(1904-1943)
Ever since "Fats" was a boy at the age of ten he was playing the jazz piano, creating his own rags and songs. Wallers father, a Baptist pastor, called Wallers music evil, his mother who died when he was 16 was a very important influence in his life, she taught him classical and church music, however when she died he strayed to ragtime swing music. When Wallers was fifteen he got a job at a local theater called the Lincoln theater, playing the organ along with the silent films. Waller soon made a name for himself, and became a favorite of many nightclub goers. Luckily, some of his early playing was preserved on piano rolls. Here's how it happened.
The mostly white-owned piano roll companies realized that there was a great market to be found in the black community. They especially wanted the music that they'd been hearing in the surrounding nightclubs. Waller came at just the right time, and had rolls made of him. Wallers big piano roll break came when James P. Johnson, the leading black artist at that time, introduced Waller as someone who could fill in for him when needed. Waller did just that, James P. Johnson went out of town for a while and Waller made a great name for himself. His piano rolls became very popular among the people surrounding his area.
After his initial start between the ages of eighteen and twenty two, his career took off. His first radio broadcast came a year after his introduction to the public, on a stage in Newark, New Jersey. And shortly after he wrote his first tune originally titled "Boston Blues" due to his being in Boston at the time, playing piano accompaniment for a vaudeville act, "Liza and Her Shufflin' Six." Later Clarence Williams had put lyrics to Fats' song and the name was changed to "Squeeze Me", which quickly became a lasting hit for Waller.
Throughout his career he had many successful hits, placing him as one of the most well known performers, ever from Harlem. His death at the age of 39, left the world of ragtime and blues in mourning. This is a man who will always be remembered for his good tempered nature and his well known music.
by Danny Dunlop, Michael Floeter, and Michael Petitt
Here are some more sounds for your enjoyment.
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