M. Elwell Romancito – online since 1984 and on the planet since the mid 1950s. Musician, writer, editor, photographer, videographer. Lives in Taos, New Mexico, with husband Rick Romancito.

So reads Melody Romancito’s abbreviated bio on her namesake website, but Melody has accomplished so much more than this modest blurb would have you believe.

We met for a coffee recently at the La Fonda Hotel on the Plaza. Our coffee turned into a three hour gab fest. I first met Melody soon after I moved back to Taos in the early 90’s and have always enjoyed her direct outspoken manner and her quick wit. We hadn’t seen one another for some time, but we dove right in, covering everything from kids to work and Taos, of course. I did manage to get a couple of pics as we giggled (and gossiped) but neither captured the serious side of this woman of substance. Thankfully she had one to share.

Melody started out in Kansas just like Dorothy, but that’s where all similarity ends. By the early 80’s she was in Eugene, Oregon, working for one of the earliest Tech startups who were considering a move elsewhere when they decided to check out Taos. It was 1985, the company wound up in California, but Melody was enchanted and stayed.

After a stint as (the Taos News) Tempo editor (her husband Rick was then in the newspaper’s darkroom, printing photographs) she went on to share her considerable Tech knowledge with many in the community, including Janet Webb at Webb Design.

In an interesting exchange of roles, her husband Rick, became Tempo’s editor not too long after Melody left the job and has remained there since, covering Art and Entertainment in Taos.

In 1993 she married Rick Romancito at the Pueblo Pow Wow Grounds, surrounded by close friends and family. A decade in Taos had sent down deep roots.

Their daughter Ella, now grown and creatively expressing herself as well, has freed up Melody’s time for the things she loves, that for many years were set aside on back burners while she focused on earning a living (via her tech knowhow, writing and marketing skills). The full time gig of motherhood not withstanding.

Melody is a very talented musician and continues to play out occasionally, but these days she’s mainly holed up in her studio producing her own tracks and collaborating with others online, while juggling a myriad of other interests.

She and Ella started Ghost Tours on a whim a few years ago and these tours have become one of the most popular attractions for visitors to Taos. Taos with its long and often fraught history is most definitely haunted and Melody and Ella are happy to show you exactly where these wraiths prefer to hang out.

Ghost tours aside, this bright and brilliant woman isn’t ready to be put out to pasture any time soon; multi-media savvy, a gifted writer, musician and photographer, Melody Romancito continues to have her finger on the town’s pulse. In my book, she’s always been, and continues to be, one to watch.

For much more about Melody and what she does, please visit her (and her talented family’s) sites linked below this post.

romancito.com

melodyromancito

Top photo care of Melody Romancito by Ella Romancito

Other photos by Lynne Robinson