Biography
Donald Markowitz is an American composer, songwriter and producer. Born and raised in New York City, he began his career as a bass player performing at venues including the Apollo Theatre and Radio City Music Hall. He later composed for theatre productions including at the WPA Theatre and the Old Globe in San Diego.
He is best known for co-writing the song “(I've Had) The Time of My Life” for the film Dirty Dancing (1987), which won the Academy Award for Best Original Song and the Golden Globe Award for Best Original Song. After the success of the song, Markowitz worked in Los Angeles on songs and scores for film and television, including projects with producer Steven Bochco. He has received a Grammy nomination for his production work on Bobby Rush’s album Decisions (2014). Since 2011 he has been based in New Orleans.
