James Melton was born in Moultrie, Georgia, but was raised in Citra, Florida, where his parents grew melons and handled hogs.
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.
The following year, he began singing on New York radio for no pay. He joined "Roxy's Gang", a cabaret group led by Samuel Roxy
Rothafel, who worked with the Sieberling Singers. He made records for Victor Records, singing as one of the tenors with The Revelers
and for Columbia Records with the same group under the pseudonym of The Singing Sophomores.
Melton had recorded his first songs under his own name for Columbia in the autumn of 1927. He quickly became a popular singer and made
numerous vocal recordings as well as singing vocal choruses for dance records. By 1931, the Great Depression along with the rise of
conservatism and a religious revival initiated a movement to more masculine sounding voices in popular music. Singers such as
Franklyn Baur, Nick Lucas and Harold Scrappy Lambert saw their careers end, while baritones such as Bing Crosby and Russ
Columbo became popular.
Tenor voices became viewed as outdated in popular music. Melton was forced to change paths and decided
to try to continue his career with classical music. He began to train his voice with help from the pianist Michael Raucheisen
in Berlin and gave his first concert performance at Town Hall on 22 April 1932 in New York and embarked on an American and
Canadian concert tour along with songwriter George Gershwin in 1934.
Melton continued to perform on the radio, as a Voice of Firestone on The Firestone Hour beginning in 1933, on Ward's
Family Theater in 1935, The Sealtest Sunday Night Party (1936), The Palmolive Beauty Box Theater (1937), The Song Shop (1938),
the Bell Telephone Hour (1940), Texaco Star Theater (1944) and Harvest of Stars (1945).
Although not distinguished as a dramatic actor, he also appeared in movies, including Stars over Broadway (1935), Sing me
a love song (1936), Melody for two (1937), and the MGM revue, Ziegfeld follies (1946).
After voice training with Angelo Canarutto, Melton's operatic singing career took off in 1938
when he appeared with the Cincinnati Zoo Opera Company as Pinkerton in Madama Butterfly and also with the St. Louis Opera
Company as Alfredo in La traviata. In 1939 he sang Pinkerton for his debut with the Philadelphia La Scala Opera Company
with Annunciata Garrotto as Cio-cio-san.
He worked with the Chicago Civic Opera from 1940 to 1942, appearing with Helen Jepson
in Madama Butterfly, with Lily Pons in Lucia di Lammermoor, with Risë Stevens in Mignon and in Martha.
On 7 December 1942, Melton made his debut at the Metropolitan Opera as Tamino in Die Zauberflöte. He continued to perform
at the Met through 1950. Melton spent the 1950s making records, singing in nightclubs, appearing on television and collecting
rare automobiles. His last stage production was Sigmund Romberg's The student prince.
He established an auto museum in Hypoluxo, Florida, which he called the Autorama. Ken Purdy interviewed him on his collection
and wrote a book about it. The museum was dispersed after his death.
Melton has two stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, one for radio and the other for recording. He died in New York City.
He is buried at the Woodlawn Cemetery in Ocala, Marion County, Florida.
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