Jazz Singer. He was educated at Stowe school, Buckinghamshire, where he became interested in modern art, jazz and blues. He joined the Royal Navy at the end of the Second World War, but never saw active service. He then worked in a London surrealist art gallery with E. L. T. Mesens. In 1948 he began singing with Mick Mulligan's Magnolia Jazz Band and was part of the "New Orleans Revival" jazz scene popular in Britain at the time. He retired from jazz in the early 1960s and became a film critic for The Observer newspaper. He also wrote the Daily Mail's satirical newspaper strip "Flook", and was scriptwriter of the 1967 film "Smashing Time". In 1972 he began singing with John Chilton's Feet warmers, a partnership that lasted until 2003. He recorded several albums with Chilton, including "Nuts" (1972) and "Son of Nuts" (1973). He described their tours in a column for Punch magazine. His singing style was strongly influenced by the American Blues singer Bessie Smith, and he was known for his choice of bawdy songs and exuberant stage performances. In 1978 he recorded the specially written song "Old Codger" with The Stranglers. He wrote several volumes of autobiography, beginning with "Owning Up" (1965) and ending with "Slowing Down" (2005). He also published books on British pop culture, "Revolt into Style" (1971) and surrealist art , "Paris and the Surrealists" (1991). In his later years he sang with jazz musician Digby Fairweather. On June 10th 2007, he gave his final performance, at the 100 Club in London, for a fund-raising event in aid of dementia charities. He died at home of lung cancer, the television show "George Melly's Last Stand" (2008) was an intimate portrayal of his last months.
Jazz Singer. He was educated at Stowe school, Buckinghamshire, where he became interested in modern art, jazz and blues. He joined the Royal Navy at the end of the Second World War, but never saw active service. He then worked in a London surrealist art gallery with E. L. T. Mesens. In 1948 he began singing with Mick Mulligan's Magnolia Jazz Band and was part of the "New Orleans Revival" jazz scene popular in Britain at the time. He retired from jazz in the early 1960s and became a film critic for The Observer newspaper. He also wrote the Daily Mail's satirical newspaper strip "Flook", and was scriptwriter of the 1967 film "Smashing Time". In 1972 he began singing with John Chilton's Feet warmers, a partnership that lasted until 2003. He recorded several albums with Chilton, including "Nuts" (1972) and "Son of Nuts" (1973). He described their tours in a column for Punch magazine. His singing style was strongly influenced by the American Blues singer Bessie Smith, and he was known for his choice of bawdy songs and exuberant stage performances. In 1978 he recorded the specially written song "Old Codger" with The Stranglers. He wrote several volumes of autobiography, beginning with "Owning Up" (1965) and ending with "Slowing Down" (2005). He also published books on British pop culture, "Revolt into Style" (1971) and surrealist art , "Paris and the Surrealists" (1991). In his later years he sang with jazz musician Digby Fairweather. On June 10th 2007, he gave his final performance, at the 100 Club in London, for a fund-raising event in aid of dementia charities. He died at home of lung cancer, the television show "George Melly's Last Stand" (2008) was an intimate portrayal of his last months.
Bio by: js
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