Ollie Mitchell

Oliver Edward Mitchell
Oliver Edward Mitchell
Born	April 8, 1927; Los Angeles, California, United States
Died	May 11, 2013 (aged 86); Puako, Hawaii, United States
Genres	Big band
Occupation(s)	Trumpeter, bandleader
Instrument	Trumpet
Years active	1944–2013
Website	http://www.olliem.com/

Ollie Mitchell (April 8, 1927 – May 11, 2013) was an American musician and bandleader. Born Oliver Edward Mitchell in Los Angeles on April 8, 1927, he was the son of Harold Mitchell, lead trumpeter for MGM Studios, who also taught Ollie to play the trumpet.^[1]

Career

Mitchell would go on to play in big bands for Harry James, Buddy Rich and Pérez Prado, among others, as well as the NBC Symphony Orchestra. In the 1960s, Mitchell joined The Wrecking Crew, a group of studio and session musicians who played anonymously on many records for popular singers of the time, as well as television theme songs, film scores, advertising jingles. Mitchell was also an original member of Herb Alpert's Tijuana Brass. He would go on to have his own bands—Ollie Mitchell's Sunday Band, and the Olliephonic Horns.^[1]

Personal life

In 1995, Mitchell and his wife Nancy moved from Los Angeles to Puako, Hawaii, where he founded the Horns. In 2010, Mitchell published his memoir, Lost, But Making Good Time: A View from the Back Row of the Band.^[2] According to his wife, he had recently stopped playing the trumpet, due to macular degeneration and hand problems from an automobile accident. Mitchell also suffered from cancer and died on May 11, 2013. He is survived by his wife and four children.^[1]