Photo: William P. Gottlieb / Adam Cuerden / Public domain (source: Wikimedia Commons)
My Take
Mary Lou Williams deserves to be spoken of in the same breath as the giants, and too often isn't. Hundreds of compositions, over a hundred records, and a career that moved gracefully from swing through bebop without ever sounding dated, that is staggering durability. What moves me most is that she also taught and mentored the next generation, choosing to give the music away as much as perform it. Two Guggenheim Fellowships and a Fordham honorary doctorate hint at how widely she was respected. In a jazz world dominated by men, she commanded lasting respect on pure musicianship. A quiet titan.
1. Profile
- Name (English)
- Mary Lou Williams
- Name (Japanese)
- メリー・ルー・ウィリアムズ
- Reading
- めりー・るー・うぃりあむず
- Born
- May 8, 1910 – May 28, 1981
- Zodiac / Chinese zodiac
- Taurus / Dog
- Origin
- Atlanta, Georgia, United States
- Blood type
- Private
- Height
- Private
- Agency
- Private
- Occupation
- jazz pianist / composer / bandleader / teacher / recording artist
2. Background
- Elementary school
- Private
- Junior high
- Private
- High school
- Westinghouse High School
- University
- Private
Awards & achievements
- 1972 Guggenheim Fellowship
- 1977 Guggenheim Fellowship
- 1973 honorary doctor of Fordham University
3. Relationships
- Spouse
- Private
- Children
- Private
- Parents
- Private
- Siblings
- Private
4. Personality
Motto
Private
6. Links
- Wikipedia (Japanese)https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mary%20Lou%20Williams
Frequently asked questions
When was Mary Lou Williams born?
May 8, 1910 – May 28, 1981.
Where is Mary Lou Williams from?
Mary Lou Williams is from Atlanta, Georgia, United States.
What does Mary Lou Williams do?
Mary Lou Williams works as jazz pianist, composer, bandleader, teacher, recording artist.
Jazz pianist — see all → · Composer — see all → · More people from United States →
7. About this entry
Tags
- Last updated
- 2026-06-21
Facts are limited to publicly available information up to 2024; non-public items are marked "Private / Unknown". English text is machine-assisted (facts translated by Sonnet, "My Take" written by Opus 4.8). The Japanese page is the source of record.