As a burgeoning pianist, the first time I heard Roger Williams play "Autumn Leaves in 1955, I was hooked! He still remains one of my very favorites. ~Gipsy Dancer~ 😍
In 1955 Williams recorded "Autumn Leaves", the only piano instrumental to reach #1 on Billboard's popular music chart. It sold over two million copies, and was awarded a gold disc. It was the fourth #1 song of the "rock era," which unofficially began with the ascension of "(We're Gonna) Rock Around The Clock" by Bill Haley and His Comets into the top spot. In 1966 he had another Top Ten hit with the song "Born Free" from the motion picture soundtrack. His other hits include "Near You", "Till", "The Impossible Dream", "Yellow Bird", "Maria", and "The Theme from Somewhere in Time". Billboard magazine ranks him as the top selling piano recording artist in history with 18 gold and platinum albums to his credit. Williams was known as the "Pianist to the Presidents" having played for nine administrations beginning with Harry S. Truman. His last White House performance was in November 2008 for a luncheon hosted by First Lady Laura Bush.
His interest in the public stems from a boyhood experience in Des Moines, Iowa. After a piano concert by the Polish genius Ignacy Jan Paderewski, young Roger waited for 45 minutes outside in the freezing cold to meet his idol. When the pianist finally appeared it was to rush to a waiting automobile. "I didn't even get near enough to touch him or get an autograph," says Williams. "It was then and there I resolved that if ever I became famous I would never disappoint anyone who wanted to talk to me."
On his 75th birthday, Williams performed his first 12-hour piano marathon. He performed the marathon at Steinway Hall in New York City and the Nixon, Carter, and Reagan Presidential Libraries. His Steinway and Sons "Gold Steinway" grand piano was on tour for public display and entertainment during 2007–2008.
In 2010 Roger Williams was inducted into the Hit Parade Hall of Fame. At that time, "Autumn Leaves" was the best-selling piano solo record of all time and the only one ever to top the Billboard charts.
In March 2011 Williams posted on his website that he had pancreatic cancer and that his doctors had told him they could not remove the tumor until chemotherapy shrunk it to an operable size. Williams said that he did not plan on canceling any upcoming concerts. He wrote: "What does it all mean? It means I'm in just one more fight — the fight for my life... And this much I know, this old Navy boxing champion is going for broke. Just watch me!"
Williams died on October 8, 2011, one week after his 87th birthday. [Courtesy Wikipedia]
Tracklist:
Record 1:
01 Somewhere Along The Way
02 My Reverie
03 Magic Moments
04 Blue Moon
05 The Last Round-Up
06 Slaughter On 10th Avenue
07 Tico-Tico
08 I'm In The Mood For Love
09 The Old Spinning Wheel
10 There's A Long, Long Trail
11 Thanks For The Memory
12 The Glow-Worm
Record 2:
01 Sunrise Serenade
02 Cool Water
03 I'm Always Chasing Rainbows
04 Who's Sorry Now?
05 When Day Is Done
06 In My Merry Oldsmobile
07 Meet Me In St. Louis, Louis
08 Twilight Time
09 I Can't Give You Anything But Love
10 Over The Rainbow
11 My Ideal
12 One For My Baby
13 Till We Meet Again
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