Fats Waller

One never knows, do one....

Thomas Wright Waller was born on May 21, 1904. He was a master of stride piano, with that fantastic left hand never stopping, and the composer of "Ain't Misbehavin'," "Honeysuckle Rose" and a whole slew of others. In addition to his playing, he was an over-the-top performer, mugging continuously and looking like he was having an awful lot of fun. These videos are a little ragged, but this does predate MTV by about fifty years, and they do capture the spirit and the music of the man. Happy Birthday, Fats!