Thomas Wright Waller was born on May 21, 1904 to the Reverend Edward and Mrs Waller. Young Thomas and his mother shared a close relationship in music. She was an organist, pianist and a singer. It was she who encouraged her son in music. At the age of 10 he was playing piano and organ at student concerts and organ at his father's church, one of the largest congregations in the country.

Fats didn't do well in school. He said his head was too filled with music. In 1918 a great event happened. Fats substituted for the ailing organist at the famous Lincoln theater where he first played a $10,000 Wurlitzer organ. Fats claimed that playing that organ in that theater was one of the great thrills of his life. He became the Lincoln organist for $23.00 a week and school days were over.

During the 20's Fats came under the tutelage of James P. Johnson, one of Harlem's great piano players. Fats' star began to rise and he was in continual demand for clubs and social events throughout Harlem. He began to write music. At 25 he wrote the score for a revue called "HOT CHOCOLATE " which included his famous "AIN'T MISBEHAVIN". In the 20's and 30's he brought out "HONEYSUCKLE ROSE", and "I'VE GOT A FEELING I'M FALLING".

Fats played a rollicking stride piano, and his love for life and music gleamed in every piece he played. His music takes the listener into places where life is. The listener is at the party where "THE JOINT IS JUMPIN" and feels Fats' wistfulness in "I'M GONNA SIT RIGHT DOW AND WRITE MYSELF A LETTER. Fats delivered his views of life directly to the listener, one to one.

He was also famous for his one line comments that popped up in his playing. Those comments and that stride piano style made listeners feel as though they were sitting right next to him. Long after his death in 1943, the smash musical revue " AIN'T MISBEHAVIN' " opened in the 70's to honor both his music and his personality.

Thomas "Fats" Waller died December 23, 1943 on a train coming home from entertaining miltary personnel. He had planned to spend Christmas at home with his wife and two boys, but his exhausted condition could not fight off an illness. His most famous ad lib line seemed to prophesy his death. "One never does know, do one?"