Mel Waiters

R&B vocalist Mel Waiters fused the raw edge of urban blues with the rhythmic drive and emotional depth of classic soul, forging a style that established him as a top draw on the Southern soul scene, where numbers such as “Got My Whiskey,” “Hole in the Wall,” and “The Smaller the Club” (“the bigger the party”) became enduring crowd favorites. Born in San Antonio, Texas, on June 25, 1956, he launched his performing career at age 18, splitting his schedule between appearances at neighborhood soul venues and vocal duties with gospel ensembles in church. Early on, music alone failed to provide steady earnings, prompting him to work as a radio DJ while also securing steady employment entertaining troops at military installations. His professional path gained traction in the early 1990s after he received guidance and support from New Orleans R&B legend Bobby Marchan; this momentum led to the 1995 release of his debut album, I’m Serious. Two years later came Woman in Need, whose lead track “Got My Whiskey” marked his first underground success celebrating nightlife pleasures. From 1999 through 2015 he issued eleven albums, rising to prominence on the same circuit long sustained by figures such as Bobby Rush and Marvin Sease, while cultivating an especially devoted following in New Orleans and St. Louis. In early 2015 the tireless performer received a cancer diagnosis and succumbed to the illness on May 28, 2015.