Joe X Price, the well known former Daily Variety music critic and columnist in Hollywood, once credited me with having “the best set of ears in Texas.” Then he said something that really blew my mind: “Truthfully,” he observed, candidly, “you may even have the best set of ears in the whole USA.”

He wasn’t being overly complimentary about my facial features. What he meant was, I seemed to have a knack for knowing a good song when I heard one, and knowing how to tell the difference between a potential hit singer and a mediocre one.

Truthfully, I wish I had a dollar for every audio cassette tape or video tape or CD or DVD that came in the mail from all over the country or were delivered to me by Fed Ex, UPS, (and assorted bicycle riders), showcasing singers who were “destined to become the next major vocal superstar.” I’d be rich and could retire to someplace exotic like Fantasy Island or Istanbul or maybe Boxcar Willie’s birthplace farm in Waxahachie, Texas.

Don’t ask me why it is, but almost every person who sings in the shower seems to think they are good enough to star in a Las Vegas lounge, or headline a Broadway show, or record a hit million-seller and tour the country with a 27-piece show band, with somebody like Barry Manilow or Aretha Franklin as their opening act. Some even think they’ll become the next winner on “American Idol.”

Most can’t sing a lick, though, on a bad day, Roseanne could make them sound ridiculously wonderful. And, if you’ve ever heard her sing, you know that’s saying a mouthful.

So, despite all the hype, (not to mention the payola) that often is offered with the invitation to “take a minute of your valuable time and do yourself a favor and listen to this hot new singer,” most of the 3,572 “hit demos” I’ve “suffered through” over the years, have ended up in the giant trash can just outside my office window.

One year, about three weeks before Christmas, we actually dumped all that music junk on the ground and counted the demo tapes and recordings before sending them over to Good Will to deliver to folks with less discriminating tastes who said they couldn’t afford the luxury of buying stuff at music stores.

This was sort of a common practice in Hollywood, when DJ’s and record promoters contributed their best rejects to the big junk pile of “has-beens and wannabes,” some added because key members of the community thought their lyrical content was, shall we say, “in bad taste” and “objectionable” for radio airplay.

Generally speaking, they were just bad singers of all types – jazz vocalists who sang off key, country singers who warbled through their nose, pop singers who had had more than pop to drink and rappers who sounded like they were stoned, and probably should have been, literally.

So, all this is to say that, when one endures the mental and physical frustrations of listening to tons of bad singers, day in and day out, hoping that, eventually, things will be different, and that day finally rolls around, you don’t know whether to get down on your knees and say a thank you prayer or jump up on top of your desk and shout for joy.

Actually, I did both, when I first heard Melani Skybell’s CD. She’s, a young Dallas jazz vocalist, (by way of San Antonio, Boston University and the University of Texas at Arlington), described in the liner notes inside her CD jewel case as “a talented and beautiful singer who combines her artistic, compelling interpretations with respect for the traditions of classic jazz,” whose “musical training and performance experience is extensive, and combined with her potential as a composer, is destined to become a rising star.”

Pretty lofty stuff, huh? I’d read it all before a thousand times. Except this time, all the big publicity and promotional hype turned out to be absolutely correct, and, I might add, went on to say that “her sensuous style, infectious personality and great chops would insure a fantastic experience for all.”

I couldn’t have said it any better myself. No, I didn’t write that, but I wish I had. Because, frankly, it explains exactly how I feel about Melani Skybell’s vocal talents, and the manner in which she intoxicates listeners with her mesmerizing musical moods and moments of soulful interpretations of composers such as Cole Porter, George and Ira Gershwin, Duke Ellington, Hoagy Carmichael, Jimmy Van Heusen, Johnny Mercer, Rodgers and Hart, Rodgers and Hammerstein, Jimmy McHugh, Sammy Cahn and Frank Loesser.

Not to mention the skills of such lesser known, but equally gifted lyricists and composers like Hugh Martin and Timothy Gray, Bart Howard, Murray Grand, Francesca Blumenthal, William Bowers, Bob Russell and John Benson Brooks. And, in her first CD, “Through The Years,” she even added an original musical treat for listeners with the album’s title composition. (Something, no doubt, which will spawn a CD in the near future of more Melani Skybell original compositions, if reaction to her initial effort is any indication).

