Joe Melson
Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame member Joe Melson has died at age 91.
Melson is best known for his 1960s collaborations with Nashville pop star Roy Orbison (1936-1988), including standards such as “Blue Bayou,” “Crying,” “Only the Lonely” and “Running Scared.”
Claudie Joe Melson was raised in Bonham, Texas, northeast of Fort Worth. By the time of his teen years in the early 1950s, he was singing professionally and writing songs. He went to work in the mailroom at Standard Oil while studying accounting at Odessa Junior College. In the evenings, he entertained youngsters at dances and nightclubs with his rockabilly band, The Cavaliers. The group’s crowd-pleasing “Raindrops” became Melson’s debut single.
In 1957, he met fellow Texan Orbison, and the two began cowriting songs. They first came out with “Only the Lonely.” This 1960 smash launched Orbison’s hit-making career and is regarded as the first operatic rock song. It was also recorded by Kitty Wells, Floyd Cramer and Jack Greene. In 1969, Sonny James had a No. 1 country hit with “Only the Lonely.” It has since been revived by Glen Campbell (1973) and Chris Isaac (1996), among others.
The Orbison/Melson team followed that song with the 1960 singles “Blue Angel” and “I’m Hurtin.’” In early 1961, the throbbing-crescendo ballad “Running Scared” became their first No. 1 pop smash. Over the years, “Running Scared” has also been recorded by Del Shannon, The Lettermen, Glen Campbell and Jeff Lynne.
The 1961 Orbison/Melson hit “Crying” became an even more familiar tune. More than a dozen other stars have had success with this song, including Bobby Vinton, Waylon Jennings, Dottie West, B.J. Thomas, Pat Benatar, Lynn Anderson, Deana Carter and Clay Aiken. Jay & The Americans revived “Crying” on the pop charts in 1966, while Arlene Harden (1970), Ronnie Milsap (1976) and Stephanie Winslow (1980) brought it onto the country hit parade. In 1981, Don McLean’s version of “Crying” became a substantial hit on the pop, A/C, country and British charts. Orbison and K.D. lang performed it as a duet in 1987 and won a Grammy Award.
Melson and Orbison’s “Blue Bayou” was a top 30 pop hit in 1963. Linda Ronstadt revived it as a massive international pop smash in 1977. The Cox Family, Wayne Newton, Ed Bruce, Raul Malo, Billie Jo Spears, Norah Jones and Harry Dean Stanton are among the many others who have recorded “Blue Bayou.”
Other Orbison/Melson collaborations included “The Crowd,” “Up Town,” “Barbara,” “I’m in a Blue Blue Mood,” “Lookin’ for Love,” “(I Get So) Sentimental,” “The Actress” and “Come Back to Me (My Love).” Roy Orbison was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1987.
Another of Joe Melson’s songwriting collaborators was Don Gant. They co-wrote “Run, Baby, Run (Back Into My Arms),” which was a big pop hit in 1965 for The Newbeats. The Gant/Melson team also co-wrote Orbison’s 1967 single “Cry Softly Lonely One.”
Melson and Glenn Barber co-wrote the latter’s 1972 country hit “I’m the Man on Susie’s Mind.” Melson was also behind Barber’s 1979 favorite “Love Songs Just for You,” plus Barber’s 1972 hit “Unexpected Goodbye.”
Don Gibson scored a top 30 country hit with Melson’s cowritten “Ever Changing Mind” in 1969. Others who have recorded Melson’s songs include Del Reeves, Bob Luman, Bobby Vee, The Crickets, Conway Twitty, The Velvets, and Danny Davis.
The songwriter also maintained a recording career. Melson issued singles on Hickory Records in 1960-63. The best known of these is “Hey Mr. Cupid.” He continued to record for other labels in 1964, 1965, 1971, 1979, and beyond. Melson sang and/or arranged the inventive background vocals on all of the hits he wrote with Orbison The two also recorded vocal duets.
He and Orbison resumed their songwriting partnership in 1971-75.
Melson remained engaged in music throughout the succeeding decades. He issued singles as recently as 2014. He also continued to perform. Over the years, he entertained at rockabilly-revival and nostalgia festivals. He was a familiar figure on the music scene in Hendersonville.
“Only the Lonely” went into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 1999, and “Crying” joined it in 2002. Also in 2002, Melson was inducted into the International Rock-A-Billy Hall of Fame, located in Jackson, Tennessee. He was elected to the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2018.
Melson reportedly wrote songs right up to the weeks before his passing on July 1 in Music City.
He is survived by his sister, Katie Bethel, his children, Michael Melson, Michelle Byerly, Melodie Garner, and Serena Aaker; grandchildren, Sabrina Molina and Aden Aaker; great-grandchildren, Heidi Mollinary and Bianca Molina and many extended family members and friends. Melson’s final arrangements were entrusted to the Hendersonville Memory Gardens, Funeral Home and Cremation Center.
The Melson family honored Joe’s wishes by not holding a memorial service. However, Joe asked that the following message be shared: “Dad loves you all. Don’t cry for me. Remember me when I was alive.”
In lieu of flowers or gifts, the family invites those who wish to honor his memory to make a donation at donate.jw.org.
