William Grant Still (1895-1978) was born in Woodville, Mississippi. His mother was a teacher and his father was a local bandleader. They were of mixed origin: African-American, Native Native American, Spanish and Anglo. His father died when William was a few months old and his mother took him to Little Rock, Arkansas where she remarried and taught high school English. Charles B. Shepperson, William’s stepfather, nurtured his musical interests by taking him to operettas, buying recordings of classical music, and paying for violin lessons.
Still attended Wilberforce University in Ohio, founded as an African-American school. He conducted the university band, learned to play various instruments and started to compose and orchestrate. He also studied with Friedrich Lehmann at the Oberlin Conservatory, George Whitefield Chadwick at the New England Conservatory, and with the ultra-modern composer Edgard Varèse.
Initially, Still composed in modernist style, but later merged aspects of his African-American heritage with traditional European classical forms. In 1931 his First Symphony was performed by the Rochester Philharmonic under the direction of Howard Hanson, making him the first African-American composer to receive such recognition. In 1936, Still conducted the Los Angeles Philharmonic, becoming the first African-American to conduct a major American orchestra.
In 1949, his opera Troubled Island was performed by the New York City Opera—the first opera by an African-American to be performed by a major company. In 1955, conducting the New Orleans Philharmonic, he became the first African-American to conduct a major orchestra in the deep South. Additionally, he was the Recording Manager of the Black Swan Phonograph Company.
Between 1919 and 1921, Still worked as an arranger for W.C. Handy's band and later played in the pit orchestra for Noble Sissle and Eubie Blake's musical "Shuffle Along." Later in the twenties, he served as the arranger of Yamekraw, a "Negro Rhapsody" composed by the noted Harlem Stride pianist, James P. Johnson. In the 1930s, Still worked as an arranger of popular music, writing for Willard Robison's "Deep River Hour" and Paul Whiteman's "Old Gold Show," both popular NBC Radio broadcasts. Still eventually moved to Los Angeles, California, where he arranged music for films and television, including Pennies from Heaven (1936) and Lost Horizon (1937).
Still married Verna Arvey, a journalist and concert pianist, in 1939. They remained together until he died of heart failure in Los Angeles, California in 1978.
From the Hearts of Women (1961) is a suite of four songs for soprano and string orchestra with text by Verna Arvey. The lyrics highlight different phases of a woman’s life. The “Little Mother” of the first movement is a girl singing to her rag doll. In adolescence, the “Coquette” plays a game of flirtation. In middle age (“Mid Tide”), she reminisces coldly of her lost love and lost youth. “Bereft,” she sings as she nears the end of her life with painful memories of having lost her son, with the faintest reflections of the rag doll.

I. Little Mother
Baby sweetheart, Baby darling,
Baby on my knee!
My sweetheart, Little angel,
by my side the night long.
Little playmate, Dear companion,
with me through the day!
‘Cause I love you,
You will listen to the things I tell you.
Baby, please don’t be naughty now:
You’ll get a spanking if you bad!
Mommy tells you, be good,
Stop your crying, and you’ll get a reward.
Little playmate, Dear companion,
with me through the day!
‘Cause I love you,
You will listen to the things I tell you.
Daddy says you’re only a rag doll,
but I know better.
Now go to the sleep, and
when you wake up
we’ll have more fun together.

II. Coquette
By the sea, in the streets, at the ball,
I go forth wanting romance, wanting fun.
With a word, with a glance, with a gesture,
I’m seeking someone to adore me.

When I find him I’ll greet him with pleasure.
When I greet him I’ll wait for his smile.
For in this game we’ll be partners,
in this gay game of flirtation.

In the spring, in the fall, in the summer,
I go forth wanting romance, wanting fun.
In the light, in the dark, ‘neath the moon,
I’m seeking someone to adore me.

When I find him I’ll join him in banter.
In that moment I’ll look far afield.
For in this game I seek new partners,
Since the game is worth more than the prize.

III. Mid Tide
Gone are the years of my youth,
Gone the fire in my soul.
Empty my heart, empty my life
Now only the waiting!

I can remember days full of sunlight,
of joy, of laughter.
I can remember the blessed moments,
time shared, lives joined!

Gone are the things that I cherished,
Gone all my dreams!
Empty my thoughts, and the hours
they used to fill—now only a blank wall!

I can remember vows made in faith,
in warmth, in passion!
I can remember each word of our pledge,
our trust, our promise!
Now lost.

Each tender moment I spent waiting
the sound of your voice!
For gone in my love, gone my only love!

IV. Bereft
By his bedside I sat with love in my heart
As I had sat long ago,
in childhood to bring sleep to his eyes,
but now to hold back the last sleep.
My son departing for isles uncharted!
My boy!
His life an unvoiced thought,
His future lost in the mist!
I hoped, though there was no hope.
Too soon died too!