Five Finger Boogie by Winifred Atwell

[skullboy1990]

lol music today can never match this stuff

[mike04535]

Ah Winnie! I remember seeing her perform at Great Yarmouth in about 1952. She also had her "other piano" the honky tonk upright on stage too. A great night's entertainment.

[nanabexhoeft]

Ms Atwell spent considerable tour time in Australia where I saw her several times. She was extremely talented (to a child's eyes) and unfailingly the complete lady. She was dearly loved by my family for her talent and for her showmanship, and for her delight in what she did.

[nanabexhoeft]

A very gracious lady, with talent far beyond the recognition she received.

[nwa2664]

Reminds me of a Gresley A4 thundering north on the LNER towards Newcastle !

[borderlineclayts]

one of the best pianist of her time! so talented and amazing.

[wisehare]

I love this. It is like a piano roll.

[elzo2706]

The end is the proof of mastership, you could see her focus building up to it. Added to favs

[wellychef]

awesome!!



[stihlthebest]

Wow! Awesome!!

[playgirlc]

3 people only had one finger.

[furrypeanut1]

@playgirlc make that four now. who couldn't love this?

[6c45pi]

How's Adolf Hitler playing in the background at 0:50. ROFL

[johootly]

That man from 0:49 - 0:54

hahaha

[TheRideArounds]

she is play good and fast??? learn english

[hemaboot]

She is play good and fast. เเต่ผมกลัวว่า Piano จะพังซะก่อน

[612curtis]

Love this song =D Does anyone know where I can get the sheet music?

Please reply :)

[Harmonyww]

I've only been aware of this woman's existence for two days now, but I'm already in love! It's great to see someone play such joyful music, and with such a big smile on her face while doing so. Music can't get any purer.

[Stormnut1958]

my mother took me to see her in my childhood listening to tyhis music brings back wonderful memories of my later mother and a tear to my eye, love this music.

[crankbv1]

No one then played like Winnie..she was what we now term a 'national treasure'. But,like so many gifted people,she left us all too soon. Incidentally,did anyone spot the blond sitting on the settee? lt was Diana Dors, Britains answer to Munro,and just breaking into films with help from the guy who appears behind her..this being Frank Randle,comedian,star of the film and her mentor. But Winnie was cameoed as a much needed boost in several such B films then. At least we can be grateful for that !

[Kopsinger]

Excellent Paino playing and to be able to play so fast as well

[millymille1]

Amzing

[538921]

My oh my, what a tremendous player. Love boogie.

[timidas]

I like the nonchalant looks above the piano.

[penn4644]

Wow! I actually saw this on the TV in England in 1953! She was my first music idol.

I still have most of her 78s. Fantastic!

[bigblackbeasty]

@penn4644 fucking hell your old

[penn4644]

@bigblackbeasty Fuckin' A pal. Better than the alternative. My dad was in the USAF stationed in England. I was 10 yrs. old. Winnie's ragtime and boogie just rocked my world. By the way, ever heard Bob Seeley? The beat goes on.

[bigblackbeasty]

@penn4644 No, sorry im not the piano sort of guy i like five finger boogie and death rya boogie because my freind told me about it and maybe a slice of elton john

[shuhelali]

@bigblackbeasty

yes you will be some day too 

[spadge321]

and your a tit , now fuck off,, !!!

[bigblackbeasty]

@spadge321 ?

[BlueRibbonWinner]

Well actually it was my brothers wifes sisters cousins auntys fathers stepsons illegitimate half brothers cat

[RoSeNrOt8603]

wow!! She plays really amazing!!!

[AIKevorkian]

My God, that should be called "Ten Finger Boogie". I've never heard of Winifred until I watched her "Black and White Rag" only a couple days ago. Not only could she play so wonderful, but I can tell she enjoyed every minute of it, playing like that. It really doesn't matter how many records you sell. But when you play from the heart like her, then you are truly a real Musician.

[JannyPanny59]

O M G - just logged into this. WOW!!  Winnie Atwell. Legend.

[lordcroesus]

Oh the fifties! haha great performance, thanks for sharing!

[vimana19]

Whose house woz that in?

[DesertigeI]

... wow ... awesome

no words to discribe this kind of skill

[SternchenXXXL]

O.O

[jnmklo9]

Phenominal Winifred the best ever

[ChristopherSyn1]

To hear her playing something classical, see "Winifred Atwell - Fantasie-Impromptu"

[BlueRibbonWinner]

Nice music, but the freaks in the background really weird me out esp the cheese at 2.03

[zz622]

This is just amazing! I have known about Winifred for 30 years but her talent still blows me away.

