Real name: William Henry Joseph Bonaparte Bertholoff Smith American composer and jazz pianist. Born : November 23 , 1897 in Goshen, New York. Died : April 18, 1973 in New York City, New York. Willie, who was active from the 1910s to the present day, is best known for his Harlem Stride style of playing. Legend has it that “The Lion”, his nickname, was inspired by his bravery as a heavy artillery gunsner. From discogs