Melvin George Toburen was born May 30, 1951 in Dundee, Michigan. He was the son of Florence (Roggeman) and Charles Toburen.

A 1969 graduate of Leslie High School in Leslie, Michigan, Melvin was married to Sally Jean Hayhoe who was born December 6, 1950. They had one child.

Melvin then married Theresa Goodplaster and they also had one child.

At the time of his father's death in 1984, he was listed as living in Aurora Colorado. Later, he worked as an appraiser of vintage guitars at Elderly Instruments in Lansing, Michigan.

Mel died of mesothelioma on July 14, 2015 in Los Angeles, California. He was 64 years old.