bio

Melba Toast,“The Toast of Country Music”
is renowned as a singer, songwriter, comedian, actress, model, MC, DJ,
comedy writer, producer and promoter.

TV:
Melba's television appearances include “The Tonight Show with Jay Leno,”
“The Jon Stewart Show,” “The Late Mr. Pete Show,” “The Extreme Gong Show,”
CMT’s “Countdown 2000” and VH1, among others (see resume).

FILM:
Ms. Toast's film appearances include “Bug Buster,” “Dear Mr. Cash,”
“My Next Funeral,” “Lucy's Dream”and “Angel Food,” among others (see resume).

RADIO:
Miss Melba co-hosted and had a weekly comedy spot called “Toast in the Mornin' with
Melba” on the popular early Saturday morning radio show “Country Sunrise” on KCSN
98.9FM, where she met Cliffie Stone and became one of his protegees, performing with him
at various events and promotions.

MUSIC VIDEOS:
The music videos of Dwight Yoakam, Wylie & the Wild West, Cletus T. Judd,
The Ramones, The Cramps and Mirror feature “The Toast of Country Music.”

LIVE PERFORMANCE:
A central figure in Los Angeles’ roots music scene for over 10 years, Ms. Toast performed
with her 6-piece band, Melba Toast & her Nutty Buddies, her all-girl band
The Hungry Housewives and her singin' white trash rappin' starch sprayin' bra wearin' trio
The Ironin' Maidens.

A regular on Ronnie Mack’s Barn Dance, Ms. Toast first co-produced an ensemble show
called “The Alamo Jets” with LesLee Anderson and Ms. Patti (Thornton) at the world
famous Palomino Club in North Hollywood, CA. (attended by Brian Setzer! Also, Ranger
Doug!).

Miss Melba's next big appearance was in the Grand Ole Anti Annual Country Christmas
Jamboree at the Anti Club in Hollywood, CA. Produced by cowgirl poet Reine River,
and featuring, most notably, E. G. Daily, Chris Gaffney & Joyce Woodson. Miss Melba
performed as 2 separate personas: The first was herself, portraying The Virgin Mary singing
"Away in a Manger" to a babydoll Jesus, and the second was as part of a duo with Reine
River as “The Bardot Cowgirls” (Reine was “Bebe” and Melba was “Crouton”).
(Dwight Yoakham was in attendance, and defended Melba's honor!)

Next, Melba created, produced and hosted an ensemble show called
“The Wonderbread Years” featuring an all-prison song segment called
“Plowboys in Prison,” (featuring Russell Scott & his Red Hots and
Tom Kenny(currently the voice of Sponge-Bob)) once again, at the Palomino Club.

The Hula-billy Hoedown was the next show/extravganza created by "The Toast"
(as Melba had by this time come to be called). This show featured Melba as a hula dancer
with two back up dancers and a hula-billy band called her “Hawaiian Hucksters”, creating
an evening of fun and hilarity while marrying two great forms of music together: Hawaiian &
Hillbilly!

“Melba Toast's Annual Holiday Benefit Concert” was an L.A. tradition for 5 years.
Co-produced by Melba and Sylvia Flowers, the show benefited a different local charity each
year and featured, among others, Cliffie Stone, Rosie Flores, Chris Gaffney,
Wylie & the Wild West, & Tony(the Wild Man) Conn.

Melba also created, co-produced ( A Flowers & Toast Production) and hosted the well-
received bi-monthly showcase for female artists “Girls’ Night Out!” at Sacred Grounds
Coffee House in San Pedro, CA. for over 2 years.

A sought-after mistress of ceremonies, Melba hosted many shows and events in the greater
Los Angeles area. Most notable are the Sunset Junction Street Fair in Hollywood, CA
and The Long Beach 4th Street Fair in Long Beach, CA, which she hosted for 6 years
each.

