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<p>WILKES-BARRE &#8212; Joe Middleton said Mel Wynn and the Rhythm Aces was, perhaps, the most impactful band on the local music scene in the 1960s and 1970s.</p><p>Middleton should know &#8212; he spent his life writing about music at the Pittston Sentinel and the Wyoming Valley Observer and working at local radio stations WPTS, WICK, WEJL, WEZX, WSCR and WARM.</p><p>Melvin Samuel Wynn, the front man for the Rhythm Aces who as known for his electrifying on-stage presence, died Aug. 31 in Fredricksburg, Virginia. He would have been 83 today, Oct. 4.</p><p>His sister, Constance, said there will be a service for Mel on Saturday, Oct. 5, at 11 a.m. in the auditorium of GAR Memorial High School, his alma mater.</p><p>&#8220;Mel Wynn and the Rhythm Aces was probably the most successful band in this area,&#8221; Middleton said. &#8220;Mel had several records that were released nationally.&#8221;</p><p>So what was it about Mel Wynn?</p><p>&#8220;I think it was his professionalism, his enthusiasm and the excitement that he brought forth when he took the stage,&#8221; Middleton said.</p><p>Middleton said Mel started with a band called The Shalomars and then went to the Rhythm Aces. Mel became so popular, the band put his name out front to form Mel Wynn and the Rhythm Aces.</p><p>&#8220;I still have his first record, &#8216;Today, Tomorrow, Forever,&#8217; and the flip side was &#8216;Why Tell the World,&#8217;&#8221; Middleton said.</p><p>Constance Wynn said her brother loved life, he loved people, and he loved his music.</p><p>&#8220;Melvin was involved with music his entire life,&#8221; she said. &#8220;It made him happy. He was always upbeat. Those were the best years for music and live bands.&#8221;</p><p>Constance said she watched Mel evolve over time with music.</p><p>&#8220;He even promoted rap for a time,&#8221; she said. &#8220;But most important, Melvin was just a wonderful human being. He was a fun guy. People loved to watch him perform and the music was great.&#8221;</p><p>Constance said her brother, James Wynn, who also was popular on the music scene &#8220;back in the day,&#8221; will offer the service. James is an Episcopalian priest, Constance said. Speakers include Melvin Wynn Jr., Jerry Sechleer, Greg Palmer Joe Middleton and Joe Nardone.</p><p>Jerry Sechleer, who brought Mel into the Rhythm Aces, said a there were lot of bands and a lot of venues in the &#8217;50s and &#8217;60s.</p><p>&#8220;There were so many schools and school dances back then,&#8221; Sechleer said. &#8220;It seemed like a hundred schools on the West side alone. There were dances even on school nights&#8221;</p><p>Sechleer said he started the Rhythm Aces in 1958 with a few guys from the Rolling Mill Hill section of Wilkes-Barre.</p><p>&#8220;Late in 1958, Mel Wynn joined the band and the Rhythm Aces were born,&#8221; Sechleer said. &#8220;Mel was a great singer and performer &#8212; he could sing anything &#8212; soul, rock, Motown standards. Off stage, Mel was a very quiet shy person, but on stage, he was dynamite. People loved him.&#8221;</p><p>Sechleer said Mel never seemed to age &#8212; never losing his voice or his enthusiasm.</p><p>&#8220;Mel was a great man, a great artist, and a great friend,&#8221; Sechleer said.</p><p>Joe Nardone, who still plays with The All Stars, owns Gallery of Sound music stores.</p><p>&#8220;Mel Wynn was a great vocalist, a great entertainers, and most of all, a true gentleman,&#8221; Nardone said.&#8221;Our area was extremely lucky to be entertained by a man as talented as Mel Wynn. We will never forget the man who was always smiling and had a good word for any and all bands who played during his extremely successful era.&#8221;</p><p>Wynn was born in Wilkes Barre, Oct. 4, 1936, to Melvin and Ella Moss Wynn.</p><p>Wynn was a graduate of GAR Memorial High School, Class of 1955, where he played the trumpet in the band. He also went to Wilkes College, studying physical therapy as well as theatre arts with Professor Al Groh.</p><p>He worked at the Jewish Community Center as a massage therapist, often saying there wasn&#8217;t a bar mitzvah or a bat mitzvah that he hadn&#8217;t performed at.</p><p>Among his survivors are five children, his sister and others.</p><style>
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<div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/web1_MEL-WYNN-2.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Mel Wynn during once of his performances with The Rhythm Aces in the 1960s. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo0>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/web1_MEL-WYNN-2.jpg</photo0><caption0>Mel Wynn during once of his performances with The Rhythm Aces in the 1960s. </caption0><photoCredit0></photoCredit0></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/web1_wynn_mug_2.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Melvin Wynn in his younger days. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo1>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/web1_wynn_mug_2.jpg</photo1><caption1>Melvin Wynn in his younger days. </caption1><photoCredit1></photoCredit1></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/web1_wynn_mug_1.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Melvin Wynn in his later years. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo2>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/web1_wynn_mug_1.jpg</photo2><caption2>Melvin Wynn in his later years. </caption2><photoCredit2></photoCredit2></div></div>
<div class="metaInfo"><bylineMeta><p>By Bill O&#8217;Boyle</p><p>boboyle@www.timesleader.com</p></bylineMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><shirttailMeta><p>Reach Bill O&#8217;Boyle at 570-991-6118 or on Twitter @TLBillOBoyle.</p></shirttailMeta></div>

Service set for Saturday at GAR for local music legend Melvin Wynn