Don Shirley facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Don Shirley
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| Born |
Donald Walbridge Shirley
January 29, 1927 Pensacola, Florida, U.S.
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| Died | April 6, 2013 (aged 86) Manhattan, New York, U.S.
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| Alma mater | The Catholic University of America University of Chicago |
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Jean C. Hill
(m. 1952, divorced) |
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| Years active | 1945–2013 |
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Donald Walbridge Shirley (born January 29, 1927 – died April 6, 2013) was an American musician. He was a talented pianist and composer. He mixed classical music with jazz in his own unique style.
Don Shirley recorded many albums in the 1950s and 1960s. He wrote different types of music, including symphonies and concertos. He also wrote music for piano, organ, and violin.
Shirley was born in Pensacola, Florida. He started playing classical piano at a very young age. Even though he was very good, it was hard for Black classical musicians to get recognized back then. So, he became famous for blending different music styles.
In the 1960s, Shirley went on many concert tours. Some of these tours were in the Southern states of the U.S. For one tour, he hired a driver and bodyguard named Tony "Lip" Vallelonga. Their story was made into a movie called Green Book in 2018.
Contents
About Don Shirley
Early Life and Education
Donald Walbridge Shirley was born on January 29, 1927. His parents were Stella Gertrude and Edwin S. Shirley. They were immigrants from Jamaica. Don's birthplace was sometimes incorrectly said to be Kingston, Jamaica. This was because his record company wanted to make him seem more exotic.
He started playing the piano when he was just two years old. By age three, he was already playing the organ! He later studied music at Catholic University of America. He earned his bachelor's degree in music in 1953. People sometimes called him "Dr. Shirley" because he received two honorary doctorates later in life.
There were rumors that Shirley studied music in the Soviet Union. However, his nephew said this was not true. The record company made up this story. They wanted to help him get recognition in places where a Black man from a Black school might not have been accepted.
Starting His Music Career
In 1945, when he was 18, Shirley played a famous piano concerto with the Boston Symphony Orchestra. A year later, he performed one of his own songs with the London Philharmonic Orchestra.
In 1949, he was invited to play for the government of Haiti. He even performed twice for the president and archbishop!
Shirley married Jean C. Hill in 1952, but they later divorced.
For a while, Shirley stopped playing piano professionally. It was difficult for Black classical musicians to find opportunities. He decided to study psychology at the University of Chicago. He even worked as a psychologist for a bit. He received a special grant to study how music affected young people who committed crimes. While working in a small club, he experimented with music to see how the audience reacted.
Becoming Famous
In 1954, Don Shirley was invited to perform with the Boston Pops orchestra. The next year, he played with the NBC Symphony at Carnegie Hall. He also appeared on TV.
His first album was called Tonal Expressions. It became very popular, reaching No. 14 on the Billboard music chart in 1955. He recorded many albums that mixed jazz and classical music. In 1961, his song "Water Boy" was a hit. It reached No. 40 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.
Shirley performed at a famous club in New York City called Basin Street East. The famous musician Duke Ellington heard him play there. They became good friends.
During the 1960s, Shirley went on many concert tours. Some of these tours were in the Southern states of the U.S. He believed his music could help change people's minds. In 1962, he hired Tony "Lip" Vallelonga as his driver and bodyguard. Their journey was shown in the 2018 movie Green Book. The movie's name comes from a real travel guide for Black motorists during a time when the U.S. was segregated.
Some parts of the movie about Shirley's life were not completely accurate. His family said he was very involved in the Civil Rights Movement. They said he attended the 1965 Selma to Montgomery march. He also knew many other Black artists and leaders. He had three brothers and stayed in touch with them. A writer named David Hajdu, who knew Shirley, said he was a very complex and unique person.
In 1968, Shirley played with the Detroit Symphony. He also worked with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra and the National Symphony Orchestra. He wrote symphonies for the New York Philharmonic and Philadelphia Orchestra. He even performed at the famous La Scala opera house in Italy. The Russian composer Igor Stravinsky admired Shirley's talent. Stravinsky once said, "His virtuosity is worthy of Gods."
His Passing
Don Shirley passed away from heart disease on April 6, 2013. He was 86 years old.
Music Albums (Discography)
- Tonal Expressions (Cadence, 1955)
- Orpheus in the Underworld (Cadence, 1956)
- Piano Perspectives (Cadence, 1956)
- Don Shirley Duo (Cadence, 1956)
- Don Shirley with Two Basses (Cadence, 1957)
- Don Shirley Solos (Cadence, 1957)
- Improvisations (Cadence, 1957)
- Don Shirley (Audio Fidelity, 1959)
- Don Shirley Plays Love Songs (Cadence, 1960)
- Don Shirley Plays Gershwin (Cadence, 1960)
- Don Shirley Plays Standards (Cadence, 1960)
- Don Shirley Plays Birdland Lullabies (Cadence, 1960)
- Don Shirley Plays Showtunes (Cadence, 1960)
- Don Shirley Trio (Cadence, 1961)
- Piano Arrangements of Spirituals (Cadence, 1962)
- Pianist Extraordinary (Cadence, 1962)
- Piano Spirituals (1962)
- Don Shirley Presents Martha Flowers (1962)
- Drown in My Own Tears (Cadence, 1962)
- Water Boy (Columbia, 1965)
- The Gospel According to Don Shirley (Columbia, 1969)
- Don Shirley in Concert (Columbia, 1969)
- The Don Shirley Point of View (Atlantic, 1972)
- Home with Donald Shirley (2001)
- Don Shirley's Best (Cadence, 2010)
See also
In Spanish: Don Shirley para niños
