Jonathan David Melvoin (December 6, 1961 – July 12, 1996) was an American musician, active in the 1980s and 1990s.

Early life

He was the son of Constance (née Ives) and

Mike Melvoin Mike Melvoin (May 10, 1937February 22, 2012) was an American jazz pianist, composer, and arranger. He served as chairman and president of The Recording Academy and worked as a prolific studio musician, recording with Frank Sinatra, John Lennon, ...

, keyboardist for the Wrecking Crew, and brother of twins

Susannah ''Susannah'' is an opera in two acts by the American composer Carlisle Floyd, who wrote the libretto and music while a member of the piano faculty at Florida State University. Floyd adapted the story from the Apocryphal tale of Susannah and the ...

and

Wendy Melvoin Wendy Ann Melvoin (born January 26, 1964) is an American guitarist and singer-songwriter, best known for her work with Prince as part of his backing band the Revolution, and for her collaboration with Lisa Coleman as one half of the duo Wendy ...

of Prince and the Revolution. He first learned to play drums at the age of five.

Career

Melvoin performed with many punk bands in the 1990s, such as the Dickies. He was also a member of the Family, a Prince side project band that produced the original recording of " Nothing Compares 2 U", "Screams of Passion" and "Mutiny", and made musical contributions to many

Wendy & Lisa Wendy & Lisa (briefly known as Girl Bros.) is a music duo consisting of Wendy Melvoin and Lisa Coleman. They began working with Prince in the early 1980s and were part of his band the Revolution, before branching out on their own and releasi ...

projects, as well as to Prince and the Revolution's 1985 album '' Around the World in a Day''. He also played drums on "Do U Lie?" from the 1986 Prince and the Revolution album ''

Parade A parade is a procession of people, usually organized along a street, often in costume, and often accompanied by marching bands, floats, or sometimes large balloons. Parades are held for a wide range of reasons, but are usually some variety ...

''. At the time of his death he was the touring keyboardist for

the Smashing Pumpkins The Smashing Pumpkins (also simply known as Smashing Pumpkins) are an American alternative rock band formed in Chicago in 1988 by frontman and guitarist Billy Corgan, guitarist James Iha, bassist D'arcy Wretzky and drummer Jimmy Chamberlin. The ...

during their worldwide tour for the album '' Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness''.

Death

Melvoin died at age 34 as the result of a

heroin Heroin, also known as diacetylmorphine and diamorphine among other names, is a morphinan opioid substance synthesized from the Opium, dried latex of the Papaver somniferum, opium poppy; it is mainly used as a recreational drug for its eupho ...

overdose. Melvoin injected high purity heroin that was intended for snorting. He had previously consumed alcohol, which can lower the body's drug tolerance.

The Smashing Pumpkins The Smashing Pumpkins (also simply known as Smashing Pumpkins) are an American alternative rock band formed in Chicago in 1988 by frontman and guitarist Billy Corgan, guitarist James Iha, bassist D'arcy Wretzky and drummer Jimmy Chamberlin. The ...

were not invited to Melvoin's funeral. Pumpkins drummer

Jimmy Chamberlin James Joseph Chamberlin (born June 10, 1964) is an American drummer and record producer. Described as "one of the most powerful drummers in rock," he is best known as the drummer for the alternative rock band the Smashing Pumpkins. Following the ...

injected the same heroin that night, but survived to be arrested for possession. Several songs were inspired by Melvoin's death, including the

Sarah McLachlan Sarah Ann McLachlan (born January 28, 1968) is a Canadian singer-songwriter. As of 2015, she had sold over 40 million albums worldwide. McLachlan's best-selling album to date is ''Surfacing (album), Surfacing'' (1997), for which she won two G ...

song "

Angel An angel is a spiritual (without a physical body), heavenly, or supernatural being, usually humanoid with bird-like wings, often depicted as a messenger or intermediary between God (the transcendent) and humanity (the profane) in variou ...

", the

song "Jonathan" (as Girl Bros.), and Prince's "The Love We Make" from the album ''

Emancipation Emancipation generally means to free a person from a previous restraint or legal disability. More broadly, it is also used for efforts to procure Economic, social and cultural rights, economic and social rights, civil and political rights, po ...

''.

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Melvoin, Jonathan 1961 births 1996 deaths Musicians from Los Angeles Deaths by heroin overdose in New York (state) American rock keyboardists The Smashing Pumpkins members 20th-century American keyboardists Drug-related deaths in New York City