Tormé, Mel(vin Howard) (1925–1999)

US vocalist, composer, and author. The epitome of Cool School jazz singers, he toured as a headlining concert performer and recorded a string of hit records throughout the 1950s. His first song, ‘Lament to Love’, was recorded by Harry James in 1941. ‘The Christmas Song’ and ‘Born to be Blue’ are among his other songs. He also appeared as an actor in numerous dramatic television series. He is the author of biographies of Judy Garland and Buddy Rich, and an autobiography, It Wasn't All Velvet.

Tormé was born in Chicago, Illinois. He was involved in show business from the age of four, singing with the Coon-Sanders Orchestra in 1929. He studied drums and song-writing while acting in radio soap operas between 1934 and 1940. In 1942–43, he sang and played drums with Chico Marx, then led his own vocal group, the Mel-Tones, in California until 1947.