Mary Lou Williams

Mary Lou Williams

Mary Lou Williams (born Mary Elfrieda Scruggs; May 8, 1910 – May 28, 1981) was an American jazz pianist, arranger, and composer. She wrote hundreds of compositions and arrangements and recorded more than one hundred records (in 78, 45, and LP versions). Williams wrote and arranged for Duke Ellington and Benny Goodman, and she was friend, mentor, and teacher to Thelonious Monk, Charlie Parker, Miles Davis, Tadd Dameron, Bud Powell, and Dizzy Gillespie.

Birth and Death Data: Born 1910 (Atlanta), Died May 28, 1981 (Durham)

Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1927 - 1955

Roles Represented in DAHR: piano, arranger, composer, leader, songwriter, vocalist, celeste

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

Recordings (Results 1-25 of 156 records)

Company	Matrix No.	Size	First Recording Date	Title	Primary Performer	Description	Role
Victor	PBS-09576	10-in.	7/7/1937	Roll 'em	Benny Goodman Orchestra	Jazz/dance band	composer
Victor	BS-017042	10-in.	11/12/1937	Camel hop	Benny Goodman Orchestra	Jazz/dance band	composer
Victor	BS-023420	10-in.	5/23/1938	Little Joe from Chicago	Wingy Manone Orchestra	Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo	composer
Victor	BS-044234	10-in.	11/21/1939	Why go on pretending?	Bob Chester Orchestra ; Dolores O'Neill	Jazz/dance band, with female vocal solo	songwriter
Victor	BS-055504	10-in.	8/8/1940	What's your story, morning glory	Tex Beneke ; Glenn Miller Orchestra	Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo	songwriter
Victor	D5VB-0234	10-in.	5/1/1945	(Otto make that) riff staccato	Duke Ellington Famous Orchestra ; Ray Nance	Male vocal solo, with jazz/dance band	arranger, leader
Victor	PD6VB-2523	10-in.	7/24/1946	Fifth dimension	Mary Lou Williams	Instrumental trio	leader, composer, instrumentalist, piano
Victor	PD6VB-2524	10-in.	7/24/1946	Harmony grits	Mary Lou Williams' Girl Stars	Jazz/dance quintet, with solos	leader, instrumentalist, piano
Victor	PD6VB-2525	10-in.	7/24/1946	It must be true	Mary Lou Williams' Girl Stars	Female vocal solo, with jazz/dance quintet	leader, instrumentalist, piano
Victor	PD6VB-2528	10-in.	7/24/1946	Humoresque	Mary Lou Williams Trio	Piano solo, with bass (take 1); with bass and drums (take 2)	instrumentalist, piano, arranger, leader
Victor	D6VB-2899	10-in.	10/7/1946	Waltz boogie	Mary Lou Williams Trio	Piano solo, with bass and drums	instrumentalist, piano, composer, leader
Victor	D7VB-0627	10-in.	3/5/1947	Pretty eyed baby	William Johnson ; Musical Notes (Bill Johnson)	Male vocal solo, with vocal quartet and jazz/dance quintet	songwriter
Brunswick	C4473	10-in.	5/1/1930	Mary’s idea	Andy Kirk ; Twelve Clouds of Joy	Jazz/dance band	arranger
Brunswick	C5724	10-in.	May 1930	Night life	Mary Lou Williams	Piano solo	instrumentalist, piano, composer
Brunswick	C5725	10-in.	May 1930	Drag ‘em	Mary Lou Williams	Piano solo	instrumentalist, piano, composer
Brunswick	C6017	10-in.	7/15/1930	Gettin’ off a mess	Seven Little Clouds of Joy	Jazz/dance band	composer
Brunswick	C6431	10-in.	10/9/1930	Travelin’ that rocky road	Andy Kirk ; Twelve Clouds of Joy	Jazz/dance band	arranger
Brunswick	KC591	10-in.	Nov. 1929	Mess-a-stomp	Andy Kirk ; Twelve Clouds of Joy	Jazz/dance band	arranger
Brunswick	KC600	10-in.	Nov. 1929	Sumpin’ slow and low	Memphis Stompers ; John Williams	Jazz/dance band	composer
Brunswick	KC618	10-in.	Nov. 1929	Corky stomp	Andy Kirk ; Twelve Clouds of Joy	Jazz/dance band	composer
Brunswick	KC619	10-in.	Nov. 1929	Froggy Bottom	Andy Kirk ; Twelve Clouds of Joy	Jazz/dance band	arranger
Brunswick	KC620	10-in.	Nov. 1929	Froggy Bottom	Andy Kirk ; Twelve Clouds of Joy	Jazz/dance band	arranger
Gennett	12615	10-in.	3/1/1927	My! My! My!	John Williams' Kansas City Stompers	Jazz/dance band	instrumentalist, piano
Gennett	12616	10-in.	3/1/1927	Kansas City yellow front	John Williams' Kansas City Stompers	Jazz/dance band	instrumentalist, piano
Gennett	12620	10-in.	3/2/1927	Tiger rag	John Williams' Kansas City Stompers	Jazz/dance band	instrumentalist, piano

(Results 1-25 of 156 records)

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Williams, Mary Lou," accessed October 31, 2024, https://adpprod1.library.ucsb.edu/names/103504.

Williams, Mary Lou. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved October 31, 2024, from https://adpprod1.library.ucsb.edu/names/103504.

"Williams, Mary Lou." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 31 October 2024.

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