Earl “Fatha” Hines was born in Duquesne, Pennsylvania on December 28, 1903. His father played the cornet and his mother was a church organist. Hines wanted to play the cornet like his father, but blowing into the instrument gave him a pain behind the ears, so he started playing the piano. He was classically trained, but enjoyed playing popular songs of the day.

In 1921, Hines started playing professionally around Pittsburgh. He moved to Chicago in 1923, to work with Deppe’s Seranaders, Erskine Tate’s Vendome Orchestra and with Carroll Dickerson. The first recording Hines made was with Deppe’s Seranders in 1923.

Here’s a 1965 TV performance with Coleman Hawkins.