He began teaching himself to play the piano at the age of 15, and by 1915 had gained a sufficient profile to influence younger musicians, including Meade Lux Lewis and Albert Ammons.

[6] He popularized the left-hand figure that became known as the "Yancey bass", later used in Pee Wee Crayton's "Blues After Hours", Guitar Slim's "The Things That I Used to Do", and many other songs.

[7] Jimmy Yancey died of a diabetes-induced stroke in his native Chicago on September 17, 1951, and was buried at Lincoln Cemetery in Blue Island, Illinois.

[4] In 1973, the Dutch composer Louis Andriessen premiered On Jimmy Yancey, a two-movement work scored for nine wind instruments, piano and double bass.

He probably did this at a sign from the producer, when the three minutes which a 78 side could hold were up, because boogie-woogie pianists habitually played for hours on end in the bars to entertain the white bourgeoisie.