Mel Nelson
| Mel Nelson | |
|---|---|
| Birthday | November 17, 1956 |
| Deceased | Yes |
| Died on | April 13, 2014 1:00 PM. |
| info | at home |
| Nationality | American |
| Occupation | Musician, IT |
| Org. Affiliation(s) | Sacramento Org |
| Spouse(s) | Marji Honeycutt Nelson |
| Children | Alicia Marie Piemme Nelson |
Melvin (Mel) Moton Nelson, Jr., 57, of East Haddam and formerly of Nashville, TN, and Los Angeles, CA, passed away unexpectedly Sunday (April 13, 2014) at home. Born Nov. 17, 1956 at Mather Air Force base in Sacramento, CA, he was the son of the late Melvin, Sr. (Capt. USAF, ret.), and Johnnie (Mitchell) Nelson.
Mel had worked as an IT consultant for many years, but his true calling, passion, and talent were found in his work as a freelance musician and composer. He was the consummate musician, able to play any instrument he picked up, but the instruments he came back to were piano and bass. He played and toured the U.S. and Europe with many bands and singers, toured the Caribbean playing in cruise ship bands, served as the first Music Director of a Japanese company of Cirque du Soleil, was Music Director of the Living Stage Theatre Company of Washington, D.C. and Music Director of the Red Ladder Theatre Company of San Jose, CA. Mel and his sister Jennifer L. Nelson collaborated on a musical play, "Hubert and Charlie," which premiered at the Kennedy Center in Washington, DC.
Known by his friends variously as Mel-Burger, Mewyn, Mebbenesson, Nelvin, Meli, um-Smel, Melson, Cheesehead, Mr. Cheese, Mr. Ed, Hormone Dots, Mellioni, and Meltonius, he was much loved, and admired for his hearty laugh and his ability to spin wonderfully funny yarns about his life.
He is survived by his daughter, Alicia Marie Piemme Nelson (18) a university student in Boston, MA, his two sisters, Marilyn Nelson of East Haddam, with whom he had recently made his home, and Jennifer L. Nelson of Washington, DC; his former wife, Marji Honeycutt Nelson, of Nashville, TN, his former partner, Karen Piemme, of San Jose, CA, and numerous extended family members, friends and colleagues.
His music lives on.[1]