[sosome57]

Wow. That's so good, I'm on my third dose in 6 minutes! Love the dress! The 50s!

[avril2]

Fantastic!

[Ivoryticklermama]

London, Thank u for posting my favorite, Winifred Atwell. 5 stars***** I think the main reason Hal ATWELL married me 38 years ago was because

I've played BOOGIE Woogie piano since before I met him. He just LOVED it and called me his little "Country Boogie Woogie Queen."

Sincerely,

Joan Atwell

Atwell Farms

Spearsville, Louisiana usa

[petrina343]

@Ivoryticklermama Great Post, Thank You...as a child in the "Bush" in Victoria, Australia, in the 1950's, i used to call into my Grandmother's on the way home form school to play the pedals on her "pianola"....My favourite was Winifred's "Black and White Rag"....i really thought Winifred must have been an octopus....Brilliant, and for me, wonderfull memories....Regards, Ray

[Ivoryticklermama]

Ray, Thank you so much for writing me back. I am still AMAZED that anyone would compare me with Winifred but some actually do. There is ONLY one Winifred and will never be another. I love to hear her play, see her winning smile and read her story.

..Your site is priceless. That was so cute was you said about her being an octopus! Hal will cetainly get a kick out of that.. I hope to be uploading some of MY boogie woogies soon.

Hugs,

~Joan Atwell~

[MrMantaray52]

Thanks Joan,.. as a kid, i used to take the face-board off the up-right, when Nanna wasn't lookin'... then,peddle me legs off,.. 'n watch those keys go ballistic....!!

....so my reference to Winifred as an "octopus" is walking home,trying to work out how she was faster than the Lone Ranger..Kindest Ragards, Ray

[cogidubnus1953]

awesome....

[piano345]

I saw her many times on TV in the UK in the 1950s. A brilliantly natural talent. She recorded Grieg's Piano Concerto as well as a number of classical pieces by Chopin, Liszt, Rachmaninoff and Debussy etc.

[ChristopherSyn1]

She was also an accomplished classical concert pianist, a graduate of the Royal Academy of Music in London.

[NbgKanalchiller]

thats so fucking awsome crazy^^

[WholeLotofRocknRoll]

she really seems to enjoy playing the piano and we enjoy listening to her. it just sounds great !!!

[2009Heiner]

Diese Scheiss-Herrenmenschen.... ich hasse das wie die Pest..... eine unglaubliche Winifred..... ich hatte das schon auf Schellack.... wunderbar, mal diese wunderbare Künstlerin zu sehen.... ein Klasse Bild- und Ton-Dokument.... besten dank für das einstellen hier...

[hapticflapjack]

I haven't seen the film, but from the shots of the cast on the sofa, I'm guessing this is, "It's a Grand Life"?

[Fergophone]

What a phenomonal technique. She was always a favourite of mine.

[78s4FR]

Is that a young Diana Dors sitting there at 1:26?

[bornonafarm]

was she a breath of fresh air when the hit parade was dominated by crooners, loved her

[Choccybics]

So fantastic - look at how classy all the women and men look.

[orchidius]

her fingers are moving so fast you can literally only see a blurry haze every now and then :P

[joithesnork]

john peel was a fan of winnie''s so no more to be said really

[BOOTLEGDAVIDBOWIE]

I like the air piano player at 52 seconds.

[jamandsoy]

This woman is amazing! I love Winifred Atwell, she is a legend.

[ashouiisdead]

oh, that's sophisticated of you.

[se20ka]

thats my auntie u no

well done winefred

[joithesnork]

pure, unadulterated talent, quite simply a strikingly awesome lady

[markthebadplumber]

shes a great, go girl

[aboogidaboogida]

wow. she has so much carisma when she playes.

shes absolutely brillient

[bsfrankfurt]

wonderful .. terrific !

[binny0400]

Winnie is either my Great-Great-Great Aunt or my Great-Great Grandma. I can't remember. My Grandmothers name is Grace Atwell and she has three sons named William, Robert, and Phillip. Trust me on this one.

[tonywellhard]

Winnie was my Mum's cousin and my second cousin. My Grandma Eldica Rose David used to watch over her practise at our house in Tunapuna, Trinidad. Which means we must be related!

