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Fats Waller

Thomas Wright "Fats" Waller (May 21, 1904 – December 15, 1943) was an American jazz pianist, organist, composer, and singer. His innovations in the Harlem stride style laid much of the basis for modern jazz piano. His best-known compositions, "Ain't Misbehavin'" and "Honeysuckle Rose", were inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 1984 and 1999. Waller copyrighted over 400 songs, many of them co-written with his closest collaborator, Andy Razaf. Razaf described his partner as "the soul of melody... a man who made the piano sing... both big in body and in mind... known for his generosity... a bubbling bundle of joy". It is likely that he composed many more popular songs than he has been credited with: when in financial difficulties he had a habit of selling songs to other writers and performers who claimed them as their own.

Waller started playing the piano at the age of six and became a professional organist at 15. By the age of 18, he was a recording artist. He was a prolific songwriter, and one of the most popular performers of his era, touring internationally and achieving critical and commercial success in the United States and Europe. He died from pneumonia, aged 39.

Birth and Death Data: Born May 21, 1904 (New York City), Died December 15, 1943 (Kansas City)

Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1922 - 1951

Roles Represented in DAHR: piano, leader, vocalist, composer, songwriter, pipe organ, director, celeste, arranger, organ, electric organ, lyricist, speaker

Notes: Sometimes listed as Thomas Waller or Thomas Wright Waller.

= Recordings are available for online listening.
= Recordings were issued from this master. No recordings issued from other masters.

Recordings (Results 676-692 of 692 records)

Company Matrix No. Size First Recording Date Title Primary Performer Description Role Audio
Edison 18240 10-in. 2/16/1928 I'm more than satisfied Duke Yellman Orchestra Jazz/dance band composer  
Edison 18922 10-in. 12/6/1928 I've got a feeling I'm falling Duke Yellman Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo composer  
Edison 19161 10-in. 4/17/1929 I've got a feeling I'm falling Vaughn De Leath ; Muriel Pollock Female vocal solo, with piano composer  
Edison N-615 10-in. 12/6/1928 I've got a feeling I'm falling Duke Yellman Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo composer  
Edison N-860 10-in. 4/17/1928 I've got a feeling I'm falling Vaughn De Leath Female vocal solo, with piano composer  
Edison N-1084 10-in. 8/22/1929 Ain't misbehavin' Golden Gate Orchestra [California Ramblers] Jazz/dance band composer  
Gramophone 0LA1742 10-in. 4/28/1937 Honeysuckle rose Coleman Hawkins All-Star Jam Band Jazz/dance band composer  
Gramophone 0EA6383 10-in. 8/21/1938 Don't try your jive on me Fats Waller and his Rhythm Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo and organ solo leader, instrumentalist, organ, vocalist  
Gramophone 0EA6384 10-in. 8/21/1938 Ain't misbehavin' Fats Waller and his Rhythm Male vocal solo, with jazz/dance band composer, leader, vocalist, instrumentalist, organ  
Gramophone 0EA6385 10-in. 8/28/1938 Swing low, sweet chariot Fats Waller Pipe organ solo instrumentalist, pipe organ, arranger  
Gramophone 0EA6386 10-in. 8/28/1938 All God's chillun got wings Fats Waller Pipe organ solo arranger, instrumentalist, pipe organ  
Gramophone 0EA6387 10-in. 8/28/1938 Go down, Moses Fats Waller Pipe organ solo instrumentalist, pipe organ, arranger  
Gramophone 0EA6388 10-in. 8/28/1938 Deep river Fats Waller Pipe organ solo arranger, instrumentalist, pipe organ  
Gramophone 0EA6389 10-in. 8/28/1938 Water boy Fats Waller Pipe organ solo arranger, instrumentalist, pipe organ  
Gramophone 0EA6390 10-in. 8/28/1938 Lonesome road Fats Waller Pipe organ solo instrumentalist, pipe organ, arranger  
Columbia (U.K.) WL2340 10-in. 6/14/1930 Mon sort est dans vos mains Costica Bagiac ; Lucienne Boyer ; Orchestre Costica Bagiac Female vocal solo, with orchestra composer  
Columbia (U.K.) CL7086 10-in. 6/1/1939 Honeysuckle rose Orchestre Victor ; Boris Sarbek ; Gus Viseur Instrumental ensemble, with accordion solo composer  
(Results 676-692 of 692 records)

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Waller, Fats," accessed October 31, 2024, https://adpprod1.library.ucsb.edu/names/101963.

Waller, Fats. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved October 31, 2024, from https://adpprod1.library.ucsb.edu/names/101963.

"Waller, Fats." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 31 October 2024.

DAHR Persistent Identifier

URI: https://adpprod1.library.ucsb.edu/names/101963

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