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Birth
Fats was born on May 21, 1904, in New York City. -
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Thomas Wright Waller
Fats wrote jazz standards such as “Ain’t Misbehavin”. He earned his fame for his comedic work in the 1930's. -
Childhood
He started learning to play the piano at the age of 6, as well as other instruments such as the “reed organ”, the violin, and string bass. After dropping out of school at the age of 15, he became an organist in the Lincoln Theatre in Harlem. -
Rise to Popularity
Waller made his recording debut 2 years after his mother died in 1922 for Okeh Record with two solo efforts, "Muscle Shoals Blues" and Binningham Blues." -
Rise to Popularity
He formed a strong partnership with Andy Razaf, with whom he wrote his most famous stage song, "Honeysuckle Rose." -
Late 1920's
“A Handful of Keys,” was originally recorded for RCA Victor in 1929 and reissued in 2013 on the album Fats Waller’s Greatest Hits. -
Ain't Misbehavin
Fats wrote jazz standards such as “Ain’t Misbehavin”. He earned his fame for his comedic work in the 1930s -
Rise to Popularity
Returnig to New York, he began a new regular radio program,"Rhythm Club," and formed the Fats Waller and His Rhythm sextet. -
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Later Years
By the early 1940's, Fat's was earning a comfortable living as an entertainer. He wrote the first non-black musical for Broadway by an African American, Early To Bed, and to part in the film Stormy Weather. -
Cash out
He died from bronchial pneumonia, in Kansas City Missouri's Union Station train depot on December 15, 1943 at the age of 39.
