He was best known as one of America's leading jazz singers but also had mainstream hit like Mountain Greenery and What is This Thing Called Love?. He was also a talented composer, arranger and actor.

Mel Torme was born in Chicago, the son of Russian/Jewish immigrants, and began his professional career at the age of four, singing in a restaurant.

Four years later he was appearing regularly on radio as a singer and child actor.

At 15 he auditioned for the Harry James band, singing his own composition, "Lament for Love". He did not get the job, but James made a hit record of the song.

Torme: A long history of performing

In 1942 Torme moved to California to launch his career as a big band singer, and also got into films, including "Higher and Higher", in which he appeared with Frank Sinatra in 1943, before joining the US Army.

Bitter court battles

After the war he sang with Stan Kenton, Tommy Dorsey and Artie Shaw, with whom he had an international hit record, Sunny Side of the Street.

He also co-wrote Nat King Cole's biggest hit, The Christmas Song. During the 1960's he moved into television, working as a writer and arranger on the Judy Garland Show, and writing and acting in adventure series like Run For Your Life and The Virginian.

Mel Torme's career as a singer continued through to the 1990's -he had a highly successful collaboration with the jazz pianist George Shearing, in concert and on record.

Mel Torme married four times, and had five children. His third marriage - to the English actress Janette Scott - ended with bitter court battles on both sides of the Atlantic over custody of their two children.