Four Decades
of award-winning craft
Donald Markowitz is a New York-born, New Orleans-based composer, producer, and songwriter. He is best known as the co-writer of “(I've Had) The Time of My Life” from Dirty Dancing — which won the Academy Award for Best Original Song and the Golden Globe Award for Best Original Song.
A Grammy-nominated producer, Donald has collaborated with Van Morrison, Taj Mahal, Dr. John, Bobby Rush, Art Neville, Bill Medley, and dozens more. He is the founder of Mid City Sound Studios and the creator of the documentary Street Beat: Drumming Below Sea Level.
Oscar
Academy Award Winner
Grammy
Nominated Producer
40+
Years in Music
Selected Credits & Collaborations
A life in music
All credits verified via IMDB, donaldmarkowitz.com, and public sources.
Born & Raised in New York
Donald Markowitz was born and raised in New York City. He began his career as a bass player, performing with Speedo and the Cadillacs and a wide range of artists from that era. He played the Apollo Theatre, Radio City Music Hall, the Cotton Club, and Roseland Ballroom — the beating heart of New York's live music scene.
Theatre & Early Composition
Expanding into theatre, Donald's band Arms Akimbo performed and wrote the music for Sam Shepard's "The Tooth of Crime" at the renowned La Mama Theatre in New York. He went on to compose for the WPA Theatre, the Old Globe in San Diego, and The Falcon Theatre in Los Angeles — building a reputation as a composer of range and depth.
Academy Award — Best Original Song
Donald co-writes "(I've Had) The Time of My Life" for the film Dirty Dancing alongside Franke Previte and John DeNicola. The song wins the Academy Award for Best Original Song and the Golden Globe Award for Best Original Song — cementing Donald's place among the most celebrated songwriters of his generation. The song also won a Grammy Award for Best Pop Performance, awarded to performers Bill Medley and Jennifer Warnes.
Hollywood — Film & Television
After winning the Oscar, Donald relocated to Los Angeles where he spent many years writing songs and scores for film and television. His credits include work on Highlander II: The Quickening and a sustained career in Hollywood production. James Taylor, Shawn Colvin, and Nicolette Larson sang on his records during this era.
New Orleans — A New Chapter
In 2011, Donald and his family moved to the Broadmoor neighborhood of New Orleans. The city's unmatched musical DNA — the second line, the brass band tradition, the deep funk heritage — drew him immediately into its creative community. He began working with some of the city's most legendary artists.
Grammy Nomination — Bobby Rush
Donald produces Bobby Rush's album Decisions, which features a duet with Dr. John on a song co-written by Markowitz called "Another Murder in New Orleans." The album earns a 2014 Grammy Award nomination for Best Blues Album.
A Career of Legendary Collaborations
Over his career, Donald has produced, written, recorded and worked with Van Morrison, Taj Mahal, Dr. John, Bill Medley, Bobby Rush, Art Neville, Ivan Neville, James Andrews, Irvin Mayfield, Lee Sklar, Shane Theriot, and Doug Belote — among many others. Now signed to Kobalt Music, he continues to collaborate with great artists from New Orleans and around the world.
Mid City Sound Studios
Donald founded Mid City Sound Studios in New Orleans — a world-class recording space built on decades of award-winning craft. The studio is a creative home for local legends, touring artists, and the next generation of creators. He is also the creator and producer of Street Beat: Drumming Below Sea Level, a documentary celebrating New Orleans drumming culture.
Through the decades
Dr. John and Bobby Rush
Art and Ian Neville
Cyril Neville and Donald
Russ Kunkel & Lee Sklar
Misha
Donny and Carol
“Every session is a conversation between where music has been and where it needs to go.”
— Donald Markowitz
Book a Session