| Walter Melrose | |
| Birth Name: | Walter Melrose |
| Birth Date: | 26 October 1889 |
| Birth Place: | Sumner, Illinois, |
| Death Place: | Lake Barrington, Illinois |
| Relatives: | Lester Melrose (brother) |
Walter Melrose (October 26, 1889– May 30, 1973) was a music publisher and lyricist in the 1920s and 1930s.
He was born in Sumner, Illinois, and was the brother of Lester Melrose, with whom he established a music store in Chicago.[1] This became successful after the Tivoli Theatre opened in the same street, greatly increasing the amount of passing trade. Melrose branched into music publishing when Jelly Roll Morton turned up in his store, and hits such as Wolverine Blues and King Porter Stomp became highly successful for the company. In 1926 he arranged a series of recordings for Victor Records by Morton's Red Hot Peppers, which have come to be regarded as landmarks of early jazz. He later parted company with Morton acrimoniously, and stopped paying him royalties for his compositions.
He and his brother published the jazz standard "Tin Roof Blues" composed by the New Orleans Rhythm Kings" in 1923. He also wrote the lyrics to that song.
Melrose added lyrics to many existing jazz compositions that his company published, such as "Copenhagen". He established one of the major publishing companies with his brother, known as Melrose Brothers Music: The House That Blues Built.
Melrose Music also published Glenn Miller's 125 Jazz Breaks for Trombone, Louis Armstrong's 125 Jazz Breaks for Cornet, and Benny Goodman's 24 Hot Breaks for Clarinet in 1928.
Walter Melrose had contributed to many songs and lyrics and has a broad discography after he died. Walter Melrose died in May of 1973, in Lake Barington, Illinois. Officially, he was a music publisher but did receive credits for several songs with the original Dixieland jazz band, including the songs "High Society" and "Tin Roof Blues". Both were hits in the late 1950s. [2] The Music Goes Round And RoundEigenvertrieb / DSCMusic 2014001Martinique2007
MartiniqueEarworks.chPiano Solo. Plays Blues And Ballads2005
Piano Solo. Plays Blues And BalladsJazz Connaisseur / JCCD 9107-2Buona Sera New Orleans2002
Buona Sera New OrleansEigenvertrieb / TBH 602For Louis2000
For LouisConcord / CCD-4879-2Jazz Club Trio - Plus1995
Jazz Club Trio - PlusElite Special / TCD 7935Mo' Cream From The Crop1994
Mo' Cream From The CropSony Music Entertainment Switzerland GmbH / CK 66628Nothing But The Blues1994