Clarence Bartlett Melton, Jr.

CLARENCE BARTLETT MELTON aka BART TAYLOR Clarence Bartlett Melton, known more commonly by his professional radio name, Bart Taylor, died Tuesday, June 29, 2021, under Hospice care in Boerne, Texas, at the age of 70. Bart will be interred in the Melton family plot in Houston, Texas, later this year. A graveside service will be held at that time. Bart was born September 15, 1950, in Houston, Texas, to Clarence Bartlett Melton, Sr. and Mary Belle Deen Melton. He was the oldest of their two sons. He graduated from Bellaire High School in Houston. Then he attended the University of Texas at Austin, where he was a member of the Theta Xi fraternity. He left school for a job as a mud engineer in the oil industry that sent him on projects around the world. Then he found his real love. Broadcast radio. His first DJ job in Houston radio was in 1977 at the ABC-owned KXYZ-AM, which experimented with a new music formula – Disco! He went on to another on-air Disco job in 1979 at KRLY-FM, which turned into one of the nation’s first CHR/Urban formats. In 1984 at KSRR-FM “97 Rock,” he became part of the production team for the 1985 “Live Aid” concert while making popular on-air appearances as “Fernando” with Colonel St. James. From 1985 to 1995, Bart was the production director at KLOL-FM. The “Runaway Radio” rock format was consistently in the top ten of Houston’s radio stations. Among his accomplishments was his work on the annual “Rock ‘n Roll Auction,” which benefitted numerous local charities. His talents in producing radio commercials earned him a first-place AIR Award from the Houston Association of Radio Broadcasters and a first-place award from the Houston Chapter of American Women in Radio & Television. Bart moved to New Orleans in 1996, where he was the production director for WCKW-FM “Rock 92.3”, a classic rock format that evolved into an 80’s channel. He produced radio commercials for clients throughout the New Orleans area, including the Louisiana Lottery and the Superdome. He also produced promotions for charity motorcycle races that raised thousands of dollars for Children’s Hospital in New Orleans. Bart took the most significant risk of his radio career when he moved to Washington DC in 2001 to help launch XM satellite radio which later became known as SiriusXM Satellite Radio. He worked in satellite radio production for 16 years in numerous formats before retiring in 2017. Notable projects included producing the XM broadcast of the “Live 8 worldwide concert” in 2005 and traveling with a team creating week-long events for the Children’s Miracle Network in 2008 and 2009. He also produced and broadcast many events from the Storyteller’s Festival in Jonesboro, Tennessee; Book Radio in Hartford, Connecticut; the Joe Madison Show in Washington DC; pre-grammy events in LA; and President George W. Bush’s second inauguration from the press podium on Capitol Hill. His years in satellite radio won Bart national acclaim. In 2003, he won the New York Festival’s World Medal for Best Music Special. In 2009 he won the Gold Medal at the New York Festival for producing a live program from Uganda. In 2016 he won three national awards. He won a Silver Award for the New York Festivals’ Best Children’s programming, first place in the Network Radio Documentary category from the National Association of Black Journalists, and a Gracie Award in the Women in Media Foundation’s Portrait Biography category. And that was just his day job. Bart had his own home studio and co-produced, from 2007 to 2019, the “When Radio Was” syndicated show, broadcast every week on 200 radio stations nationwide. Plus, beginning in 2013, Bart produced the “Radio Spirits” programming for week-long cruises, featuring Bart’s co-producer, “When Radio Was” host, Greg Bell. The cruising locations included Bermuda, the Caribbean, and Alaska. In his studio, Bart produced music tracks to play on local radio stations during fireworks shows. It began in 1986 at the San Jacinto Monument for the Texas Sesquicentennial Fireworks shows and continued until 2019 for fireworks shows all along central and south Texas. He was a part of a lot of people’s 4th of July experiences. And yet, he still had time for his other passion! Golf! The clubs were always in the trunk, and he could not pass a driving range without hitting a bucket of balls! He played every course he could and was a fanboy at every golf tournament he could attend, including US Opens, PGA tours, and the practice rounds at the Masters. One of his personal golfing highlights was when he played the Old Course at St. Andrew’s in Scotland. Have golf clubs will travel. Or maybe that should be, will travel, have golf clubs! Music was a vital part of his life, even before radio. Bart sang in many church and school choirs. He was part of a barbershop quartet. He took voice lessons from a Houston Opera performer and once sang the National Anthem before a Houston Rockets basketball game! He also played the accordion. ‘Nuff said! Bart is survived by his soul-mate and wife of 40 years, Linda Lindeman Melton of New Braunfels, Texas; His step-daughter Laura Mack of Austin, Texas; His 96-year-old Mother, Mary Belle Melton Patterson of Plano, Texas; his brother Bob and wife Sue Melton of Gunter, Texas; sisters-in-law and brothers-in-laws Nancy and Edward Pennartz of Lake Charles, Louisiana; Carol and Ken Simons of Plano, Texas; Joyce and Joe Capron of Wichita Falls, Texas; Loyce and George Huffman of Archer City, Texas; and numerous nieces and nephews. His friends are as numerous as the stars in the sky. If Bart called you friend, you were blessed. Memorials to Clarence Melton may be made to Hope Hospice of New Braunfels, 611 North Walnut, New Braunfels, Texas 78130. Or online at hopehospice.net/donate.