Real name: Terry Jean Pollard

Effective period / Period of releases: 1955

American jazz pianist and vibraphonist.

Born : August 15, 1931 in Detroit, Michigan.
Died : December 16, 2009 in New York City.

Terry became a professional musician while in her teens with her first job with Johnny Hill. She had perfect pitch and never learned to read or notate music. Inspired by Milt Jackson she began to play the vibraphone. Terry joined the Billy Mitchell group at the Blue Bird in 1952. Terry indicated that she would play "like a man" and would not be pushed around because of her gender,

Terry Gibbs was especially impressed with Terry and praised her vibraphone playing and her "fabulous ear" for music. Her work with Gibbs brought Terry national recognition and in 1956 she was chosen as the "New Star" on vibraphone in the "Down Beat" critics' poll.
From "A History of Jazz in Detroit 1920-1960 Before Motown" by Lars Bjorn with Jim Gallert 2018, The University of Michigan Press