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MOINES REGISTER IOWA LIFE
Thursday, October 5, 2005
by Amanda Pierre, Staff Writer
One day last summer, renowned pianist Roger Williams found himself looking at himself, partially covered, sprawled out on his back, on the floor of his Encino , Calif. home. It wasn’t an out-of-body experience. It was the first time he saw the wax replica of himself by artist Henry Alvarez. The Iowa Hall of Pride commissioned the wax sculpture to honor the 81-year-old pianist for six decades of performances.
“The worst thing is that it really looks like me,” Williams joked in a recent phone interview. “I thought, ’Boy, this is going to be me someday. Lying dead.’ It was kind of scary.” Alvarez built the wax sculpture after taking hundreds of pictures and measurements of Williams. It took the artist about seven months.
Williams will help unveil the sculpture tonight in a private ceremony. From then on, his likeness will be the focal point of the “Hall of Heroes” in the Hall of Pride, offering a perpetual grin and wave. “To be honored like that in your hometown, it’s the greatest honor of all,” said Williams, who was born Louis Weertz and grew up in Des Moines.
The wax version of Williams will sit at a golden Steinway piano. Although the figure won’t move, a DVD player nearby will play five of Williams’ original arrangements of songs, including “Born Free” and “You’ll Never Walk Alone”.
The idea of honoring Williams with the sculpture came
from Iowa Hall of Pride Director Jack Lashier. He agreed that the Hall
of Pride would commission the wax piece, if Steinway would donate a
golden piano like the one Williams often uses for performances. Williams
spoke to the president of Steinway, another Iowan, and the
company agreed.
Williams loves the fact that his likeness will “live” in Hy-Vee-Hall, near Veterans Memorial Auditorium where he performed many times. Williams also played at Des Moines landmarks of the past, like the downtown Younkers and Babe’s restaurant. He last performed in Des Moines on Tuesday at Hoyt Sherman Theater.
Williams is the first pianist to receive a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. His career spans from Des Moines’ North High to Hollywood High School, where he still sometimes plays for students, “trying to make converts from hip-hop”, he said. He has made more than 120 albums and has five honorary doctorates, including one from Drake, among other honors.
The Hall of Pride’s “Hall of Heroes” also honors famous Iowans such as Henry Wallace. Glenn Miller, George Washington Carver, Norman Borlaug and Donna Reed, as well as hundreds of Iowa athletes. It includes interactive exhibits on Iowa high school sports, theater, debate and music programs.
Details:
What: Wax replica honoring
pianist Roger Williams
Where: Iowa Hall of Pride, 330 Park St., inside Hy-Vee-Hall at the Iowa Events Center
Hours: 10 a.m.-6 p.m., Tuesday s-Fridays; 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturdays; 1-4 Sundays, closed Mondays
Admission: $5 Adults, $4 Students
