ohio, on June 28, 1938, as Pinkerton in Madama Butterfly. Later that year he appeared with the St. Louis Opera, the San Carlo Opera in New York City, and the Chicago Civic Opera, singing Alfredo in La Traviata, Lionel in Martha, and Edgardo in Lucia di Lammermoor. Success in opera came with Melton's debut at the Metropolitan Opera on December 7, 1942, as Tamino in The Magic Flute, which became his most famous role. The sensitivity of his phrasing, the purity of his vocal texture, and the ease and freshness of his delivery received high praise. Melton remained a principal tenor of the Metropolitan Opera for six seasons, in which time he made sixty-one appearances in New York City and nineteen on tour in seven roles (Tamino, Alfredo, Edgardo, Pinkerton, Don Ottavio in Don Giovanni, Wilhelm Meister in Mignon, and Des Grieux in Manon). Apart from his operatic appearances, he was heard frequently in the United States and Canada in recitals and as soloist with symphony orchestras. Melton starred in the motion pictures Stars over Broadway (1935), Sing Me a Love Song (1936), Melody for Two (1937), and Ziegfeld Follies (1946). In 1934 he toured with George Gershwin and the Leo Reisman Orchestra in all-Gershwin concerts. He was the star of the "Ford Festival" on television in 1951. A year before his death in New York City, he toured in Sigmund Romberg's operetta The Student Prince.
Achievements
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James Melton is known as an accomplished tenor vocalist who had starred in early musical films of the 1930s, and sang with the Chicago and New York Metropolitan Opera companies. Among his best features were "Stars Over Broadway, " "Sing Me a Love Song" and "Melody for Two. " Apart from his singing Melton was famous for his collection of antique automobiles, which was frequently exhibited.
Works
book
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James Melton #1 Recorded 1927 - 1936
(James Melton was best known as an opera singer at the Met...)
-
James Melton #2 Recorded 1932 - 1945
(A special digital hi-definition process was used for full...)
-
James Melton #1 Recorded 1927 - 1936
Connections
On June 29, 1929, Melton married Marjorie Louise McClure; they had one daughter.
