Melody Lane

Mary Lou Williams

Mary Lou Williams’ influence was felt in the later Jazz and
early Swing eras. She was born Mary Elfrieda Scruggson on
May 15, 1910 in Atlanta, Georgia., and was raised in
Pittsburgh. As a child, she especially enjoyed listening to the
music of Fats Waller, Jelly Roll Morton, and Earl Hines, and
taught herself to play piano by listening to these men.
By age 13, she already working in vaudeville while also
playing with various local Pittsburgh bands, and even made
guest appearances with Duke Ellington's Washingtonians.

   Three years later, at age 16, she met and wed saxophonist John Williams. They moved to
Memphis where Mary Lou made her first recording (with a group called 'The Synco Jazzers'). Her
husband joined 'Andy Kirk's Twelve Clouds of Joy' orchestra, one of the great 1930s Kansas City
Swing bands. In 1929, Brunswick sent a crew to Kansas City to record Kirk's band. Three of those
recordings featured Mary's compositions and arrangements ("Lotta Sax Appeal," "Mess-A-Stomp,"
and "Froggy Bottom") with herself at the keyboard for all of them. The following year, hubby
'John Williams and his Memphis Stompers' recorded her first piano solo, "Drag 'Em," in Chicago
in April 1930. In 1931, Mary took over regular piano duties of Andy Kirk's band and proved to be
the musical brains of the outfit, writing songs and arrangements.
  The latter part of her career was spent as an artist in residence at Duke University. There she
taught Jazz and conducted the university's Jazz orchestra. At age 71, Mary Lou passed away on
May 28, 1981.
  During her long and wonderful career, Mary Lou wrote and arranged over 350 compositions,
including "Little Joe From Chicago", "What's Your Story Morning Glory", "Zodiac Suite", and even
the music cues for the 'Sesame Street' TV production. Today, in New York City, The Kennedy
Center for the Performing Arts sponsors an annual festival named after Mary Lou -The Kennedy
Center Mary Lou Williams Women in Jazz Festival, the purpose of which is to showcase women
musicians. Her legacy lives on through her recordings and compositions.