Jack Melick formed his own band when he was 13 years old, and at age 16
was leading that band at a summer resort in the Pocono Mountains for three
seasons. His mother had started him on piano lessons at the young age of
five. Jack graduated from Oberlin Conservatory of Music and served in the Army during the Korean War. He played piano in several well-known bands:
Leo Peeper, Jimmy Palmer and Art Mooney, and in 1955 was playing with
Orin Tucker’s Band on a TV show in Hollywood.

Jack formed his own band again in Reno, where the band was in residence
at the Mapes Hotel playing for Hollywood luminaries: Milton Berle, Betty
Grable, Rowan & Martin, Sammy Davis, Mickey Rooney, Jack Carson and
others. The hotel closed in late 1960, and Jack became musical conductor
for comedian Dick Shawn where he lead Freddy Martin’s band at the famed
Coconut Grove in Los Angeles. Later, Jack played one of the Twin Pianos
in Guy Lombardo’s Orchestra.

In 2003, Jack Melick celebrated his 50th year as a ful-time professional
musician. His band performed for 34 years at the Chaparral Club until
the club closed in 1994. He has resided in Dallas since 1968. The band
also played the Warwick Club in Houston, alternating with the Dunes Hotel
in Las Vegas. The band hosts a yearly Jack Melick Dance Cruise on
several cruise ships, including the QE2.

Jack is currently semi-retired, but he assures everyone that as long as he is
able, the Jack Melick Orchestra will keep playing the music from the Golden Era of American Popular Music: the Big Band Sound.