Fats Waller

From HitStory, the pop encyclopedia of School of Rock · Artist

Thomas 'Fats' Waller was the son of a minister in Harlem and as a boy played the organ in church. He became a pupil of James P. Johnson and developed a light, swinging stride style. With the lyricist Andy Razaf he wrote songs such as Ain't Misbehavin' and Honeysuckle Rose. From 1934 he recorded hundreds of records with his small group Fats Waller and His Rhythm, often with funny comments between the lines. That made him a popular entertainer on radio and in films. Behind the jokes was a strong pianist and organist. He died in 1943 of pneumonia on a train, on the way from Los Angeles to New York.

Listening

• 
  Handful of Keys · Fats Waller, 1929
• 
  Ain't Misbehavin' · Fats Waller, 1929
• 
  Jitterbug Waltz · Fats Waller, 1942

Discography

Studio albums

• 1976Stormy Weather (soundtrack)
• 1987Ain’t Misbehavin’ (soundtrack)
• 2009Ain’t Misbehavin’ (soundtrack)

Other work

• 1929Handful of Keys
• 1934–1942Fats Waller and His Rhythm
• 1942Jitterbug Waltz

In School of Rock

The chapters, maps and magazine stories of School of Rock are currently available in Dutch only.

• Jazz Map^NL Map
• After Hours: Session 1^NL Reader
• Magazine: Van Bessie tot Ella^NL Magazine
• Magazine: Rent parties en stride^NL Magazine

Mentioned in other articles

• Stride piano GenreFats Waller was his pupil, Willie 'The Lion' Smith his rival.

See also

• Stride piano
• Swing and big band
• Harlem Renaissance
• Art Tatum
• Count Basie