James Melton

Having a clean-behind-the-ears demeanor similar compared to that of Richard Crooks, John Charles Thomas, or Nelson Eddy, concert and operatic tenor James Melton usually catered from what has been referred to as a “musically middlebrow audience,” emitting intimate airs and popular ballads with sugary precision. He was created on January 2, 1904, in Moultrie, GA. His parents, who have been both musicians, elevated him in Citra, FL, where he managed melons and hogs. In 1920, he graduated from senior high school in Ocala, after that attended some schools in Florida, Georgia, and Tennessee. He received vocal teaching from Gaetano de Luca in Nashville from 1923 to 1927, after that moved to NY where he researched with Beniamino Gigli’s instructor, Enrico Rosati. Melton also dabbled in dance music group actions, blowing saxophone inside a university jazz outfit and carrying out with Francis Craig’s Orchestra in Atlanta in 1926. The next year he got in NEW YORK and began performing on the air without obtaining paid. He became a member of Roxy’s Gang, a cabaret group led by Roxy Rothafel, caused the Sieberling Performers, and made information for Victor performing second tenor using the Revelers as well as for Columbia using the same group beneath the pseudonym from the Performing Sophomores. His 1st recordings under his personal name were designed for Columbia in the fall months of 1927. Melton received additional voice teaching from pianist Michael Raucheisen in Berlin, offered his initial concert functionality at City Hall in NY on Apr 22, 1932, and embarked on the U.S. and Canadian concert tour with George Gershwin in 1934. Melton continuing to execute on the air, being a “Tone of voice of Firestone” over the Firestone Hour from 1933; on Ward’s Family members Movie theater in 1935; The Sealtest Weekend Evening Party in 1936; The Palmolive Beauty Container Movie theater in 1937; The Melody Store in 1938; CALLING Hour in 1940; as well as the Star Movie theater in 1944. He also made an appearance in films, including Superstars Over Broadway (1935), Sing Me a Like Melody (1936), Melody for just two (1937), as well as the 1944 MGM all-star film revue Ziegfeld Follies. After intense voice schooling with Angelo Canarutto, Melton’s operatic profession became popular in 1938 when he made an appearance using the Cincinnati Zoo Opera Firm as Pinkerton in Puccini’s Madama Butterfly and with the St. Louis Opera Firm as Alfredo in Verdi’s La Traviata. He caused the Chicago Civic Opera from 1940 to 1942, showing up with Helen Jepson in Butterfly; with Lily Pons in Donizetti’s Lucia di Lammermoor; and in Flotow’s Martha. In Dec 1942, Melton debuted on the Metropolitan Opera Home in NY as Tamino in Mozart’s Magic Flute. Carrying on to perform on the Met through 1947, Melton spent the 1950s producing records, performing in nightclubs, showing up on tv, and collecting uncommon cars. His last noteworthy stage creation was Sigmund Romberg’s The Pupil Prince. He passed on in NEW YORK on Apr 21, 1961.