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Terrence "Terry" Melcher 1942 - 2004

Terrence Melcher was born on February 8, 1942 at New York City to Doris Day and Al Jorden, and died at age 62 years old on November 19, 2004 at Beverly Hills, California in Beverly Hills, CA. Terrence Melcher was buried in November 2004 at Holy Cross Catholic Cemetery 5835 W Slauson Ave, in Culver City, Los Angeles County.

Terrence Melcher

Terry Melcher

February 8, 1942

New York City

November 19, 2004

Beverly Hills, California in Beverly Hills, CA

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Terrence "Terry" Melcher Terrence Melcher (1942 - 2004)

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Terrence Melcher's History: 1942 - 2004

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Introduction

Terrence "Terry" Melcher was an American musician, songwriter, and record producer who made significant contributions to the music industry during the 1960s and 1970s. He is best known for his work with artists such as The Beach Boys, The Byrds, and Paul Revere & The Raiders. Despite his success in the industry, Melcher's life was not without its share of challenges and controversies, including his involvement with the notorious Charles Manson cult. Terry is the son of Doris Day, American actress, singer, and animal welfare activist.
02/8

1942

Birthday

February 8, 1942

Birthdate

New York City

Birthplace

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Ethnicity & Family History

Terrence "Terry" Melcher was born on February 8, 1942, in New York City, to parents Doris Day and Al Jorden. Melcher's father was a successful trombonist and arranger in the music industry, while his mother was a popular actress and singer. Melcher came from a mixed ethnic background. His mother, Doris Day, was of German and English descent, while his father, Al Jorden, was of Scottish, Irish, and English ancestry. Despite his parents' successful careers in the entertainment industry, Melcher's childhood was not without its challenges. His parents' marriage ended in divorce just two years after he was born, and he was primarily raised by his mother and stepfather.
Nationality & Locations

He was born in New York City and spent his early years in California, primarily in the Beverly Hills and Carmel areas. As a young adult, Melcher moved to Los Angeles, where he pursued a career in the music industry. He lived in several locations in the city, including in the Laurel Canyon neighborhood, which was a hub for the music scene in the 1960s and 1970s. Later in his life, Melcher also spent time living in the small coastal town of Malibu, California. It was during his time in Malibu that he became entangled with the notorious Charles Manson cult. After the Manson murders, Melcher reportedly lived in various locations under assumed names, in part to avoid the media attention and scrutiny that came with his connection to the case. He ultimately settled in Monterey, California, where he continued to work in the music industry until his death in 2004.
Early Life & Education

In his freshman and sophomore high school years, Terry attended the Loomis Chaffee School in Connecticut, then returned to California for his junior and senior years at Beverly Hills High. He subsequently attended Principia College in Illinois for a short time.
Military Service

Terrence did not have any known military involvement. He was born in 1942, and by the time he reached draft age, the Vietnam War was already well underway.
Professional Career

Terrence Melcher had a successful career in the music industry as a musician, songwriter, and record producer. He began his career in the early 1960s as a member of the band Bruce & Terry, which had several hits in the surf music genre. Melcher went on to work as a record producer, collaborating with artists such as The Byrds, The Beach Boys, and Paul Revere & The Raiders. He produced some of The Byrds' most well-known albums, including "Mr. Tambourine Man" and "Turn! Turn! Turn!", and he also co-wrote several of their hit songs. In addition to his work as a producer, Melcher also wrote and performed his own music. He released several solo albums in the 1970s, including "Terry Melcher" and "Royal Flush", which showcased his skills as a songwriter and musician. Despite his success in the industry, Melcher's career was not without its challenges. He was famously involved with the notorious Charles Manson cult, who had hoped to launch a music career with Melcher's help. Melcher ultimately distanced himself from the group, but his connection to the Manson family cast a shadow over his career. Despite these challenges, Melcher's contributions to the music industry continue to be celebrated, and his legacy lives on through the music he created and the artists he helped to shape.
Personal Life & Family

