OBIT: Mel Bay (May 14, 1997 - age 84)

Subject: RE: OBIT: Mel Bay
From: Rolfyboy6
Date: 23 Apr 02 - 09:15 PM

I've still got FUN WITH THE GUITAR and the chord books and book one of the method. It was Mel that demystified the basics all those years ago (yes that is Mel in the pictures, no sense wasting money). Thanks Mel on the fifth anniversary of your death. And thanks for having a son who played in orchestras and bands on his own before you turned the business over to him. Your outfit has gone on publishing.

Subject: RE: OBIT: Mel Bay
From: 53
Date: 23 Apr 02 - 09:10 PM

I had a couple of his books when I first started guitar back in 64. Sorry to hear about his passing. Bob

Subject: RE: OBIT: Mel Bay
From: GUEST,Owain
Date: 23 Apr 02 - 03:32 PM

Used to be you could guarantee a laugh among musicians by just mentioning his name...Now I'm sorry about it, because when in doubt always go back to the basics and that usually included a Mel Bay chord book. Didn't realize how important he was to me as I learned each separate instrument. Rest in peace, Mel and thank you.

Subject: RE: OBIT: Mel Bay
From: Irish sergeant
Date: 23 Apr 02 - 03:19 PM

A way belated thanks Mel! I still have a few of his books here and never regretted buying them. Neil

Subject: RE: OBIT: Mel Bay
From: catspaw49
Date: 23 Apr 02 - 01:27 PM

How about an Obit on the "Obits?" Every other thread seems to be an obit anymore including ones for people long dead it seems........

Hey Coyote......Quite a few big time folks played with pollak including Glenn Miller. Neat to know about your uncle!

BTW, you must be closer to St.L than I thought if Kirkwood is downstream. One set of my wife's grandparents lived there.

Spaw

Subject: RE: OBIT: Mel Bay
From: X
Date: 23 Apr 02 - 01:05 PM

Anglo and all:

I stand corrected and I apoligize. Mr. Bay did pass in 97. It was "aol search" that gave the date 4/08/02.

Subject: RE: OBIT: Mel Bay
From: X
Date: 23 Apr 02 - 12:56 PM

You can read Mel Bay's obit. at www.eonline.com

Subject: RE: OBIT: Mel Bay
From: SharonA
Date: 23 Apr 02 - 11:14 AM

According to Anglo's reference, Mel Bay was born in 1913.

Oddly, I can't find any biographical info about him on the Mel Bay Publications site.

Unlike Bonnie, I was pretty sure there actually was a person named Mel Bay, but his name has become so completely synonymous with his product that he's joined the ranks of Colonel Sanders and Orville Redenbacher (at least Mel Bay Publications hasn't created a posthumous cartoon caricature of him to advertise their books)!

Bay has certainly left a legacy of encouraging new musicians. The message I've always gotten from his instructional material is: "You're better at this than you think you are, and with just these few simple tips and some practice you'll be better at this than I am!" While perhaps not the definitive source for "authentic" traditional music, his collections are still valuable learning tools. He's exposed an awful lot of people to an awful lot of good music, and he's made an awful lot of people awfully happy. A life well lived, if ever there was one.

Subject: RE: OBIT: Mel Bay
From: SINSULL
Date: 23 Apr 02 - 11:10 AM

Mel Bay wrote those books for me and I am very grateful. Even the diagram showing which is the ring finger helped.

Subject: RE: OBIT: Mel Bay
From: Dharmabum
Date: 23 Apr 02 - 10:59 AM

There's probably few of us here that haven't gone through "Mel Bay Madness" at some point.

It was 32 years ago that Me,Mel & a Stella guitar were introduced.

Been downhill ever since**(BG)**.

Thanks Mel.

DB.

Subject: RE: OBIT: Mel Bay
From: Steve Latimer
Date: 23 Apr 02 - 10:56 AM

I went to the Website. It wasn't Fun With The Kazoo that I'd seen, it was Fun With The Jaws Harp. 'Spaw, they also have a Fun With The Ocarina book, did you ghost write that one?

