Lost, But Making Good Time: A View from the Back Row of the Band

Lost, But Making Good Time (A View from the Back Row of the Band) is more than a chronological account of a career in music. It is a story of a successful artist whose career was often at odds with his need for personal growth. A curious child forced into a disciplined practice routine at an early age, Ollie Mitchell struggled for years to gain a sense of his role on earth as something other than a trumpet player. During his journey along life's path, Ollie has taken detours and encountered more than a few obstacles, some of which he admits to having set in his own way. Although not presented as a prescription for anyone, Ollie's account is filled with his cool, passionate, and clever observations that will entertain, challenge, and inspire the reader.

Oliver E. Mitchell was born on April 8, 1927. His father, a well-established first trumpet player in the Hollywood movie studios, started his son Ollie on the trumpet at age five to prove some of his "trumpistic" theories. Although not a pleasant experience, Ollie survived, and, because of the strict training his dad put him through, he gained all of the skills needed to be one of the top recording trumpet players in the 60's and 70's; but success came with a price. After years of personal struggle, Ollie is alive and well and living in Hawaii.