Her musical repertoire in the three CDs she has produced includes traditional jazz numbers, sultry ballads, swing standards, bossa novas, and pop classics. “Through The Years” is already in its third printing. Her second release, “My Heart Sings,” featuring well-known Dallas-area jazz artists, was recently acquired by VH1. One of the tracks from that CD, “My Heart Sings,” is featured on one of their cable movies entitled “30 Days Until I’m Famous.” Melani’s third CD, “Life Is A Song,” is receiving rave reviews (and “selling like hotcakes” on CD Baby). It is, perhaps her most intimate recording to date.

No matter how talented the singer is, (and Melani certainly is that), any music lover or music critic today knows that “the song’s the thing” that makes or breaks a singer in the long run, whether he or she is performing in a musical venue, on tour or recording in a studio.

One only has to look at the list of hit after hit turned out over the years by successful household names in show business, like Frank Sinatra, Mel Torme, Ella Fitzgerald, Peggy Lee and even Barbra Streisand, to see the magical trend established between lyricist, composer and performer.

Over the years, the most successful singers, particularly Frank and Ella, weathered the storm of the emerging younger popular song stylists as well as the upstart rock stars, after the Beatles changed forever the course of music history, by “sticking with the standards.”  Interestingly so, the music of Cole Porter and the Gershwins has served well other stylists (like Melani) who came along after them.

It’s not that surprising when you consider that, after all, a vast music audience out there grew up humming and singing these popular ballads heard on the radio. Then, too, there’s a whole new younger music audience out there today who never had the opportunity to dance to the music of Benny Goodman, the Dorsey Brothers, Glenn Miller, Count Basie or Duke Ellington.

That’s not to say that today’s generation doesn’t groove on rap music or what some old-timers sometimes call “heavy metal acid rock.”  The fact is, the tunes in the Cole Porter and George Gershwin Songbook still appeal to “young lovers” in the mood for music more sentimental and romantic.

Contemporary song stylists like Melani have been quick to understand that, and, despite concern from record executives  about the “commercial appeal” in terms of dollars and cents, have often “gone against the musical grain” and turned out a host of slick, polished old standards, adding a bit of musical twist to the nostalgic old classics.

In Melani’s case, it’s difficult to take ink pen in hand and circle the titles of my favorite songs featured on her three CDs. Frankly, she has used exquisite taste in choosing many of the old standards that always cooked with singers like Frank and Ella and mixed them with a variety of intimate, moving ballads (some of which may not be all that familiar to the average listener), in a manner that blends creatively and musically.

I waffle back and forth between CDs, trying to choose my favorite song selections, giving her the benefit of the doubt, too, because she turns in some stunning variations of many of the old hit standards. I particularly liked the Carmichael-Mercer combination, “Skylark/Daydream” as well as the ever-popular Rodgers-Hammerstein “It Might As Well Be Spring,” the Jimmy Van Heusin-Sammy Cahn “Come Fly With Me” hit and even the Lane and Lerner hit “On A Clear Day,” made popular by Barbra Streisand.

Ms Skybell’s popular CD song bag includes such delightful renditions as Murray Grand’s “Come By Sunday,” Van Heusin and Burke’s “Imagination” and Francesca Blumenthal’s “The Lies Of Handsome Men.” Not to mention, of course, the clever charts and lyrics featured in Fishberg’s “Peel Me A Grape,” made famous by Mae West and the Kirk-Dorough composition of “Devil May Care,” originally introduced by Bob Dorough on his own solo disc years ago and covered recently by Diana Krall.

When I asked Melani to name her favorite song featured on her three CDs, she thought for a minute and said, “Dindi,” the second track on “My Heart Sings” CD, then quickly added she had fun singing “Papa Loves Mambo,” the final track on that same CD. Modestly, she neglected to mention her own moving composition, “Through The Years,” the title song on her first CD.

With a new, unique sound of her own, Melani’s style stands apart from other entertainers and their treatment of many of the familiar favorites included in her three CDs. It is hard to sorta “pigeon-hole” any singer in the business today, and, probably not fair to either the more established performers or the more contemporary song stylist.

When I first told Joe X Price about Melani Skybell, one of the first questions he asked me was “Who does she sound like?” I hesitated to name a singer because, usually, that’s “the kiss of death” in the music business. But, no matter how much you choose to ignore it, whether you like it or not, it is also the inevitable comparison by which new singers are often judged when it comes to categorizing them.

