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 Copy Share Image
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 Copy Share Image
I wonder what an agent would do if he had to travel with the band he's booking. — Mary Lou Williams Copy Share Image
Anything you are shows up in your music - jazz is whatever you are, playing yourself, being yourself, letting your thoughts come through. — Mary Lou Williams Copy Share Image
Quite a few musicians came to our house. And my ma took me to hear many more, hoping to encourage in me a love… — Mary Lou Williams Copy Share Image
Many people forget that Jazz, no matter what form it takes, must come from the heart as well as the mind. — Mary Lou Williams Copy Share Image
Offers for me to play dances, society parties, even churches, were now coming in regularly. For most dates I was paid the sum of… — Mary Lou Williams Copy Share Image
One way and another I was having a ball - playing gigs, jamming and listening to fine musicians. Then came a crisis at home.… — Mary Lou Williams Copy Share Image
If you work on your talent, the plans will fall in automatically. — Mary Lou Williams Copy Share Image
During the years I was with Andy Kirk we starved almost. I remember not eating for practically a month several times. But we were… — Mary Lou Williams Copy Share Image
Within a few hours I had them off, was about ready to play the shows. That night I opened, and during the week Harris… — Mary Lou Williams Copy Share Image
He explained how ridiculous the clowning was, and there and then I decided to settle down and play seriously. — Mary Lou Williams Copy Share Image
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… — Mary Lou Williams Copy Share Image
