Trailblazers in Black History: Andre Watts, Concert Pianist

 

Andre Watts was born on June 20, 1946. He is an African American concert pianist, and the first Black concert pianist to achieve international super stardom.

He was Born in Nuremburg, Germany, the son of an African American career soldier, Sergeant Herman Watts, and a Hungarian mother, Maria Alexandra Gusmits. Young Watts lived in Europe, mostly near army posts, until the age of eight. A change in his father's military assignment caused the family to move to the United States and settle in Philadelphia. Watts began studying the violin at age four. By the time he was six he made it known that his preference was for the piano, so his mother, a pianist herself, gave him his first lessons.

At the time, he loved to play but hated to practice. When his habit persisted, his mother began relaying stories of her countryman, pianist, and composer Franz Liszt, emphasizing the fact that he practiced faithfully. Liszt soon became Watt’s hero, and he even adopted Liszt's bravura playing style. The family unit remained intact until 1962, when Herman and Maria were divorced. Watts remained with his mother, whom he credits with considerable influence in his development. She worked to support herself and young Andre, first as a secretary and later as a receptionist in an art gallery. 

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Source: The African American Registry