Roger Williams (pianist)
| Roger Williams | |
|---|---|
Williams in 1958.
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Louis Jacob Weertz |
| Born |
October 1, 1924 Omaha, Nebraska, U.S. |
| Died | October 8, 2011 (aged 87) Encino, California, U.S. |
| Genres | Pop standards |
| Instruments | Piano |
| Years active | 1955–2011 |
| Labels | Kapp |
| Website | Roger Williams homepage |
Roger Williams (born Louis Jacob Weertz, October 1, 1924 – October 8, 2011) was an American popular music pianist.
Weertz was born to a Lutheran minister, the Rev. Frederick J. Weertz (1891–1980) and a music teacher, Dorothea Bang Weertz (1895–1985), in Omaha, Nebraska. The family moved to Des Moines, Iowa, before his first birthday. He first played the piano at age three. In high school he became interested in boxing, mainly at his father's insistence, and only returned to music after breaking his nose several times and sustaining several other injuries.
Weertz majored in piano at Drake University in Des Moines, but claimed he was expelled for playing "Smoke Gets in Your Eyes" in the practice room. Weertz entered the United States Navy and served in World War II. While still in the Navy, he earned a bachelor's degree from Idaho State College (now Idaho State University) in 1950. Afterwards, Weertz re-enrolled at Drake, where he earned his master's degree. He then moved to New York City to attend Juilliard, where he studied jazz piano under Lennie Tristano and Teddy Wilson.
Weertz won a talent contest on Dennis James' television program, Chance of a Lifetime. David Kapp, founder of Kapp Records, heard him, and was so impressed that he signed the pianist, giving him the professional name "Roger Williams" after the founder of Rhode Island.
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Wikipedia