Subject: RE: OBIT: Mel Bay
From: Coyote Breath
Date: 23 Apr 02 - 09:56 AM

Yeah, I am certain he died in '97 or so. His store is located in Kirkwood, Missouri just downstream from my town. I have been in there many times and talked with him. I too thought he was a "logo" but he was very real. Mel Bay publishing has a TON of books, not just instructional manuals. I think that you can get a complete catalog from them. The store sells all that they publish as well as a wide assortment of musical instruments. They also rent instruments. They try to keep prices down but do stock the expensive instruments as well. My mandolin cost $150 but I traded an old tenor banjo I had picked up at a yard sale. I think I paid him $25 or $30. Got a chipboard case and his mandolin instruction book as well. They stand behind everything they sell and replaced the first mandolin which developed a "dip" in the top after a couple of months of humid Missouri summer, bad bracing.

He knew my uncle Ted Meisenheimer who is a musician, writer and arranger. I thought that he said they were in an orchestra together, possibly Ben Pollak's. They played during the same era. ( the 1930's to 40's) If the death date is correct and he was 84 at the time of his death, he and uncle Ted are about 4 years apart. Ted was born in 1907 and will be 95 this July. I'll call Mel Bay's and ask about the date.

CB

Subject: RE: OBIT: Mel Bay
From: Anglo
Date: 23 Apr 02 - 09:15 AM

I'm wondering where this information came from. Mel Bay passed away in 1997. See, for example (sorry no clickie):

http://www.banjomuseum.org/contact_about/hof/mel_bay.asp

Subject: RE: OBIT: Mel Bay
From: Steve Latimer
Date: 23 Apr 02 - 07:55 AM

Yes his books were very basic, but I'll bet he started more people on instruments than anyone in history. I'm pretty sure I once saw a Mel Bay "Fun With The Kazoo" book.

Sorry to hear of his passing, I thank him for his contributions to music.

Subject: RE: OBIT: Mel Bay
From: Pete Jennings
Date: 23 Apr 02 - 07:34 AM

Just had a look on the "music" shelf and there's nothing of his there now, but I certainly remember buying at least one of his guitar tutors during one of my early tentative trips to the local music shop. Seems hilarious now that changing from D to C used to take about 5 minutes, but I'm sure that's how many of us started, right there with Mel (amongst others).

I don't really feel any sadness at his passing, for that's what happens, and I don't believe in the hereafter, so I'll content myself with this post, to acknowledge his contribution to our world of music.

Pete

Subject: RE: OBIT: Mel Bay
From: Bonnie Shaljean
Date: 23 Apr 02 - 04:52 AM

I don't know if I should admit this or not, but I was rather surprised to learn that there actually WAS a Mel Bay! His name has grown so familiar to me over the decades that I suppose he sort of assumed myth-status, like Aunt Jemima or Betty Crocker. He certainly did the world a service by making so much material and information available to the general public without being off-puttingly arcane about the workings of music. His books always left you with the feeling that you too could have a go, and encouraged you to try. What better attitude as an approach to music, especially for kids? My first guitar book was a Mel Bay, and OK, I never did turn into Dan Crary but it started me out on a new instrument which enriched my life. This is what I will remember when I think of his name. May he rest in peace.

Subject: RE: OBIT: Mel Bay
From: SeanM
Date: 23 Apr 02 - 04:45 AM

I've several of his collections... Sad to see a collector with such a good body of work as well as instructionals go.

M

Subject: RE: OBIT: Mel Bay
From: BlueJay
Date: 23 Apr 02 - 03:56 AM

Khandu, I agree, the books were a hoot. No matter which instrument, they always started the same, with fundamental pictures of the same guy showing how to hold the instrument, left and right hand positions, and how to tune it with a pitch pipe. It always seemed to be the same guy in all the books, (maybe Mr. Bay)?

After the fundamentals, the rest of the books taught how to sight read, from the very simple to more complex. I'm not a music teacher, but it seems to me that anyone with interest and determination could have learned a great deal from his books. I didn't dhoose to follow his method, but I did buy his chord books as a reference.

I think we need to congratulate Mr. Bay posthumously. While not for everyone, he did have a very solid and broad marketing plan, (I even once borrowed a book on the Balalaika), and I am sure that we have more and better musicians around today because of his efforts.

Thanks, Mel, from BlueJay

Subject: RE: OBIT: Mel Bay
From: Stephen L. Rich
Date: 23 Apr 02 - 02:00 AM

His books treated you like you could be outsmarted by a balogna sandwich ( this is your hand. those things sticking out of your hand are called fingers), but you darned well learned to play. I worked with his mandolin book for a while. I'd probably be pretty good by now if I hadn't needed to sell the mandolin. if I ever get another one I'll be all set. I still have the book. May the Lord take good care of him.

