 Fannie Bell Woods (May 23, 1892 to December 28, 1974) |
 Composition |
| Sweetness (1912) |
Fannie B. Woods was thought to be a pseudonym for Charles L. Johnson until 2005 when it was revealed that the composer of Sweetness was indeed a real person.
She was born May 23, 1892 in Kentucky of John L. Woods and Cora L. Woods. John was a Kentucky native who made a living as a carpenter, and Cora came from Indiana. The family is shown in the 1900 Census in Louisville with Fannie's older brother James and younger sister Edna. Fannie grew up in Louisville, Kentucky, where she was educated in music, specifically piano and organ. By the age of 17 she was working in a music store as a clerk according to the 1910 Census, and possibly as a song demonstrator. Her sister Edna, 15 at this time, is listed as a music teacher in the Census as well, while Cora is listed cryptically as a "home demonstrator."
At the age of 19 Fannie composed Sweetness, the publication of which may well have been facilitated by Louisville publisher Al Marzian, who had recently had his own Angel Food Rag published with Forster Music Publishers in Chicago. Woods further had the enthusiastic backing of the Herman Strauss Company department store, also based in Louisville. They featured her as a local celebrity, allowing her to play Sweetness and other pieces in their store on several occasions in 1912. Fannie evidently signed copies of the piece as well. According to a receipt the family provided she received a total of $75 for the rag from Forster. Sweetness is dedicated on the inside to W.J. Mansfield. Woods would marry William J. Mansfield the following year, and take that name for the rest of her life. This further reinforces her role as the composer of Sweetness.
Fannie was not only a fine pianist but also a well-regarded organist, spending over four decades playing for the Parkland Baptist Church, and three decades for Pearson's Funeral Home. Between 1914 and 1927, she and her husband had three daughters, Mildred, Mary and Jean and a son as well, William Jr. The family is shown in the 1920 Census on Cypress Street with Fannie's parents living in the same home and William listed as a bookkeeper. In the 1930 Census they were living in a new location on 26th Street, and Cora was now listed as a widow. William was now a credit manager for a plumbing company. He died suddenly at the age of 60 on November 10, 1947. Fannie retired from playing by the mid 1950s, but continued to teach piano and organ to younger students nearly to the end of her life. Fannie and Edna also enjoyed performing Sweetness and other pieces as a two piano duet from time to time. Fannie Mansfield died in Louisville December 28, 1974 at age 82. The only other compositions that may have been attributed to her were available locally in Louisville, and were likely church related. A couple of mentions of possible compositions show up in various recital or concert programs published in area newspapers, but publication cannot be confirmed.
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At the age of 19 Fannie composed Sweetness, the publication of which may well have been facilitated by Louisville publisher Al Marzian, who had recently had his own Angel Food Rag published with Forster Music Publishers in Chicago. Woods further had the enthusiastic backing of the Herman Strauss Company department store, also based in Louisville. They featured her as a local celebrity, allowing her to play Sweetness and other pieces in their store on several occasions in 1912. Fannie evidently signed copies of the piece as well. According to a receipt the family provided she received a total of $75 for the rag from Forster. Sweetness is dedicated on the inside to W.J. Mansfield. Woods would marry William J. Mansfield the following year, and take that name for the rest of her life. This further reinforces her role as the composer of Sweetness.
Fannie was not only a fine pianist but also a well-regarded organist, spending over four decades playing for the Parkland Baptist Church, and three decades for Pearson's Funeral Home. Between 1914 and 1927, she and her husband had three daughters, Mildred, Mary and Jean and a son as well, William Jr. The family is shown in the 1920 Census on Cypress Street with Fannie's parents living in the same home and William listed as a bookkeeper. In the 1930 Census they were living in a new location on 26th Street, and Cora was now listed as a widow. William was now a credit manager for a plumbing company. He died suddenly at the age of 60 on November 10, 1947. Fannie retired from playing by the mid 1950s, but continued to teach piano and organ to younger students nearly to the end of her life. Fannie and Edna also enjoyed performing Sweetness and other pieces as a two piano duet from time to time. Fannie Mansfield died in Louisville December 28, 1974 at age 82. The only other compositions that may have been attributed to her were available locally in Louisville, and were likely church related. A couple of mentions of possible compositions show up in various recital or concert programs published in area newspapers, but publication cannot be confirmed.
I would like to add a personal note of thanks to Louisville dentist Dr. William J. Mansfield, Fannie's son, who helped me obtain information and materials in relation to his mother, and former Woods student and musician Rhonda Rucker who brought this information to my attention, and therefore to the ragtime community. It was this, more than anything, that motivated me to begin extensive further research to ascertain
more accurate
renewed or reinforced facts on all of the ragtime figures featured on this site.
I have also published a paper on this find if you would like to see more detail at ragpiano.com/fanniewoods.rtf in Microsoft Word format.