Terry Melcher

Terrence Paul Melcher (né Jorden; February 8, 1942 – November 19, 2004) was an American record producer, singer, and songwriter who was instrumental in shaping the mid-to-late 1960s California sound and folk rock movements. His best-known contributions were producing the Byrds' first two albums Mr. Tambourine Man (1965) and Turn! Turn! Turn! (1965) as well as most of the hit recordings of Paul Revere & the Raiders and Gentle Soul. He is also known for his collaboration with Bruce Johnston and for his association with the Manson Family.

Melcher was the only child of actress/singer Doris Day. His father was Day's first husband Al Jorden, and he was adopted by her third husband Martin Melcher. Most of his early recordings were with the vocal surf acts the Rip Chords and Bruce & Terry. In the 1960s, Melcher was acquainted with the Beach Boys and later produced several singles for the group in the 1980s and the 1990s, including "Kokomo" (1988), which topped U.S. record charts.

Terrence Paul Jorden was born in New York City to singer/actress Doris Day and her first husband, trombonist Al Jorden. Known as "Terry", the boy was named by his mother after the hero of her favorite childhood comic strip, Terry and the Pirates.

Before his birth, Day was planning to divorce Al Jorden because of his violent temper and alleged physical abuse. Jorden responded to his wife's pregnancy by demanding that she get an abortion. Shortly after giving birth, Day filed for divorce and left the infant with her mother in Ohio while she went back to touring with big band-leader Les Brown. After the divorce, Jorden visited his son infrequently and had little presence in his life.

After divorcing her second husband, saxophonist George Weidler, Day married Martin Melcher, who would become her manager and produce many of her films. Melcher adopted Terry and gave him his surname. In his freshman and sophomore years of high school, Terry attended the Loomis Chaffee School in Connecticut. He then returned to California for his junior and senior years at Beverly Hills High School, and subsequently attended Principia College in Illinois for a short time.

Biography summary from English Wikipedia, photograph via Wikimedia Commons.