[cchase628]

yeah thats crazy, she was my grandmother's cousin. small world huh

[bachelorfox]

her cousin's neighbour's goldfish's previous owner was my dad's postman's mate. no word of a lie

[effyleven]

I too have a relationship with Winnie. Once, when I was very young, her cat came down our entry!!

[tony13a]

I like that.

[joesatriani1200rulez]

@bachelorfox HAHAHAHAHAHAHA

[74lou]

I have a recording of that wonderfull pianist called:THE 2 MOODS OF WINIFRED ATWELL:awesome.

74LOU

[boundsgreentiger]

:-) she looks like she's having as much fun as the audience

[christritton]

This was the very first '78 LP'record that I had as a Christmas present...Around 1957ish??? Blimey. Time flys?

[58Crash]

5 *

[lagerandwine]

Thats just great. Never seen winifred before, but listened to her for years on pot black and my parents 78`s. We had cross hands boogie.....til i sat on it....oh dear, they weren`t pleased. Ms Atwell is an inspiration. Thanks for posting this.

[52dmi52]

I remember her on tv from my childhood how wonderful to find all this on youtube thanks London547.

[unclealister]

Yes. I remember her from my childhood too. Thanks for sharing this. Takes me back to happy days.

[JMGpiano9]

Shes know exactly what all those keys are made for lol

[Ivanhoe2]

She never seemed to stop smiling. I remember her TV appearances very well. Always a treat to listen to. God Bless Her Memory.

[acceitunas]

wow shes good perfecto mondo

[IVORIESMAN]

Winnie fans may be interested to know something I have noticed about the three clips posted by 'London547'; the soundtracks are actually taken from the original 78 rpm recordings with a video of Winnie playing the piece shown at the same time. What a shame we are not able to see the live performance.

[yarwood1935]

FABULOUS!! I went to see her at the Newcastle Empire around that time. She was also a highly accomplished classical concert pianist - which she would need to be, to play like that!

[kevpunk]

luv the bloke at 0.50, trying to imitate her. lmao

[usice123]

i know. he was having a good time

[hmmmeh]

Wow, why havn't I found this video already? I've been looking for footage of Winny for ages! Thanks so much for posting!

[bluntwrap07]

this is footage from a doris day film i think...i guess it doesnt matter which set of ivorys she plays she will always reign supreme in the rag time genre

[mikewoollett]

It is from a Diana Dors movie called "It's A Grand Life"-the only part worth watching!

[HarryKrak]

The star of the movie is Frank Randle, Dors was just scenery.

But you are right when you say this was the only part worth watching.

[leoseries]

I doubt if anyone out there is old enough to know what I am talking about but shouldn't she have played this on her "other piano."

[acchos]

i have only heard recordings on this piano, not her "other" piano, the honky tonk style one.

[NicolaBurrow]

I dont know for certain, but I think she tended to play just ragtime on her "other" piano and everything else on a more conventional sounding one.

[mikewoollett]

that is correct!

[mikewoollett]

This is not on her "other piano'-it is played on the grand. Winnie never recorded boogie woogie on her honky tonk piano-only ragtime (and her party medleys!)

[Applebaum]

sick! and she was from England too even better

[acchos]

she was actually from Trinidad and moved to England, then Australia.

[mikewoollett]

Yeh-I went to her funeral. Very sad!

[spadge321]

fuckin beautifull

look at then arse hole white cunts cant even get up and bop about

turds !!! and im white and ashamed of em !!

[biltom]

kiss my white... and you go jump around like a monkey while I enjoy the music, leroy.

[ukboomerfl]

Spadge, Society changes with the Times.

[genoseb]

she is veryn greatt

i love her

[PhonoB790]

Excellent!

Please do NOT identify the origin. Staff will remove copyrighted videos.

[megmorns]

Excellent stuff - where id this clip originate from? Was it a movie? Anyone know?

[mikewoollett]

That is absolutely correct!

[NicolaBurrow]

Excellent. I do believe this piece was originally callled Piarco boogie, because it was her first attempt at writing and playing boogie,which she worked out in one day after being challenged to play boogie by the boys at the Fleet Air Arm services club at Piarco, where she gave classical recitals during the war. It was later re-titled Five Finger Boogie.

[IVORIESMAN]

Nicola you're dead right - and there's been nothing to equal it since!