Mel Carter

• Name — Mel Carter • Born — 22 April 1939 • Birthplace — Cincinnati, Ohio, U.S. • Genre — Soul, pop • Occupation — Singer, actor • Years Active — 1960–present

Carter was born in Cincinnati, Ohio. At age 16, he studied singing with vocalist Little Jimmy Scott. Carter recorded for Sam Cooke's SAR (Derby Records) in the early 1960s and had his first hit in 1963 at the age of 24 with "When a Boy Falls in Love", which was co-written by Cooke. By the time he reached his commercial peak with Imperial Records in the middle of the decade, he was specializing in pop ballads. His biggest success was the Top 10 Billboard Hot 100 hit "Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me", which reached Number 8 in 1965. It sold over one million copies, and was awarded a gold disc. He had a couple of other Top 40 entries over the next year, "Band of Gold" and "All of a Sudden My Heart Sings", as well as a few other easy listening sellers. Carter appeared on the DVD of the PBS special, Doo Wop 51, recorded in 2001 performing his hit; he also appeared on another PBS special, Magic Moments: The Best of 50s Pop, performing a tribute to Billy Williams ("I'm Gonna Sit Right Down and Write Myself a Letter") and Tommy Edwards ("It's All in the Game"). Carter later acted on television programs such as Good Times; Quincy, M.E.; Sanford and Son; Marcus Welby, M.D.; The Eddie Capra Mysteries as Albert Crane; CHiPs; and Magnum, P.I.; and in films such as Friday Foster (1975); Chesty Anderson, USN (1976); Prime Time a.k.a. American Raspberry (1977); and Angel (1984).

• Year — Album — Peak positions — Label • US 200 — US CB • 1963 — When A Boy Falls In Love — — — — — Derby • 1965 — (All Of A Sudden) My Heart Sings — — — — — Imperial • Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me — 62 — 67 • 1966 — Easy Listening — 81 — — • 1967 — Be My Love — — — — — Liberty • 1970 — This Is My Life — — — — — Amos • 1984 — Willing — — — — — Onyx International • 1995 — Live! In Hollywood — — — — — CSP • 2008 — The Heart & Soul Of Mel Carter — — — —

• Year — Title — Chart positions — Album • US — US AC — CA CHUM RPM — CA AC — AU • 1960 — "I'm Coming Home" b/w "Sugar" — — — — — — — — — — — Non-album tracks • 1961 — "I Need You So" b/w "When I Grow Too Old To Dream" — — — — — — — — — — • 1962 — "Who Do You Love" (with Clydie King) b/w "The Wrong Side Of Town" — — — — — — — — — — • 1963 — "Wonderful Love" b/w "Time Of Young Love" — — — — — — — — — — — When A Boy Falls In Love • "When A Boy Falls In Love" A b/w "So Wonderful" — 44 — — — 14 — — — — • 1964 — "Why I Call Her Mine" b/w "Time Of Young Love" — — — — — — — — — — • "Deed I Do" b/w "What's On Your Mind" (from Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me) — — — — — — — — — — — Non-album track • 1965 — "The Richest Man Alive" b/w "I'll Never Be Free" — 104 — — — — — — — — — Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me • "I Just Can't Imagine" b/w "High Noon" — — — — — — — — — — • "Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me" b/w "A Sweet Little Girl" — 8 — 1 — 2 — — — 21 • "(All Of A Sudden) My Heart Sings" b/w "When I Hold The Hand Of The One I Love" — 38 — 3 — 22 — 6 — 48 — (All Of A Sudden) My Heart Sings • 1966 — "Love Is All We Need" b/w "I Wish I Didn't Love You So" — 50 — 21 — 34 — 2 — — • "Band Of Gold" b/w "Detour" (from Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me) — 32 — 1 — 38 — — — — • "You, You, You" b/w "If You Lose Her" (Non-album track) — 49 — 11 — 38 — — — — — Easy Listening • "Take Good Care Of Her" b/w "Tar and Cement" — 78 — — — — — — — — • 1967 — "As Time Goes By" b/w "Look To The Rainbow" — 111 — — — — — — — — — Non-album tracks • "Edelweiss" b/w "For Once In My Life" — — — — — — — — — — • "Enter Laughing" b/w "Star Dust" (Non-album track) — — — — — — — — — — — Enter Laughing (Soundtrack) • "Be My Love" b/w "I Look Into Your Eyes" — 132 — 23 — — — — — — — Be My Love • 1968 — "Excuse Me" b/w "The Other Woman" — — — — — — — — — — • "I Pretend" b/w "Didn't We" — — — 38 — — — — — — — Non-album tracks • 1969 — "San Francisco Is A Lonely Town" b/w "Everything Stops For A Little While" — — — — — — — — — — — This Is My Life • "Another Saturday Night" b/w "Coming From You" — — — — — — — — — — — Non-album tracks • 1970 — "Kiss Tomorrow Goodbye" b/w "This Is Your Life" — — — — — — — — — — — This Is My Life • 1973 — "Do Me Wrong, But Do Me b/w "She Is Me" — — — — — — — — — — — Non-album tracks • 1974 — "I Only Have Eyes For You" b/w "Treasure of Love" — 104 — 39 — — — — — — • 1976 — "My Coloring Book" b/w "Put A Little Love Away" — — — 47 — — — — — — • 1981 — "You Changed My Life Again" b/w "I Don't Want To Get Over You" — — — — — — — 12 — — • "I Don't Want To Get Over You" b/w "Who's Right, Who's Wrong" — — — — — — — — — — • A "When a Boy Falls In Love" also peaked at #30 on R&B charts.