Roger Williams burst onto the national music scene in 1955 with his recording of “Autumn Leaves,” the only piano instrumental ever to reach No. 1 on the Billboard singles charts, selling more than two million copies. The recording became an American classic and still stands as the greatest-selling piano instrumental of all time.

Known worldwide as “Mr. Piano,” Roger Williams went on to earn 21 Gold and Platinum albums. He was the first pianist to receive a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame and was inducted into the Hit Parade Hall of Fame, cementing his place among the most celebrated artists in popular music history.

Roger was also the first pianist honored by Steinway & Sons with their prestigious Steinway Lifetime Achievement Award and was a featured artist during Steinway & Sons’ 150th Anniversary celebration at Carnegie Hall.

On Roger Williams’s 80th birthday, Steinway & Sons presented him with a historic tribute: the first art-case piano ever created to honor a Steinway artist, known as the “Roger Williams Limited Edition Gold Piano.” Designed in Art Deco style by Joseph Sidorowicz, the piano was described as “beautifully reflecting the spirit and genius of this celebrated pianist.”

The piano’s radiant gold metallic exterior is adorned with the lyrics from the first verse of “Autumn Leaves,” with delicately rendered falling leaves between each line. Inside, a breathtaking, hand-painted landscape captures the brilliant colors and hues of autumn foliage—an enduring visual tribute to Roger Williams’s artistry and legacy

Over five decades, Williams’ hits charted on Billboard, including Born Free, Impossible Dream, Maria, Lara’s Theme, Till, Near You, Almost Paradise, Two Different Worlds, Nadia’s Theme, and Somewhere in Time.

Over his career, Williams recorded over 100 albums, with 38 hit albums and 22 hit singles.

Roger Williams developed a blend of music inspired by the classics of Chopin, Gershwin, Duke Ellington, and contemporary composers. Music historian, Joseph Lanza recognized Williams for cultivating “a flair for making dramatic sweeps from classical to jazz to country to soft rock-and-roll” establishing him as “the greatest popular pianist in history”.

Roger Williams was born Louis Weertz on October 1, 1924, in Omaha, Nebraska. When he was just one year old, his family moved to Des Moines, Iowa, where his remarkable musical journey began.

Roger’s father was a Lutheran minister, and his mother was a music teacher, whose influence sparked his lifelong love of music. He began playing the piano at age three, and by age twelve, he could play thirteen instruments and reproduce virtually any piece of music entirely by ear.

A man of many disciplines, Roger’s father had once been a professional boxer and taught his son to box as well, believing it would help him withstand teasing for being both a preacher’s son and a musician. This combination of toughness and artistry would become a defining part of Roger’s character.

As a teenager, Roger played piano nights at Babe’s Restaurant in Des Moines, earning $6 a night and all the spaghetti he could eat—an early taste of professional life as a working musician. He also hosted his own radio show, where he first met a future U.S. president: Ronald Reagan, who at the time was a radio sports announcer known as “Dutch Reagan.”

During summers, Roger worked far from the piano as a guide and lumberjack in the lakes of Minnesota, experiences that further shaped his work ethic and independence.

Williams enrolled at Drake University to study piano, but his passion for popular music soon set him apart. He was famously expelled for practicing “Smoke Gets in Your Eyes” instead of classical repertoire—a turning point that redirected his path.

During World War II, Roger joined the Navy ROTC, was assigned to officer training, and completed a degree in engineering at Idaho State University. While serving, he balanced discipline with artistry: performing concerts for fellow sailors and earning distinction as the middleweight boxing champion, winning 22 consecutive bouts with 14 knockouts.

Among his proudest achievements, Roger was elected Man-O’-Warsman by his peers—an honor he later called the greatest of his life.

After his military service, Roger returned to Drake University, where he earned his master’s degree in music. He continued his advanced studies at the Juilliard School of Music, studying with legendary jazz pianists Teddy Wilson and Lennie Tristano.

This extraordinary blend of classical training, jazz innovation, athletic discipline, and military leadership shaped the musician who would soon captivate the world as “Mr. Piano.”

