Earl 'Fatha' Hines was a key figure in the evolution of modern jazz and is
widely regarded as one of the greatest pianists of all time. In his youth Hines
briefly played trumpet before switching to piano. His first noteworthy work came
when he accompanied singer Lois Deppe, making his first recordings the following
year. In 1923 Hines made the move to Chicago, working with Sammy Stewart and
Erskine Tate's Vendome Theatre Orchestra and beginning a collaborative
relationship with Louis Armstrong in 1926 that would weave in and out of his
life for years.
Hines had a successful ...