He was born in The Bronx, New York City, United States, and made his professional debut around 1940 as piano accompanist to singer and guitarist Bardu Ali.
He worked throughout the 1940s with jazz musicians including Stuff Smith, Benny Morton and Don Redman.
By the early 1950s he had begun leading his own piano trio, as well as appearing as a soloist and as accompanist to singers including Roy Hamilton and Al Hibbler.
Other session musicians playing on the record were Panama Francis, Haywood Henry, and Babe Clark.
"The Clouds" was the first number one on any chart released by an African-American owned independent record label, predating Motown's first No.