White theater producer Sol Hurok told a twenty-something Shirley that he should not pursue a career in classical music, reasoning that American audiences would not want to see a 'colored' pianist on the concert stage. Was Don Shirley really told that he should not pursue a career in classical music because he was black?
A prodigy, Shirley began playing piano at the age of 2 and first started playing professionally at age 18 with the Boston Pops, performing Tchaikovsky’s Piano Concerto No. His father, Edwin, was an Episcopal priest and his mother, Stella, worked as a teacher. The Green Book true story reveals that Don Shirley was actually born in Pensacola, Florida on January 29, 1927. This is not true and stems from the fact that his promoters falsely advertised him as having been born in Jamaica.
Numerous articles state that Don Shirley was born in Kingston, Jamaica.
