Pat Flowers

Pat Flowers grew up under the influence of Thomas "Fats" Waller, and schooled himself in the challenging art of Harlem stride piano, eventually developing a dazzling technique. For a little while during the mid-'40s, he even worked for the Victor record company as a Fats Waller imitator in a belated maneuver by Victor to compete with Vocalion, whose Waller emulator during the '30s was Putney Dandridge, and with Decca, whose ebullient singing pianist Bob Howard was still emitting Wallerisms in 1947. Each of these men was at his best when staying true to his own talent and persona while honoring the influence of Fats Waller and the rest of the Harlem stride piano school. Flowers was good friends with stride piano legend Donald Lambert, and both men were stunningly gifted improvising artists. Lambert, however, remained silent at the piano, while Flowers expended a lot of energy trying to sing like Waller. The story of Flowers is an object lesson in the delights and dangers of copying someone else's act with the best of intentions. Born in Detroit, MI on October 16, 1917, Ivelee Flowers received classical training at a conservatory there while spending much of his youth listening to Fats Waller records and seeing Waller perform live whenever possible. When he was about 19 years old, Flowers befriended the famous pianist, who recognized the young man's abilities and advised him to pursue a career as a professional musician. In 1939 when Waller & His Rhythm settled into the Yacht Club on 52nd Street in New York City, Flowers got a gig playing piano in the lobby, where he was heard by producer John Hammond, who tried to secure bookings for the aspiring entertainer. After gravitating back to Detroit for long enough to establish what would become a protracted working...