Mary Lou Williams

He explained how ridiculous the clowning was, and there and then I decided to settle down and play seriously. ↗

— Mary Lou Williams

#decided #down #explained #how #i

I have been tied up with music for about as long as I can remember. By the time I was four I was picking out little tunes my mother played on the reed organ in the living-room. ↗

— Mary Lou Williams

#been #by the time #four #i #i can

Offers for me to play dances, society parties, even churches, were now coming in regularly. For most dates I was paid the sum of one dollar per hour, and they always tipped me at the end of the night. ↗

— Mary Lou Williams

#churches #coming #dances #dates #dollar

One way and another I was having a ball - playing gigs, jamming and listening to fine musicians. Then came a crisis at home. My stepfather fell sick, and it meant I had to support the family. ↗

— Mary Lou Williams

#ball #came #crisis #family #fell

When Seymour saw me seated at the piano at that first rehearsal, he shouted: 'What's that kid doing here? Call your piano player and let's get started.' ↗

— Mary Lou Williams

#doing #first #get #here #kid

Within a few hours I had them off, was about ready to play the shows. That night I opened, and during the week Harris was over to the house to talk my mother into letting me leave home. ↗

— Mary Lou Williams

#during #few #had #harris #home