Mr. Mellen has been a private piano teacher for over 20 years. He attended college in both Glendale and Phoenix, Arizona. He has performed with jazz artists Richie Cole, James Newton, and Azar Lawrence. While participating in Armed Forces Bands for 11 years, he performed for Presidents Ford, Carter, and Regan, plus Queen Elizabeth and Pope John Paul. He held the position of Music Director for Chuck Berry and Frank Gorshin, and holds performance credits for Chicago, Al Green, Jay Leno, George Duke, and Stanley Clarke. Locally, he has performed with Touch of Silk, Tommy Thompson Project, and his own groups. He also participated in Steinway Competitions in Chicago.