Ms. Toast also had the distinction of performing as the featured vocalist (under her birth name,
Lori Laningham) with the Victor Valley College Symphony Orchestra in 1997 under the
direction of Conductor Dr. K. C. Manji in Apple Valley, CA.

AWARDS:
Received CCMA’s (California Country Music Association) 1991 Horizon Artist Award
Nominated for CCMA Vocalist of the Year, 1995
Pre-nominated for six Grammy Awards, 1995 (I Want More for Christmas & Hey, Johnny,
duets w/Johnny Legend on "Trust Me" Records).

BACKGROUND:
Born in Wichita Falls, Texas, Melba was an army brat and grew up in Wichita Falls,Texas,
Lawton, Oklahoma, Nuremburg, Germany, Columbus, Georgia and Yuba City, California.
Ms. Toast attended Georgia State University in Atlanta, GA where she majored in Graphic
Design. Melba worked as a graphic artist and also pursued a career as a fine artist,
performance artist (using the name "Miss Wichita Falls") and playwright.

Melba later moved to Los Angeles, CA where she created and developed her stage persona
now known as “Melba Toast”, recorded with Johnny Legend on “Trust Me” Records,
put her first band together and developed a variety of shows and events, and produced her
first all-original 10 song CD titled Consider Me (2000) on Lorelei Label (LL1) (including
the duet “Back to Bakersfield” with Wylie & the Wild West’s Wylie Gustafson!) The
CD features Dani-O on lead guitar, Russell Scott on upright bass, Kenny Lord on drums
and steel drums, Marilyn Young on acoustic guitar and Matt Margucci on steel, accordion
& cornet, with guest performers Jim Novak, Will Ray, Ric Solem & Maria Werth.

In the spring of 2000, Melba visited Nashville to visit friends (Joyce Symans,
Kenny and Ruth Griffin) and to perform at Billy Block's Western Beat at The Exit/In
(John Prine and Lucinda Williams were in attendance). Also, Ms. Symans was able to
get a few back stage passes to the Opry, so Joyce treated Melba and Ruth Griffin to the
Opry backstage! Melba got to meet and talk to many of her heroes, including Jeannie
Seely, Jan Howard Jim Ed Brown, Mike Schneider, Stu Phillips, Pam Tillis, Charlie
Pride, Freddie Fender, Riders in the Sky, The Bellamy Brothers... Melba was amazed
to learn that many of these great artists had heard of her, and knew her by her work! Melba
had a hard time staying on this planet for the next few weeks! She returned to Los Angeles,
and could not rest until she asked God what it was that was driving her crazy! Melba closed
her eyes in the dark, and then opened them and saw a vision of the seating arrangement of the
Opry, as seen from the stage, the image made up of twinkling stars that said, "Come!
Welcome!" Melba thought, "It's the Opry Angels! If they came all this way to tell me to
come, I guess I'd better go!" So Melba made the decision right then & there to move to
Nashville! She arrived in the summer of 2000 and immediately put together a band, which she
called "Melba Toast & her Fancy Assortment". Suzette Renee Lawrence (The Neon
Angels) asked Melba to co-produce and host a show she had been producing called "Alt
Country Hoedown" at The Springwater, which Melba did for 2 years.

Melba met her Mr. Toast six months after she moved to Nashville! She married him nine
months later. Life was so good, that Melba decided to go into semi-retirement, has let her
band go, and only performs occasionally now. Melba's day job is managing the world famous
store Katy K Designs/Ranch Dressing for her friend, Katy K, who also produces the now
famous "Girlesque" shows (Burlesque Revival). Melba often provides musical and
comedic relief to Katy's shows.

Mr. Toast and Melba appear weekly on Nashville’s public access station’s (Channel 19)hit
program “The Bat Poet Show”.

Mr. and Mrs. Toast's next big project is to remodel their home so they can open their own
home child day care center and write children's books and produce educational materials.
(Mr. Toast is an extremely talented illustrator.)