Terrence Paul Melcher (né Jorden; February 8, 1942 – November 19, 2004) was an American record producer, singer and songwriter who was instrumental in shaping the mid-to-late 1960s California Sound and folk rock movements.

In the 1960s, Melcher was acquainted with the Beach Boys and later produced several singles for the group in the 1980s and the 1990s, including "Kokomo" (1988), which topped U.S. record charts.

Shortly after giving birth, Day filed for divorce and left the infant with her mother in Ohio while she went back to touring with big band leader Les Brown.

[citation needed] After divorcing her second husband, saxophonist George Weidler, Day married Martin Melcher, who would become her manager and produce many of her films.

After Martin Melcher's death in 1968, Day discovered that he had mismanaged or embezzled $20 million from her, while Terry claimed that his stepfather had mistreated him as a child.

[6] Following conflicts with the band and their manager, Melcher was replaced as producer by Allen Stanton and then Gary Usher, although he would work with the Byrds again on their Ballad of Easy Rider, (Untitled) and Byrdmaniax albums.

Melcher also worked with Paul Revere & the Raiders, Wayne Newton, Frankie Laine, Jimmy Boyd, Pat Boone, Glen Campbell, Mark Lindsay and the Mamas & the Papas.

[9] For a time, Melcher was interested in recording Manson's music as well as making a film about the family and their hippie commune existence.

The house's owner, Rudi Altobelli, then leased it to film director Roman Polanski and his wife, actress Sharon Tate.

[1] On August 8–9, 1969, the house was the site of the murders of Tate (who was eight months pregnant at the time), coffee heiress Abigail Folger, hairdresser Jay Sebring, writer Wojciech Frykowski and Steven Parent by members of Manson's "family".

[1] Melcher took to employing a bodyguard and told Manson prosecutor Vincent Bugliosi that his fear was so great he had been undergoing psychiatric treatment.

Melcher was described as the most frightened of the witnesses at the trial, even though Bugliosi assured him that "Manson knew you were no longer living [on Cielo Drive]".

These documents, seemingly hidden by Bugliosi, undermined claims the Tate murders were intended to frighten Melcher in revenge for his refusal to record Manson's music.

O'Neill also found documents indicating Melcher was having sex with 15-year-old Manson family member Ruth Ann Moorehouse.

During this time, Melcher dabbled in real estate and served as the executive producer of his mother's CBS series, The Doris Day Show.

[18] In 1988, Melcher earned a Golden Globe nomination for co-writing the song "Kokomo" with John Phillips, Scott McKenzie and Mike Love.