Donald's Encyclopedia of Popular Music

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STREET, Mel

(b 21 Oct. '33, Grundy WV; d 21 Oct. '78, Hendersonville TN) Honky tonk country singer, songwriter who had hits through the '70s. Began on local radio early '50s, moved to Niagara Falls NY to work in construction; sang in local night club, moved back to WV to local clubs there. First records on Tandem incl. his own "Borrowed Angel' '70, picked up by Royal American Records in Nashville, made top 10 country chart '72; recorded for Metromedia, GRT, finally Polydor with hits along the way, but despite growing fame, depression led him to shoot himself on his 45th birthday. A posthumous hit was "The One Thing My Lady Never Puts Into Words' '79.