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| From | synchro1 <synchro1@ix.netcom.com> |
| Subject | another Melcher obituary |
| Date | Sun, 21 Nov 2004 22:13:22 -0800 |
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Two things add unnecessary sorrow for me here:
1. It was inevitable, but even in death the claw of tabloid fame reaches
out and attaches the name Manson to Melcher yet again.
2. "Subsequently, Melcher issued two less successful solo albums, Terry
Melcher and Royal Flush" - less successful in what sense? Sales? So what.
In terms of content, these are two of my very favorite albums of all
time. I rank the first one in my top 5 along with Pet Sounds and AWATS. I
have played that album at least once a month every month for the past 30
years. Royal Flush is in my top 25. To hear these songs sung with such an
idiosyncratic approach to arrangement and production with the best studio
musicians of the time playing their hearts out, what more could you
want? The late, great Clarence White plays some of his finest
string-bending leads ever here. Ry Cooder, Lowell George, Jim Keltner, Joe
Osborne, Larry Knechtel, Bruce Johnston, and even a duet with Doris Day and
an appearance by Spanky McFarlane.
Just listen to his incredible vocal and arrangement on "These Days".
Incredible.
Personally, I rank Terry Melcher as one of the very most important people
in post WWII American Pop music, he had a huge influence on a lot of people
while staying relatively unknown. And 62 is much to young to die of
anything, much less melanoma.
Somewhat more detailed than the AP piece, from the L.A. Times
Terry Melcher, surfin'-era performer, songwriter
By Myrna Oliver
Los Angeles Times
Posted November 21 2004
LOS ANGELES · Terry Melcher, surfin'-era singer, songwriter and recording
executive who produced the Byrds' No. 1 hits Mr. Tambourine Man and Turn,
Turn, Turn and co-wrote The Beach Boys' well-loved Kokomo, has died. He was
62.
Melcher, who also worked on several projects with his mother, actress and
singer Doris Day, died Friday night in his Beverly Hills, Calif., home of
cancer, publicist Linda Dozoretz said Saturday. Helping to shape the
California surf, rock, and folk music scene in the 1960s, the multifaceted
musician sang background, played piano, wrote lyrics, composed music and
produced records and shows including the Monterey Pop Festival.
During his famous mother's filmmaking heyday, he often composed songs for
her projects, including the title ballad Move Over, Darling for her 1963
movie with James Garner and Polly Bergen. He also was an executive producer
of her CBS television series, The Doris Day Show from 1968 to 1972, and
engineered her return to television in the `mid-1980s with the show Doris
Day's Best Friends.
In the early 1960s, Melcher formed Bruce & Terry with Bruce Johnston, who
later joined the Beach Boys, and had hits with Custom Machine and Summer
Means Fun.
The duo also formed The Rip Chords and recorded such successes as the top 10
Hey, Little Cobra, which they released in an album, along with the album
Other Hot Rod Hits.
Subsequently, Melcher issued two less successful solo albums, Terry Melcher
and Royal Flush. He also performed backup on albums of his friends, the
Beach Boys, including their successful Pet Sounds.
In the mid-1960s, Melcher became a staff producer for Columbia Records and
hit his stride when he was assigned to work with a new band called the
Byrds. He helped craft their fusion of rock and folk into a new and
immensely popular sound, and produced their definitive versions of Bob
Dylan's Mr. Tambourine Man and Pete Seeger's Turn, Turn, Turn, as well as
later albums including Ballad of Easy Rider.
The young producerwent on to turn the rag-tag garage band Paul Revere and
the Raiders into a mainstream pop group. He wrote such hits for them as Him
or Me -- What's It Gonna Be? and The Great Airplane Strike.
Other well-known artists relying on the Melcher touch included the Mamas and
the Papas, Bobby Darin and Glen Campbell.
He licensed and marketed his mother's record, broadcast and video
properties, and helped operate her nonprofit organizations, the Doris Day
Animal League and Doris Day Animal Foundation.
Born Feb. 8, 1942 in New York City to Day and her first husband, trombonist
Al Jorden, Melcher was adopted 10 years later by her third husband, Martin
Melcher, and took his surname.
He is survived by Day, wife Terese and a son from a previous marriage, Ryan.
The Los Angeles Times is a Tribune Co. newspaper.
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