Mary Lou Williams (born Mary Elfrieda Scruggs; May 8, 1910 – May 28, 1981) was an American jazz pianist, arranger, and composer. She wrote hundreds of compositions and arrangements and recorded more than one hundred records (in 78, 45, and LP versions). Williams wrote and arranged for Duke Ellington and Benny Goodman, and she was friend, mentor, and teacher to Thelonious Monk, Charlie Parker, Miles Davis, Tadd Dameron, Bud Powell, and Dizzy Gillespie.
Etta James, Billie Holiday, Bill Evans, Stevie Wonder, Ray Charles, Nina Simone, Muddy Waters, Django Reinhardt, Louis Armstrong, Miles Davis, James Brown, Chet Baker, Ella Fitzgerald, Nat King Cole, Duke Ellington, Elvis Presley, Count Basie, Herbie Hancock, Edith Piaf, Aretha Franklin, Charlie Parker, Lightnin' Hopkins, B.B. King, Thelonious Monk, Howlin' Wolf, Quincy Jones, Johnny Cash, Chuck Berry, Paul Anka, John Coltrane, John Lee Hooker, Coleman Hawkins, Robert Johnson, Dean Martin, Oscar Peterson, George Gershwin, Frank Sinatra, Hank Williams, Benny Goodman, Art Tatum, Joe Turner, Bing Crosby, Dave Brubeck, Mahalia Jackson, Fats Domino, Marvin Gaye, Bud Powell, Sonny Rollins, Tony Bennett... and many others!