Description: 1955 JAMES MELTON IN WORDS AND MUSIC SOUVENIR PROGRAM ANTIQUE CARS EXC Z5661. EXCELLENT CONDITION. JAMES MELTON, THE MUSICIAN, WAS ALSO AN ANTIQUE CAR COLLECTOR AS NOTED BELOW. HE COLLECTED LOCOMOBILES, EARLY CADILLACS, WHITE & STANLEY STEAMERS, PIERCE ARROWS, ROLLS ROYCES & MANY MORE. HE ALSO COLLECTED MECHANICAL TOYS & TRAINS. THE BACK OF THE PROGRAM CONTAINS AN ARTICLE ON HIS CAR COLLECTING MUSEUM: AUTORAMA. A SCARCE PIECE!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. IN 1948, HE ESTABLISHED THE MELTON MUSEUM IN NORWALK, CONNECTICUT TO SHOWCASE HIS GROWING COLLECTION OF OVER 125 ANTIQUE CARS . IN APRIL 1953, THE COLLECTION WAS MOVED TO HYPOLUXO, FLORIDA AND RENAMED THE JAMES MELTON AUTORAMA, WITH GREATLY EXPANDED AND DEVELOPED DISPLAYS. KEN PURDY INTERVIEWED HIM ON HIS COLLECTION AND WROTE A BOOK ABOUT IT. THE MUSEUM'S COLLECTION WAS DISPERSED AFTER HIS DEATH. MELTON HAS TWO STARS ON THE HOLLYWOOD WALK OF FAME , ONE IS FOR RADIO AND THE OTHER FOR RECORDINGS OF HIS. MELTON DIED AT THE AGE OF 57 IN NEW YORK CITY IN 1961. Here for your consideration is a great vintage item! Please see the images of the actual item for the best idea of condition. Be sure to check out all of the other great items that we have HERE!
Price: 57.84 USD
Location: Mount Airy, Georgia
End Time: 2025-02-14T11:47:30.000Z
Shipping Cost: 5.99 USD
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Item Specifics
Return shipping will be paid by: Buyer
All returns accepted: Returns Accepted
Item must be returned within: 30 Days
Refund will be given as: Money Back
Year: 1955
Country/Region of Manufacture: United States
