James Melton
James Melton (January 2, 1904 – April 21, 1961), a popular singer in the 1920s and early 1930s, later began a career as an operatic singer when tenor voices went out of style in popular music around 1932–35. His singing talent was similar to that of his contemporary Richard Crooks and baritones John Charles Thomas and Nelson Eddy who sang popular music but also had operatic careers. Melton usually catered to popular music fans, singing romantic songs and popular ballads in a sweet style. He was born in Moultrie, Georgia, but was raised in Citra, Florida, where his parents grew melons and handled hogs. Melton's father ran a sawmill in the time of history when sawmills were temporary tent buildings built near available lumber trees. In 1920, he graduated from high school in Ocala, Florida, and then attended college at the University of Florida, Vanderbilt University and the University of Georgia. He received vocal instruction from Gaetano de Luca in Nashville from 1923 to 1927 before moving to New York where he studied with Beniamino Gigli's teacher, Enrico Rosati. Melton also worked in dance bands, playing saxophone in a college jazz ensemble and performing with Francis Craig's Orchestra in Atlanta in 1926. |
Birth and Death Data: Born January 2, 1904 (Moultrie), Died April 21, 1961
Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1925 - 1950
Roles Represented in DAHR: tenor vocal
= Recordings are available for online listening.
= Recordings were issued from this master. No recordings issued from other masters.
Recordings (Results 51-75 of 218 records)
Company | Matrix No. | Size | First Recording Date | Title | Primary Performer | Description | Role | Audio |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Victor | BVE-48194 | 10-in. | 11/22/1928 | Got a rainbow | Arden-Ohman Orchestra | Jazz/dance band, with male vocal quartet | vocalist, tenor vocal | |
Victor | BVE-49048 | 10-in. | 1/8/1929 | Raquel | The Revelers | Male vocal quartet, with piano | vocalist, tenor vocal | |
Victor | CVE-49209 | 12-in. | 11/27/1928 | Ave Maria | John McCormack | Tenor vocal solo, with male vocal chorus and orchestra | vocalist, tenor vocal | |
Victor | CVE-49210 | 12-in. | 11/27/1928 | Serenade | John McCormack | Tenor vocal solo, with male vocal chorus and orchestra | vocalist, tenor vocal | |
Victor | CVE-49213 | 12-in. | 11/28/1928 | The hurdy-gurdy man (Der Leiermann) | John McCormack | Tenor vocal solo, with male vocal chorus and orchestra | vocalist, tenor vocal | |
Victor | CVE-49214 | 12-in. | 11/28/1928 | Hark! Hark! The lark | John McCormack | Tenor vocal solo, with vocal quartet and orchestra | vocalist, tenor vocal | |
Victor | CVE-49237 | 12-in. | 12/6/1928 | Holy night | John McCormack ; Nathaniel Shilkret ; Victor Salon Group | Tenor vocal solo, with vocal quartet and orchestra | vocalist, tenor vocal | |
Victor | BVE-49900 | 10-in. | 1/31/1929 | My Scandinavian gal | The Revelers | Male vocal quartet, with piano | vocalist, tenor vocal | |
Victor | BVE-51105 | 10-in. | 3/29/1929 | Sleepy valley | Eddie Dowling | Male vocal solo, with male vocal quartet and orchestra | vocalist, tenor vocal | |
Victor | BVE-51115 | 10-in. | 4/2/1929 | Rainbow man | Eddie Dowling | Male vocal solo, with male vocal quartet and orchestra | vocalist, tenor vocal | |
Victor | BVE-51680 | 10-in. | 5/2/1929 | Wake up! Chillun, wake up | The Revelers | Male vocal quartet, with piano | vocalist, tenor vocal | |
Victor | CVE-51687 | 12-in. | 5/6/1929 | Gems from Follow thru | Victor Light Opera Company | Vocal chorus and soloists, with orchestra | vocalist, tenor vocal | |
Victor | CVE-51970 | 12-in. | 5/3/1929 | Gems from Hold everything | Victor Light Opera Company | Mixed vocal chorus and soloists, with orchestra | vocalist, tenor vocal | |
Victor | BRC-53064 | 10-in. | 4/28/1931 | Hosanna | The Revelers | Male vocal quartet, with piano | vocalist, tenor vocal | |
Victor | BRC-53065 | 10-in. | 4/28/1931 | The king's horses (And the king's men) | The Revelers | Male vocal quartet, with piano | vocalist, tenor vocal | |
Victor | BVE-53423 | 10-in. | 5/21/1929 | Ploddin' along | The Revelers | Male vocal quartet, with piano | vocalist, tenor vocal | |
Victor | BVE-53493 | 10-in. | 7/5/1929 | A hunting scene | Rosario Bourdon ; Victor Band | Band, with male vocal quartet and whistling | vocalist, tenor vocal | |
Victor | BVE-53548 | 10-in. | 6/6/1929 | Drinking song | Dennis King | Male vocal solo, with male vocal chorus and orchestra | vocalist, tenor vocal | |
Victor | CVE-56743 | 12-in. | 10/3/1929 | My buddy | Nathaniel Shilkret ; Victor Orchestra | Orchestra, with male vocal trio and whistling | vocalist, tenor vocal | |
Victor | BVE-56986 | 10-in. | 11/2/1929 | Victor march | Nathaniel Shilkret ; Victor Symphony Orchestra | Orchestra, with male vocal quartet | vocalist, tenor vocal | |
Victor | BVE-57552 | 10-in. | 11/22/1929 | Waiting at the end of the road | The Revelers | Male vocal quartet, with piano | vocalist, tenor vocal | |
Victor | BVE-57553 | 10-in. | 11/22/1929 | Kentucky babe | The Revelers | Male vocal quartet, with piano | vocalist, tenor vocal | |
Victor | BVE-57569 | 10-in. | 12/2/1929 | Love, your spell is everywhere | The Revelers | Male vocal quartet, with piano | vocalist, tenor vocal | |
Victor | BVE-57570 | 10-in. | 12/2/1929 | Little cotton dolly | The Revelers | Male vocal quartet, with piano | vocalist, tenor vocal | |
Victor | BVE-57596 | 10-in. | 12/11/1929 | March of the grenadiers | Jeanette MacDonald | Female vocal solo, with male vocal quartet and orchestra | vocalist, tenor vocal |
Citation
Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Melton, James," accessed April 26, 2024, https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/105137.
Melton, James. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved April 26, 2024, from https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/105137.
"Melton, James." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 26 April 2024.
DAHR Persistent Identifier
External Sources
Wikipedia: James Melton
Discogs: James Melton
Grove: James Melton
IMDb: James Melton
Linked Open Data Sources
LCNAR: Melton, James, 1904-1961 - http://id.loc.gov/authorities/names/n85314073
Wikidata: James Melton - http://www.wikidata.org/entity/Q6139622
VIAF: http://viaf.org/viaf/61737029
MusicBrainz: James Melton - https://musicbrainz.org/artist/14d05160-24d5-4e37-b4a8-0ceddbdb18f7
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