Internationally renowned pianist, television personality and trailblazing entrepreneur Winifred Atwell has been honoured with an English Heritage blue plaque. The plaque marks 18 Bourdon Street, Mayfair, where Atwell lived close to the height of her extraordinary career in the 1950s and 60s with her husband and manager, Lew Levisohn. It was here she kept her two most famous instruments: her Steinway concert grand and her beloved ‘other piano’ – a deliberately out-of-tune upright that became her signature in countless honky-tonk performances.

Pianist, bandleader and broadcaster, Jools Holland, said:

“Winifred Atwell is very important in British cultural and musical life. She is one of the first women, and certainly one of the first women of Afro Caribbean heritage to become a mainstream figure in 1950s British entertainment. She was also a piano inspiration to both Sir Elton John, myself, and many others. It is therefore a tremendous personal honour for me to help celebrate her legacy with a blue plaque.”

One of the most successful musicians in post-war Britain, Atwell was the first black artist to achieve a UK number one single, with the medley ‘Let’s Have Another Party’, in 1954. Her electrifying honky-tonk style – ragtime and boogie were her staples – was paired with classical virtuosity and undeniable stage presence, making her a household name. Between 1952 and 1960, she spent 117 weeks in the British pop charts, appeared on over 100 BBC radio programmes, and fronted her own shows on ITV and BBC television. Her characteristically energetic rendition of the ‘Black and White Rag’ was later used as the theme tune of the BBC snooker programme Pot Black.

YolanDa Brown, musician, broadcaster and English Heritage blue plaques panel member, said:

“Winifred Atwell was a dazzling performer and a true trailblazer. Her virtuosity, charisma and entrepreneurial spirit helped her break racial and musical barriers in mid-century Britain. She opened doors for black artists, and her success in both classical and popular music challenged assumptions about genre and identity. This plaque in Mayfair – close to her recording studios, television sets and business premises – is a tribute to a woman who deserves far greater recognition in the story of British music.”

Alongside her musical achievements, Atwell was a forward-thinking entrepreneur. She opened one of the UK’s first salons for black women and launched a line of beauty products – drawing on her earlier training as a pharmacist. Her multifaceted success and public profile made her an inspirational figure, especially within the Caribbean diaspora in Britain and Australia, where latterly she made her home.

Winifred Atwell’s life and music continue to resonate – a lasting legacy of artistry, entrepreneurship and cultural impact that helped reshape the sound and face of post-war Britain.

The English Heritage London Blue Plaques scheme is generously supported by David Pearl and members of the public.