The Friday Flashback: Mel Tormé

Last week we offered belated birthday greetings to Bob Newhart. Which meant that we missed out on looking back at the late Mel Tormé on his birthday.

Born in Chicago to Russian immigrants September 13, 1925, Tormé was a child prodigy who started singing at the age of four with the Coon-Sanders Orchestra at the Blackhawk Restaurant, wrote the hit song "Lament to Love" for Harry James at 16, acted in radio serials and played drums in a band led by Chico Marx of the Marx Brothers. "The Velvet Fog" graduated from Hyde Park High School in 1944 and launched his solo career three years alter. This Youtube clip pairs Tormé with Jon Hendricks for a bright rendition of the Count Basie classic "Down for Double."