I told Joe that Melani was a jazz singer, so it was difficult to try to compare her to other vocalists, though she reminded me a little of June Christy, Chris Connor or Anita O’Day. Audiences in nightclubs or posh hotels who have been entertained by her often see a resemblance to Diana Krall, probably because both are jazz singers who accompany themselves on the piano and surround themselves with savvy, accomplished musicians.

For pure vocal technique, Melani is similar, style-wise, to Karrin Allyson, (and she admits it). But, that’s like saying that Harry Connick, Jr. or Steve Lawrence or Mel Torme, or today’s more contemporary singers like Michael Buble and Peter Cincotti sound somewhat like Frank Sinatra.

There are traces of vocal inflection, here and there that remind listeners of Old Blue Eyes, but, let’s face it, there will only be one Sinatra, and there will only be one Ella and there will always be comparisons. I choose to consider any comparison to the legendary singers a rare compliment, rather than think of them as a rip-off.

When Joe X Price listened to Melani’s CDs, he couldn’t wait to call and “sing” her praises with her haunting melodies playing in the background. “You know me,” he said, matter-of-factly, “I’m hard to please, but quick to recognize true greatness.  After all, I’m the guy who listened to Bobbie Gentry’s ‘Ode To Billy Joe’ and said it would be a smash hit when every A&R dude in Hollywood had turned it down. I’m also the guy who heard Roger Miller’s ‘King Of The Road’ and wrote that it would break all chart records. And, don’t forget, I’m the guy who told John Lennon that the Beatles would be more popular than Jesus – a remark that didn’t please some astute music critics, but helped sell a ton of records.”

Joe said he was totally “blown away” with Melani Skybell. “I’ve heard a lot of singers over the years, and I can honestly say that not very many impressed me. Particularly, jazz singers. They can get away with a lot of stuff, vocally, that pop singers can’t because they can scat and move away from the original melody line and offer their own musical interpretations. But, Melani is an exception, a very rare exception.

“I was hooked before she had even finished the first song. But I figured, well, I might as well listen to two or three more songs, and see if they matched up. Guess what? I couldn’t believe it, every track was as solid as the one before it. She has a rare gift you seldom see or hear in this business today. Even though she’s singing songs a lot of other great singers have recorded, she has a unique talent to make a song her own. Without question, she’s a rare breed of singer and has a unique sound all her own.  To be blunt, I love her.”

Joe also said three other things that I felt were worth repeating. They had to do with where the CDs were recorded, the musical charts and the caliber of the musicians playing on the tracks.

“I was thrilled to discover that Melani’s CDs were recorded in the Dallas area, (at Big Time Audio and Crystal Clear Sound)” he said. “Too often today, producers and the artists themselves think they have to record in such-in-such studio in Hollywood or New York, or perhaps Nashville in order to produce a sound that will be compatible with today’s music trends. It is always refreshing to listen to a CD that was done in a recording studio somewhere else and discover that it matches up very well to the “commercial sounds” produced in the established studios often preferred by music production companies and studio executives.”

Joe was also quick to recognize and praise the musical charts by Melani and her collaborators. “It’s so easy and tempting for any singer today recording standard tunes to use the same arrangements other singers have used over the years to record the ‘oldies but goodies.’ It takes guts for a new singer to depart from the norm and have the perceptiveness and the skills to add a fresh new rift here and there that establishes their own ‘signature style.’ Melani certainly has done that.”

The quality of the musicians playing on the tracks of the CDs, as well as the talents of the producers were also cited by Joe when he critiqued Melani’s three discs. “It’s a misconception to automatically assume that a proven Hollywood or Nashville guy with a track record in the music business is the only producer who is capable of turning out a hit product. Every now and then a new artist chooses a producer she trusts who believes in the singer, rather than going along with the established in-crowd. In Melani’s case, I not only think it was a wise decision, but a significant one as well.”

Melani’s first CD, “Through The Years,” was produced by Larry Spencer, as was her second CD, “My Heart Sings.” Her third CD, “Life Is The Song,” was produced by Mark Carroll, who also shared arrangements with Melani.

“I can sum up the musicians on the Dallas sessions in one word – superb,” commented Joe, when asked how the Texas musicians compared with musicians in Tennessee and on the West Coast.

On Melani’s first CD, “Through The Years,” her musicians included Brad Williams on piano, Terry Hankins on guitar, James Driscoll on bass, Alan Green on drums and congas, David Lee Schloss on tenor sax and Larry Spencer on trumpet and flugelhorn.