He was married and divorced twice and had several high-profile romantic relationships throughout his life. In the late 1960s, Melcher began a relationship with actress Candice Bergen, and the two lived together in a house in the Hollywood Hills that would later become infamous as the site of the Manson Family murders. Although Melcher had severed ties with the Manson Family prior to the murders, the association haunted him for years to come. Later in his life, Melcher battled addiction and struggled with his mental health. He checked into rehab in the early 1990s and was able to get sober. He also worked to improve his mental health, seeking treatment for anxiety and depression. Melcher's life was cut tragically short when he died of melanoma on November 19, 2004, at the age of 62. His death was a great loss to the music industry, and he is remembered for his contributions to the genre and for the mark he left on the cultural landscape of the 1960s and 1970s.
11/19

2004

Death

November 19, 2004

Death date

Melanoma.

Cause of death

Beverly Hills, California in Beverly Hills, CA
Death location

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11/dd

2004

Gravesite & Burial

November 2004

Funeral date
Holy Cross Catholic Cemetery 5835 W Slauson Ave, in Culver City, Los Angeles County, California 90230, United States
Burial location
Obituary

Terry Melcher, 62, Creator of Hits in Surf-Music World, Is Dead By Jeff Leeds Nov. 22, 2004 LOS ANGELES, Nov. 21 - Terry Melcher, a record producer who created hits with the Beach Boys and the Byrds, died on Friday in Beverly Hills after a long battle with cancer, his publicist, Linda Dozoretz, said Saturday. He was 62. The son of the actress and singer Doris Day and her first husband, the trombonist Al Jorden, Mr. Melcher was known in the music industry for his role in shaping the sounds of the folk and surf music scenes in California. He also wrote songs and produced festivals and other events. Mr. Melcher started his career as a solo performer in the early 1960's, later pairing up with Bruce Johnston, the future Beach Boy. Their act, Bruce & Terry, had several hits. They later formed the Rip Chords and found success with the 1964 hit "Hey, Little Cobra." Mr. Melcher also performed on the seminal Beach Boys album "Pet Sounds." As a Columbia Records staff producer in the mid-60's, Mr. Melcher helped to transform a little-known folk-rock band, the Byrds, into stars. He produced their versions of "Mr. Tambourine Man" and "Turn, Turn, Turn" and later recordings like "Ballad of Easy Rider." He also worked with the folk and rock pioneers Gram Parsons, the Mamas and the Papas and Ry Cooder. Mr. Melcher was a peripheral figure in the notorious Charles Manson case of 1969, having once rented the house in which Sharon Tate and her friends were killed by Mr. Manson's followers. There was speculation at the time that Mr. Melcher, who knew Mr. Manson, was the intended target because he had turned down Mr. Manson's request for a recording contract. But police established that Mr. Melcher had moved and that Mr. Manson knew his whereabouts. From 1968 to 1972 Mr. Melcher was the executive producer of his mother's television series, "The Doris Day Show." He later co-produced her mid-1980's program, "Doris Day's Best Friends." He also helped stoke a 1980's revival for the Beach Boys, co-writing the hit "Kokomo," which was featured in the Tom Cruise film "Cocktail" and received a Golden Globe nomination in 1988 for best original song. Born Feb. 8, 1942, in New York City, Mr. Melcher was adopted 10 years later by Ms. Day's third husband, Martin Melcher, and took his surname. But the fact that he was Ms. Day's only child proved more than helpful as he sought to build his career, and early on he used the name Terry Day. He remained close to his mother as she battled personal and financial troubles, and recently had been running various businesses for her and supervising her charitable activities, including the Doris Day Animal Foundation. In addition to Ms. Day, he is survived by his wife, Terese, and a son, Ryan, from a previous marriage.

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Terrence "Terry" Melcher lived 13 years shorter than the average family member when died at the age of 62.

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