Subject: RE: OBIT: Mel Bay
From: khandu
Date: 23 Apr 02 - 01:13 AM

Yes, in the early days, I had a few of his books. Although I considered them a hoot, ("This is the plectrum...", followed by..."The correct way to hold the Plectrum...") I must admit to having learned some valuable info from them.

A Pleasant Journey to you, Mr. Bay.

khandu

Subject: RE: OBIT: Mel Bay
From: katlaughing
Date: 23 Apr 02 - 12:48 AM

Ah, geez. I've got one of his fiddle books, made me mad because the versions he had weren't what my ear knew, so I left the book in the music stand.:-) I don't know a lot about him, but I'll bet he put music into the hands of a lot of folks who thought they couldn't ever play anything.

It's gonna be a Harmonious Heaven this year...RIP, Mr. Bay

kat

Subject: Mel Bay
From: X
Date: 23 Apr 02 - 12:39 AM

Mel Bay passed on 4/8/02 in St. Louis, MO due to, "Heart Ailments." He was 84.

I bet everyone of use has at least one of his books.

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Click for previous thread

Subject: RE: Mel Bay's Death
From: LaMarca
Date: 16 May 97 - 12:46 PM

This obituary was forwarded to a mailing list I'm on by Wally Macnow of Camsco Music; it's a nice tribute to Mel Bay.

Paul Stamler in St. Louis sent this and I thought I'd pass it along. Wally ___________________________ > >This is to note the passing of one of the lesser-known gents of the world >of music, Mel Bay, who died yesterday. Mel Bay instruction books taught >an awful lot of people their first guitar technique, and a lot of people >learned songs from his songbooks. The company tended for many years to >cater to entry-level players, but in the last few years they've begun >doing more advanced books for players, and they've put out some excellent >books of songs as well. Mel Bay has also run a music store here in St. >Louis for many years, which co-sponsored concerts by the likes of John >Renbourn with our local folk venue, Focal Point. My informant, Gene >Bertram, adds that although Mel has always enjoyed the reputation of a >"crusty old coot", he'd always been friendly and helpful when Gene was in >the store. > >Peace. >Paul > >

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Threads combined. Note the 2002 obituary, and the 1997 death of Mel messages. Go figure. The obituary from melbay.com is below.
-Joe Offer-

Mel Bay, founder and first president of Mel Bay Publications, Inc., died at age 84 on May 14, 1997. Mel Bay was born in the Missouri town of Bunker and raised in DeSoto where as a teenager he taught himself how to play the guitar and performed regularly with various Ozark region bands. His plans to study engineering in college were brought to a halt by the Depression.

Upon moving to St. Louis, Mel took up the tenor banjo and became a highly sought after musician and teacher. He began writing guitar methods in 1947. His method books grew in popularity worldwide and laid the foundation for most of today's guitar pedagogy. Guitar Player magazine referred to him as "the George Washington of the guitar." It is difficult to find a guitarist worldwide who has not, at some point, studied one of Mel's method books. Sales of his Modern Guitar Method series are estimated to be well in excess of 20 million copies.

Mr. Bay received many awards during his career which include the "Lifetime Achievement Award" from the Guitar Foundation of America, "Lifetime Achievement Award" from the Retail Print Music Dealers Association, the "Owen Miller Lifetime Achievement Award" from the American Federation of Musicians, "Certificate of Merit" from the St. Louis Music Educators Association, a resolution from the Missouri House of Representatives honoring his achievements, a proclamation by mayor Freeman Bosley Jr. making October 25, 1996 "Mel Bay Day" in the city of St. Louis and a letter of commendation from President Clinton.

Mel Bay established the structure for modern guitar education and by so doing, laid the foundation for the continued growth and advancement of the instrument.

See also the biography of Mel Bay elsewhere on this site. A full biography of Mel Bay in book form is also available, entitled The Mel Bay Story, by Ray Dankenbring.

Subject: Mel Bay's Death
From: OLD FOLK
Date: 15 May 97 - 11:34 PM

I heard on the news this morning of the passing of Mr. Bay. He was my teacher and friend and I will miss him greatly even though I hadn't seen him in many years. He helped fill the world with music by his teaching and his publications. Dead at 85yrs. Goodbye Old Friend

Old Folk - Trent Corbin