On her second CD, “My Heart Sings,” the musicians included Steve Sonday, Dave Zoller, Dennis Demelsenaere and Melani Skybell on piano, Carl Hillman, Kyp Green and Lico Cisneros on bass, Bobby Breaux, Mike Drake and Daniel Cisneros on drums, Larry Spencer on flugelhorn and trumpet and David Lee Schloss on tenor sax.

On “Life Is The Song,” her third CD, the musicians included Mark Carroll and Melani Skybell on piano, Allen Rogers on bass, Gerry Beaver on drums and Nicholas Tsolainos on bass.

“Dallas has produced many outstanding musicians over the years,” Price added, “but, unfortunately for singers there, most of the really good ones have migrated to the coast where most of the lucrative sessions originate. Or, they have gone to New York and played in the pits with orchestras for Broadway shows.”

It was perhaps predictable for Joe to point out that Melani had the rare opportunity to meet and work with many top musicians in the jazz world at the University of North Texas, which houses the Stan Kenton musical library. He particularly cited veteran performer Dave Zoller, multi-talented musician-producer Larry Spencer, as well as the incomparable pianist and singer Mark Carroll. “Having guys like that on your bandwagon certainly didn’t hurt,” he acknowledged, “as well as symphony bassist Nicholas Tsolainos.”

It’s no surprise that Melani recognizes and appreciates good  musicians. She has been playing piano and singing since she was four years old. Her formal education includes classical piano and vocal performance at Boston University. In 1984, her on-stage experience blossomed when she joined an alternative pop/rock group, Innocent Bystander, frequently backing up headliners. Innocent Bystander was a regular act in Austin's Sixth Street clubs.

In order to refine her jazz style, Melani entered the highly reputable University of North Texas Jazz Studies Program. It took very little time for her to build a reputation of her own. Demand for her vocal work grew rapidly among many of the area's jazz orchestras, including a performance at Caravan of Dreams with the University of Texas Jazz Orchestra.

This work enabled her to assemble a group of the area's most gifted musicians, with whom she now entertains at Dallas' hottest clubs, hotels and restaurants, including, The Melrose Hotel, The Mansion, The Four Seasons, and Texas Stadium. She is also in demand outside of Dallas, having recently performed at special events in Atlanta, Georgia, Jamaica, and The Chautauqua Institute in New York. As a soloist, her unique interpretation of classic jazz uplifts her audiences with rich vocal nuances and charm.

Melani has also helped enhance her career by having an attractive professional website. (Interested folks can click here or later go to www.skybell.com and, presto, a whole bunch of informative stuff will suddenly appear. By clicking on the Discography item, fans can enjoy a free musical treat on her website by listening to her entire third CD, “Life Is The Song.” They can also scroll down to listen to selected songs from her other two CDs).

The response to Melani’s “website CD jukebox” has been amazing. It is a popular music source for entertainment and relaxation in many office suites and hospitals. (Doctors say Melani’s music helps relax them and their patients and that her vocal renditions help relieve stress).

Noted parapsychologist Nik Raka said recently that Melani’s soothing vocals have a “seductive quality” that stimulates the motor responses within the listeners’ brain and causes good vibes to chase away the blues, cleanse the mind and create a “wellness factor” throughout the entire body.

“Everyone who hears Melani’s music will be deeply touched and moved emotionally,” Nik observed. “She is a rare talent who has been richly blessed.” Nik said Melani will achieve her goals because she works hard, takes action, surrounds herself with positive, creative people and shares her time and talent, unselfishly, with others.

He noted that this skill is an example of the “breakthrough ability” she has that will help her transcend realms of difficulty in her career and achieve unprecedented success.

While “breakthrough ability” may not be a word, according to Webster, Melani's musical talent certainly should compel the editors of today's New World Dictionary to consider adding it to the book.

It’s weird, sometimes, how things work out. I first heard the Beatles in the Cavern club in Liverpool, England, though I never saw them when they played Dallas on their American tour. And, I interviewed Elvis Presley at 3 a.m. while sitting on a roadside curb sipping a chocolate malt after an unprecedented concert in a high school gymnasium in Sweetwater, Texas.

As Joe pointed out, I probably staged the first professional gig of a pig-tailed youngster named Linda Ronstadt when she sang back-up vocals for her older brother Pete in a Tucson, Arizona concert. But, as fate would have it, I first met Melani Skybell one day when she became my next door neighbor in Big D, and invited me over for “a cup of tea.”

Well, that’ s show biz, baby.