Melvin Curtis Cookie Britt of Battle Creek, Michigan died on February 1, 2013, in Select Hospital in Battle Creek, Michigan. He was born in Gary, Indiana, on June 19, 1945 to Betty (Slackman) and Matthew Britt. He attended Gary Public Schools until the age of thirteen at which time he moved to Anderson, Indiana. He graduated from Anderson High School in 1964 and enlisted in the Army serving in both Europe and Vietnam. Upon his discharge, Cookie was employed by the Guide Lamp Division of the General Motors Corporation, the Madison County Indiana Sheriff's Department, attended Ball State University and later, worked at US Steel Corporation in Gary, Indiana. In his late twenties, he moved to California to pursue a career in the music industry.
Mel was discovered in his homestate of Indiana by Donny Hathaway. Following a short stint with The Visitors in 1969/70, Robert Lee signed him to FIP. In 1972 with Tom Washington whereby he recorded 'She'll Come Running Back'.
During his time in music, Melvin toured with Jr. Walker, opened for Diana Ross in Las Vegas, appeared on the dance show Soul Train, and appeared on the soundtrack for the movie Animal House. In 2009, he was the guest of honor at a celebration in Detroit honoring R&B artists of the 60s and 70s. He still has a song on the top 300 oldies being played in Europe and England.