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Donald's Encyclopedia of Popular MusicA B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y ZWILLIAMS, Spencer(b 14 Oct. c1889, New Orleans LA; d 14 July '65, Flushing, NYC) Pianist, composer, vocalist. Lived in famous brothel Mahogany Hall, owned by his aunt, after his mother died; played and sang in Chicago '07; wrote or co- wrote many jazz and pop classics: 'Squeeze Me' with Fats Waller; 'Royal Garden Blues', 'West Indies Blues', others with Clarence Williams (no relation), 'I've Found A New Baby' and 'Everybody Loves My Baby (But My Baby Don't Love Nobody But Me)' with Jack Palmer, both first recorded by Clarence Williams's Blue Five; 'Basin Street Blues' (recorded by Louis Armstrong, but strongly associated with Jack Teagarden); 'Ticket Agent, Ease Your Window Down', recorded by Bessie Smith; 'When Lights Are Low' with Benny Carter '36, recorded in England (vocal by Elizabeth Welch), later in famous instrumental small-group versions by Carter, Lionel Hampton (not to be confused with song of the same name written '23 by Gus Kahn, Ted Koehler, bandleader/composer). Also 'Shim-Me-Sha- Wobble', 'Mahogany Hall Stomp', many more. Went to Paris '25 to write for Josephine Baker; returned '32 on holiday with Waller, was involved in a murder case, acquitted; lived in England until '52, Scandinavia until '57; returned to USA in poor health. |