In 1951, Roger Williams’s first major breakthrough came when he won the popular radio competition “Arthur Godfrey’s Talent Scouts.” The following year, in 1952, he won $1,000 on the television program “Chance of a Lifetime,” hosted by Dennis James—further establishing him as a rising star.

In 1954, Williams signed a recording contract with David Kapp of Kapp Records, who insisted he adopt the stage name Roger Williams, inspired by the founder of Rhode Island. Soon after, Kapp asked Williams to prepare his own piano arrangement of “Autumn Leaves”—giving him only a single weekend to compose and record it at the end of singer Jane Morgan’s studio session the following Monday.

With just 20 minutes remaining in the session—and no desire to pay studio overtime—the orchestra was quickly rehearsed. The piece was recorded only twice. The first take exceeded the three-minute radio play limit, so Kapp asked Williams to slightly increase the tempo. The second recording came in at 2:59—perfectly timed for radio.

The result was historic. “Autumn Leaves” reached No. 1 on the charts for four consecutive weeks, sold more than two million copies, and remained in the Top 40 for over six months. Today, it remains the greatest-selling piano instrumental recording of all time.

Over the course of his extraordinary career, Roger Williams performed with nearly every major symphony orchestra and appeared at the world’s most prestigious venues, including Carnegie Hall, the Hollywood Bowl, and the White House.

His frequent White House performances earned him the distinguished title “Pianist to the Presidents,” having performed for nine U.S. presidents, from Harry S. Truman to George H. W. Bush. Roger’s final White House appearance was a special concert for Laura Bush and the wives of all foreign ambassadors—an elegant closing chapter to a historic legacy.

Williams’s extraordinary accomplishments have been entered into the Congressional Record, and he received numerous honorary doctorates and awards throughout his lifetime. His performances and appearances were also documented in Presidential Diaries, reflecting his unique place in American cultural history.

His public television specials—Pop Goes the Ivories and An Evening with Roger Williams—raised millions of dollars for PBS, reaching audiences nationwide. KOCE-TV filmed one of these landmark performances at the Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, where Roger was officially recognized as “The Pianist to the Presidents.”

On his 75th birthday, Roger launched a remarkable new chapter of his career by beginning a series of annual Piano Marathons, during which he performed continuously for 12 hours or more. Possessing the rare ability to play over 10,000 melodies entirely by ear, Roger delighted audiences by creating spontaneous, improvised medleys based on live audience requests.

These marathon performances were held at some of the nation’s most distinguished venues, including the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library, the Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, and the Jimmy Carter Presidential Library and Museum, where Roger and Jimmy Carter celebrated their mutual 80th birthdays together. Additional venues included Steinway Hall New York, Steinway Hall Scottsdale, and the Musical Instrument Museum.

Throughout these marathons, Roger passionately promoted the return of music education in schools. For his advocacy and lifelong commitment to youth and the arts, he was honored with the “Champion of Youth Award” by Arnold Schwarzenegger.

On February 5, 2011, Roger Williams performed at Ronald Reagan’s Centennial Concert at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library. That evening, Roger remarked that he was “playing better than ever.” Just weeks later, however, he was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer.

With remarkable courage and determination, Roger continued to create music while undergoing chemotherapy. During this time, he released his final two new recordings: Roger Williams: The Man They Call “Mr. Piano” and Roger Williams: Golden Inspirational Hymns. He also gave his final concert in Palm Desert on March 20, 2011.

Only seven months after his diagnosis, on October 8, 2011—just one week after his 87th birthday—Roger Williams passed away.

Roger Williams remains one of America’s most treasured musical legends. His enduring nickname, “Mr. Piano,” reflects not only his extraordinary mastery of the instrument but also his profound and lasting contributions to American music. As one of the most beloved and respected figures in music history, Roger’s timeless artistry continues to inspire, comfort, and delight audiences around the world—proof that great music doesn’t fade — it lives on, touching hearts long after the final note.