Margie Hyams

South side of 52nd Street, New York, between 5th & 6th Avenues — looking east (ca. 1948). Notice the Margie Hyams Trio on the marquee at the 3 Deuces
Photo: William P. Gottlieb, United States Library of Congress's Music Division

Hyams had her own trio and quartet (1940–1944) and played with Woody Herman (1944–1945) and Flip Phillips in the mid-1940s. She formed another trio with guitarists such as Tal Farlow, Mundell Lowe, and Billy Bauer from 1945 to 1948. She also arranged and sang with Charlie Ventura, and recorded with Mary Lou Williams. Hyams joined George Shearing in (1949–51).

Woody Herman

Jack Siefert (Jacob William Siefert; born 1918), a lifelong friend of Woody Herman, introduced Hyams to Herman, who had already broken convention by hiring a female instrumentalist in 1941, Billie Rogers (born 1919).[4] Rogers played trumpet with Herman until 1943.[5] Hyams is one of Woody's exceptional alumni vibraphonists that included Terry Gibbs, Red Norvo, and Milt Jackson, all of whom, according to jazz author Doug Ramsey, were part of a Who's Who quality of an imaginary line-up that was staggering.[6]

In a sense, you weren't really looked upon as a musician, especially in clubs. There was more interest in what you were going to wear or how your hair was fixed — they just wanted you to look attractive, ultra feminine, largely because you were doing something they didn't consider feminine. Most of the time I fought it and didn't listen to them. [One of the ways you fought it was insisting on wearing a band uniform instead of a dress.] Only in retrospect, when you start looking back and analyzing, you can see the obstacles that were put in front of you. I just thought at the time that I was too young to handle it, but now I see that it was really rampant chauvinism.

— Marjorie Hyams – 1978[7][8][9]

On June 6, 1950, Marjie Hyams married William G. Ericsson (1927–1978)[10][11][12][13][14] in Chicago,[15] and, from 1951 to 1970, played, taught, and arranged in Chicago.[16] Marjie and Bill had three children: Lisa, Kristin (deceased) and Tod.

Sibling

• Brother, Mark Hyams (1914–2007) was a jazz pianist who played with big bands, including those of Will Hudson (mid-1930s) and Spud Murphy (late 1930s). Mark married L'Ana Webster (née Alleman; 1912–1997), a saxophonist and bandleader who was once married to jazz guitarist Jimmie Webster (James Donart Webster; 1908–1978)