- Born
- Died
- Birth nameMelvin Epstein
- Mel Powell was born on February 12, 1923 in New York City, New York, USA. He was a composer and actor, known for A Song Is Born (1948), The Lonely Night (1954) and American Frontier (1953). He was married to Martha Scott. He died on April 24, 1998 in Van Nuys, California, USA.
- SpouseMartha Scott(1946 - April 24, 1998) (his death)
- Jazz pianist and composer. Won the 1990 Pulitzer Prize in music for his composition, "Duplicates: A Concerto for Two Pianos and Orchestra".
- Inducted into the Big Band and Jazz Hall of Fame in 1997.
- Stride pianist and arranger. Began as a teenager at Nick's in New York before joining the band of Mugsy Spanier. With Benny Goodman from 1941, for who he wrote several seminal tracks, including "The Earl", "Clarinet a la King" and "Mission to Moscow". Member of Glenn Miller's Army Band during World War II.
- Turned to classical music in the 1980's, taking over from Paul Hindemith as Professor of Composition at Yale. Subsequently headed the California Institute of the Arts.
- Buried with wife, actress Martha Scott Powell, at Jamesport Masonic Cemetery, Jamesport, Daviess County, Missouri.
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