b. Mary Elfrieda Scruggs, 8 May 1910, Atlanta, Georgia, USA, d. 28 May 1981, Durham, North Carolina, USA. A child prodigy, Williams played in public at the age of six and by the time she reached her teenage years was already a seasoned professional piano player. At the age of 16 she married saxophonist John Williams, playing in his band throughout the Midwest. When her husband left to join Terrence Holder's band, Mary Lou took over the leadership of the band before eventually she too joined Holder. After this band had metamorphosed into Andy Kirk and his Clouds Of Joy, Williams assumed additional responsibilities as the group's chief arranger. During the 30s, while still with Kirk, her arrangements were also used by Earl "Fatha" Hines, Tommy Dorsey, Louis Armstrong and Benny Goodman, who had a hit with her composition "Roll 'Em". After her marriage to John Williams ended, she married Harold "Shorty" Baker and co-led a band with him before he joined Duke Ellington. She continued to lead the band but also contributed some arrangements to Ellington. Williams was instrumental in informing John Hammond Jnr. about the talents of Charlie Christian.

Listen to Mary Lou Williams at Finetune.

• (2008)  A Grand Night For Swinging
• (1992)  1927-1940

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