Mel Tormé

Melvin Howard Tormé (September 13, 1925 – June 5, 1999), professionally known as Mel Tormé and nicknamed "the Velvet Fog," was an American jazz singer, songwriter, composer, arranger, drummer, actor, and author renowned for his smooth, mellow vocal timbre and mastery of scat singing, which blended bebop influences with the Great American Songbook. Born in Chicago, Illinois, to Russian-Jewish immigrant parents, Tormé emerged as a child prodigy, performing on stage at age four with the Coon-Sanders Nighthawks orchestra and later appearing in vaudeville shows and radio programs such as Jack Armstrong, the All-American Boy. By his early teens, he was writing songs, including "Lament to Love" at age 15, which became a modest hit for Harry James, and he studied piano and drums while balancing high school and early professional gigs.

Tormé's career spanned nearly seven decades, beginning in the 1940s when he formed the vocal group the Mel-Tones, whose 1944 recording of "White Christmas" marked their debut, followed by hits like "What Is This Thing Called Love?" He transitioned to a solo career in 1947 after signing with Capitol Records, achieving chart success with songs such as "Careless Hands" and "Blue Moon," and co-authoring the enduring holiday standard "The Christmas Song" (also known as "Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire") in 1946 with Bob Wells. Throughout the 1950s and 1960s, he collaborated with arranger Marty Paich on acclaimed albums like the 1957 release with the Dek-Tette, featuring innovative takes on standards such as "Night and Day" and "Folks Who Live on the Hill," and scored a surprise pop hit with "Comin' Home Baby" in 1962. His versatility extended to acting, including roles in films and a notable 1984 guest appearance on the TV series Night Court, as well as writing books on figures like Judy Garland and Buddy Rich.

Melvin Howard Tormé was born on September 13, 1925, in Chicago, Illinois, to Russian-Jewish immigrant parents whose surname was originally Torma but was altered to Tormé by an immigration official. His father, William Tormé, owned a dry goods store and sold butter and eggs from a Model A Ford truck, while his mother, Sophie Tormé, worked as a pianist demonstrating sheet music at a Woolworth's store. The family resided on Chicago's South Side, a vibrant neighborhood that served as the hub of African-American culture and business during the era, exposing young Tormé to diverse musical influences from an early age.

Tormé's upbringing was steeped in music and entertainment, with his parents fostering a home filled with singing, piano playing, and a passion for films; they named him after actor Melvyn Douglas and his younger sister Myrna after actress Myrna Loy. Family gatherings often involved communal singing on the front stoop for neighbors, blending sacred Hebrew songs from his grandfather with popular tunes and ukulele performances by uncles, which ignited Tormé's innate musical talents. His mother played a pivotal role in nurturing his abilities, teaching him new songs and encouraging his performances, while the family's modest circumstances during the Great Depression were supplemented by income from his early gigs.