Mel Street
Encyclopedia
King Malachi Street commonly known as Mel Street, was an American
country music
singer.
family. Publications cite his year of birth as 1933
, although his family maintains that he was born in 1935
.
He began performing on western Virginia and West Virginia
radio shows at the age of sixteen. Street subsequently worked as a radio tower
electrician in Ohio
and as a nightclub
performer in the Niagara Falls
area. He moved back to West Virginia in 1963
to open up an auto body shop.
From 1968
to 1972
, Street hosted his own show on a Bluefield, West Virginia
television station. He recorded his first single, "Borrowed Angel," in 1970
for a small regional record label. A larger label, Royal American Records, picked it up in 1972, and it became a top-10 Billboard
hit. He recorded the biggest hit of his career, "Lovin' on Back Streets", in 1973
.
Street continued to flourish throughout the mid-1970s, recording several hits such as "You Make Me Feel More Like a Man," "Forbidden Angel," "I Met a Friend of Yours Today," "If I Had a Cheatin' Heart," and "Smokey Mountain Memories". He signed with Mercury Records
in 1978
. But, suffering from clinical depression
and alcoholism
, he committed suicide
by a self-inflicted gunshot wound, on October 21, 1978, his 45th birthday. Sadly he had a record debut on the country charts on October 21 as well, a prophetic song called "Just Hangin' On".
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
country music
Country music
Country music is a popular American musical style that began in the rural Southern United States in the 1920s. It takes its roots from Western cowboy and folk music...
singer.
Biography
Street was born in Rowe, Virginia to a coal miningCoal mining
The goal of coal mining is to obtain coal from the ground. Coal is valued for its energy content, and since the 1880s has been widely used to generate electricity. Steel and cement industries use coal as a fuel for extraction of iron from iron ore and for cement production. In the United States,...
family. Publications cite his year of birth as 1933
1933 in country music
This is a list of notable events in country music that took place in the year 1933.- Births :* March 10 - Ralph Emery, radio and television personality.* April 15 - Roy Clark, singer and multi-instrumentalist, host of television's Hee Haw....
, although his family maintains that he was born in 1935
1935 in country music
This is a list of notable events in country music that took place in the year 1935.-Top hits of the year:* "Can the Circle Be Unbroken " - Carter Family* "I Want to be a Cowboy's Sweetheart" - Patsy Montana and the Prairie Ramblers...
.
He began performing on western Virginia and West Virginia
West Virginia
West Virginia is a state in the Appalachian and Southeastern regions of the United States, bordered by Virginia to the southeast, Kentucky to the southwest, Ohio to the northwest, Pennsylvania to the northeast and Maryland to the east...
radio shows at the age of sixteen. Street subsequently worked as a radio tower
Radio masts and towers
Radio masts and towers are, typically, tall structures designed to support antennas for telecommunications and broadcasting, including television. They are among the tallest man-made structures...
electrician in Ohio
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
and as a nightclub
Nightclub
A nightclub is an entertainment venue which usually operates late into the night...
performer in the Niagara Falls
Niagara Falls, New York
Niagara Falls is a city in Niagara County, New York, United States. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 50,193, down from the 55,593 recorded in the 2000 census. It is across the Niagara River from Niagara Falls, Ontario , both named after the famed Niagara Falls which they...
area. He moved back to West Virginia in 1963
1963 in country music
This is a list of notable events in country music that took place in the year 1963.-Events:*March — The month marks a dark time for country music, as it lost no less than five people in a seemingly endless string of tragedies.-United States:...
to open up an auto body shop.
From 1968
1968 in country music
This is a list of notable events in country music that took place in the year 1968.-Events:* January 13 — Johnny Cash records his legendary concert at Folsom State Prison...
to 1972
1972 in country music
This is a list of notable events in country music that took place in the year 1972.-Events:* March — For the first time since 1967, Sonny James fails to hit the No. 1 spot on Billboard's Hot Country Singles Chart with a single release. His hit, "Only Love " stops at No. 2...
, Street hosted his own show on a Bluefield, West Virginia
Bluefield, West Virginia
Bluefield is a city in Mercer County, West Virginia, United States. The population was 10,447 at the 2010 census. It is also the core city of the Bluefield WV-VA micropolitan area which has a population of 107,342.-Geography & Climate:...
television station. He recorded his first single, "Borrowed Angel," in 1970
1970 in country music
This is a list of notable events in country music that took place in the year 1970.-Events:* September — That Good Ole Nashville Music debuts in syndication. The series will run until 1985.-United States:...
for a small regional record label. A larger label, Royal American Records, picked it up in 1972, and it became a top-10 Billboard
Billboard charts
The Billboard charts tabulate the relative weekly popularity of songs or albums in the United States. The results are published in Billboard magazine...
hit. He recorded the biggest hit of his career, "Lovin' on Back Streets", in 1973
Country music
Country music is a popular American musical style that began in the rural Southern United States in the 1920s. It takes its roots from Western cowboy and folk music...
