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Fats Waller ( May 21, 1904 - December 15, 1943) was a jazz pianist, organist, composer and comedic entertainer. African American by race, he was born Thomas Wright Waller in New York City. Waller studied classical piano and organ before apprenticing himself to legendary Harlem stride pianist James P. JohnsonJames Price Johnson ( February 1, 1894 November 17, 1955) was a pianist and composer. With Luckey Roberts, Johnson was one of the originators of the stride style of piano playing. Johnson was born in New Brunswick, New Jersey. His family moved to New York. Johnson introduced Waller to the world of rent partiesFor a rent party (sometimes called a house party or house-rent party , tenants hire a musician or band to play for a party and pass the hat to raise money to pay their rent. The rent party played a major role in the development of jazz and blues music. (a party with a piano player, designed to help pay the rent by charging the guests), and soon he developed a performing career.
He was an excellent pianist--now usually considered one of the very best who ever played in the stride style--but his songwriting and his lovable, roguish stage personality ("One never knows, do one?") overshadowed his playing. Before his solo career, he played with many performers, from Erskine Tate to Bessie SmithBessie Smith ( April 15, 1894 September 26 1937) was an early American blues singer born in Chattanooga, Tennessee. Initially hired as a dancer, she landed her first job with the Moses Stokes company, a show that also included Ma Rainey, who did not teach, but his greatest success came with his own five- or six-piece comboCombo combo box (a widget) No WTO Combo (a punk rock band) El Gran Combo (a Salsa band) Peregoyo y su Combo Vacano (a Salsa band) Combo Waterhole., "Fats Waller and his Rhythm".
Among his songs are "Squeeze Me" 1919Events January January 1 Edsel Ford succeeds his father as head of the Ford Motor Company January 5 Spartacist uprising Socialist demonstrations in Berlin turn into attempted communist revolution with Spartacist League in the forefront January 9 Spartacus, " Ain't Misbehavin'Ain't Misbehavin is a song by Fats Waller, dating from 1929. The singer is not cheating on a lover: "Ain't misbehavin', I'm savin' my love for you". This title was later used for a Broadway show (see below). For the 1955 movie of this title starring Mamie" 1929Centuries: 19th century 20th century 21st century Decades: 1870s 1880s 1890s 1900s 1910s 1920s 1930s 1940s 1950s 1960s 1970s Years: 1924 1925 1926 1927 1928 1929 1930 1931 1932 1933 1934 See also 1929 in aviation 1929 in film 1929 in literature 1929 in mu, "Blue Turning Grey Over You" 1930, "Honeysuckle Rose" 1929, "I've Got a Feeling I'm Falling" 1929, and "Jitterbug Waltz" 1942.
He collaborated with the Tin Pan Alley lyricist Andy Razaf and had a commercially successful career, which according to some music critics eclipsed his great musical talent. His nickname came about because he weighed nearly 300 pounds (136 kg). His weight and drinking are believed to have contributed to his death.
Waller also made a successful tour of the British Isles in the late 1930's, and appeared in one of the earliest BBC Television broadcasts. He also appeared in several feature films and short subject films, most notably " Stormy Weather" in 1943.
With Razaf he wrote "What Did I Do (To Be So Black and Blue)?" 1929 which became a hit for Louis Armstrong. This song, a searing treatment of racism, black and white, calls into question the accusations of "shallow entertainment" levelled at both Armstrong and Waller.
On December 15, 1943, Waller died aboard an eastbound train in the vicinity of Kansas City, Missouri, following a west coast engagement.
