Winifred atwell interesting facts

Winifred atwell five finger boogie
Winifred atwell - black and white rag
Winifred atwell husband

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Winifred Atwell – The Piano Virtuoso Who Broke Barriers and Won Hearts

Winifred Atwell wasn’t just a pianist; she was a force of nature. In a post-war Britain that was still finding its feet, this dynamic woman from Trinidad lit up the music scene with a vivacious style that broke all the rules—and broke down barriers in the process. Her charm, her talent, and her honky-tonk piano made her a household name, and she won over a nation that was far from welcoming to Black artists at the time.

Born on 27 February 1914 in Trinidad, Atwell was a classically trained pianist who was anything but conventional. While her early years saw her mastering the works of the great composers, she felt a stronger pull toward the rhythms and melodies of popular music. She knew that her honky-tonk sound—produced by her beloved “other” piano—was something special. It was playful, joyful, and brought a sense of fun to every performance. And it was this distinct sound that captured the hearts of audiences across the UK.

When she moved to London in the 1940s, Atwell brough

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Winifred Atwell facts: The songs, life death and influence of the musical trailblazer

11 October 2022, 16:42 | Updated: 10 March 2023, 13:25

Winifred Atwell arrives in Melbourne in 1960

A celebration of the life and music Winifred Atwell, a true musical trailblazer.

Of the 1,400 odd songs to hit number one in the UK singles charts, most have featured vocals and lyrics.

There has been a sprinkling of iconic instrumentals to top the charts, of course.

The Tornados' 'Telstar' immediately comes to mind, as do all five of The Shadows No.1s, especially 'Apache'.

Then there's Fleetwood Mac's stunning 'Albatross'. More recently there was had Mr Oizo's 'Flat Beat', propelled to the top by a puppet in a Levi's ad.

Following in the footsteps of Mantovani and Eddie Calvert, the third-ever instrumental number one was Winifred Atwell's 'Let's Have Another Party', which topped the charts in December 1954.

Winifred Atwell :::: Lets Have Another Party.

Atwell's ragtime sequel to her own &

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Winifred Atwell

Trinidad and Tobago musician (c. 1910–1983)

Musical artist

Una Winifred Atwell (27 February or 27 April^[2] 1910 or 1914^{[nb 1]} – 28 February 1983) was a British pianist, born in the colony of Trinidad who migrated to Britain and who enjoyed great popularity in Britain and Australia from the 1950s with a series of boogie-woogie and ragtime hits, selling over 20 million records.^[3] She was the first black artist to have a number-one hit in the UK Singles Chart and had the first piano instrumental to reach number one in the UK Singles Chart, with “Let's Have Another Party” in 1954, and as of 2023, remains the only female instrumentalist to do so.^[4]^[5]^[6]

Biography

Childhood

Atwell was born in Tunapuna in the British colony of Trinidad and Tobago. She and her parents lived in Jubilee Street. Her family owned a pharmacy and she trained as a pharmacist herself and was expected to join the family business. She played the piano from a young age and achieved considerable popularity locally