.
Street continued to flourish throughout the mid-1970s, recording several hits such as "You Make Me Feel More Like a Man," "Forbidden Angel," "I Met a Friend of Yours Today," "If I Had a Cheatin' Heart," and "Smokey Mountain Memories". He signed with Mercury Records
Mercury Records
Mercury Records is a record label operating as a standalone company in the UK and as part of the Island Def Jam Motown Music Group in the US; both are subsidiaries of Universal Music Group. There is also a Mercury Records in Australia, which is a local artist and repertoire division of Universal...
in 1978
1978 in country music
This is a list of notable events in country music that took place in the year 1978.-Events:* March 4 — The Public Broadcasting System telecasts the first complete Grand Ole Opry show from the new Grand Ole Opry House as it happened from 6-9 pm...
. But, suffering from clinical depression
Clinical depression
Major depressive disorder is a mental disorder characterized by an all-encompassing low mood accompanied by low self-esteem, and by loss of interest or pleasure in normally enjoyable activities...
and alcoholism
Alcoholism
Alcoholism is a broad term for problems with alcohol, and is generally used to mean compulsive and uncontrolled consumption of alcoholic beverages, usually to the detriment of the drinker's health, personal relationships, and social standing...
, he committed suicide
Suicide
Suicide is the act of intentionally causing one's own death. Suicide is often committed out of despair or attributed to some underlying mental disorder, such as depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, alcoholism, or drug abuse...
by a self-inflicted gunshot wound, on October 21, 1978, his 45th birthday. Sadly he had a record debut on the country charts on October 21 as well, a prophetic song called "Just Hangin' On".
Albums
| Year | Album | US Country | Label |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1972 | Borrowed Angel | 14 | Metromedia Country |
| 1973 | The Town Where You Live / Walk Softly On the Bridges |
37 | |
| 1974 | Two Way Street | 37 | GRT |
| 1975 | Smokey Mountain Memories | 16 | |
| 1976 | Mel Street's Greatest Hits | 26 | |
| Country Colors | — | ||
| 1977 | Mel Street | 45 | Polydor |
| 1978 | Country Soul | 47 | |
| Mel Street | — | Mercury | |
| 1980 | Many Moods of Mel | 61 | Sunbird |
Singles
| Year | Single | Chart Positions | Album | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US Country Hot Country Songs Hot Country Songs is a chart published weekly by Billboard magazine in the United States.This 60-position chart lists the most popular country music songs, calculated weekly mostly by airplay and occasionally commercial sales... |
CAN Country | |||
| 1972 | "Borrowed Angel" | 7 | 9 | Borrowed Angel |
| "Lovin' On Back Streets" | 5 | 8 | ||
| 1973 | "Walk Softly On the Bridges" | 11 | 6 | The Town Where You Live / Walk Softly On the Bridges |
| "The Town Where You Live" | 38 | 58 | ||
| "Lovin' On Borrowed Time" | 11 | 7 | Two Way Street | |
| 1974 | "You Make Me Feel More Like a Man" | 15 | — | |
| "Forbidden Angel" | 16 | 47 | Smokey Mountain Memories | |
| 1975 | "Smokey Mountain Memories" | 13 | 43 | |
| "Even If I Have to Steal" | 17 | 17 | ||
| "(This Ain't Just Another) Lust Affair" | 23 | — | ||
| 1976 | "The Devil in Your Kisses (And the Angel in Your Eyes)" | 32 | — | Mel Street's Greatest Hits |
| "I Met a Friend of Your's Today" | 10 | — | Country Colors | |
| "Looking Out My Window Through the Pain" | 24 | — | ||
| 1977 | "Rodeo Bum" | 56 | — | |
| "Barbara Don't Let Me Be the Last to Know" | 19 | — | Mel Street (1977) | |
| "Close Enough for Lonesome" | 15 | — | ||
| 1978 | "If I Had a Cheating Heart" | 9 | — | Country Soul |
| "Shady Rest" | 24 | — | ||
| "Just Hangin' On" | 68 | — | Mel Street (1978) | |
| 1979 | "The One Thing My Lady Never Puts Into Words" | 17 | — | Many Moods of Mel |
| 1980 | "Tonight Let's Sleep On It Baby" | 30 | — | |
| "Who'll Turn Out the Lights" | 36 | — | ||
| 1981 | "Slip Away" (w/ Sandy Powell) | 48 | — |
External links
- http://www.birthplaceofcountrymusic.org/node/86
- Mel Street @ Last.fm