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Little Mary’s racist neighbors had just thrown another brick through her family’s window.
Only six, she’d already been playing the piano for three years, and had been taught that music could heal divisions. So she bravely ventured into their neighborhood – and did something extraordinary.
She started playing piano in neighborhood homes, and the brick-throwing stopped! That’s when Mary Lou Williams learned a valuable lesson – music really did soothe the savage beast. What did she do with this knowledge?
Knowing her music was powerful, she went on to play with the greats. Williams started as a teen with Duke Ellington, and rose in the jazz world until she was considered “the greatest woman jazz pianist in the world” by one account.
But all was not well. She struggled financially and needed a break from an abusive husband and incompetent managers. Frustrated, she simply walked off stage in 1954! But she wasn’t done yet.
During a three-year hiatus, she had an epiphany. Her art could have an even bigger impact! She began infusing spirituality and even politics into her music. She also had one last boss move up her sleeve.
Started her own record company – one of the first founded by a woman!
We need Black art, but we need mentally, physically, and spiritually healthy artists to show by example that we are not disposable machines!