Frank Melrose
Frank Melrose, born Franklyn Taft Melrose on November 26, 1907 in Sumner,
Illinois, was an American jazz and blues pianist. Initially playing the violin,
he later switched to piano, influenced by Jelly Roll Morton and Clarence
Williams. In 1924, Melrose left his hometown and began working with Morton in
various cities including Chicago. He gained prominence in the Chicago blues and
jazz scene of the 1920s and 1930s, notably performing with The Cellar Boys
featuring Wingy Manone and Bud Freeman. In 1928, he recorded with the Beale
Street Washington Band, and in 1929, his brother L...
