If Margie Hyams had not retired prematurely, she would have been much better known in the jazz world. A talented vibraphonist able to play in both bop and swing settings, Hyams was an important musician during the second half of the 1940s. She was featured with Woody Herman's First Herd (1944-1945), led her own trio (1945-1948), and was an original member of the George Shearing Quintet (1949-1950). In addition, she recorded with Flip Phillips, Mary Lou Williams, and Charlie Ventura. However, in 1950 Hyams (who never led a recording session of her own) married and decided to retire from music at the age of 27. Little was heard from her afterwards, a major loss to jazz. She died in Southern California in June 2012 at the age of 91. ~ Scott Yanow, Rovi