Scott Joplin
Advertisement
Advertisement
Top Related Artists
Biography
Born in Texas in 1868, Scott Joplin was an African-American pianist and composer who is now referred to as the âKing of Ragtimeâ. While most of his 100 songs â including âMaple Leaf Ragâ and âThe Entertainerâ â fall under the ragtime genre, he also penned a ragtime ballet and two operas. Growing up in Texarkana, Arkansas, he became a musician with help from local teachers. He left his job as a railway laborer and pursued a career as a musician. In 1894, he moved to Sedalia, Missouri and taught piano for a living. The following year, he started publishing his music and by 1899, âMaple Leaf Ragâ became a sensation. The song became the most influential ragtime of all time. Joplin moved to St. Louis in 1901 and continued to write. He had written his first opera entitled A Guest of Honor, but it was confiscated, along with his other belongings, when he couldnât afford to pay his bills. Joplin relocated to New York in 1907 in hopes of finding someone to produce Treemonish, his second opera. While he continued to write popular rags, they didnât achieve the same level of success as âMaple Leaf Ragâ. Joplin contracted syphilis and descended into dementia in 1916. Three months after being admitted to Manhattan State Hospital, Scott Joplin died on April 1, 1917. While ragtimeâs popularity waned after his passing, Joplinâs influence lived on in jazz and swing music. Nearly 50 years after his death, there was a resurgence of interest in Joplinâs music and career. Joshua Rifkin released the million-selling album Piano Rags in 1970 while Joplinâs music was used on the soundtrack to the 1973 motion picture The Sting. Marvin Hamlischâs rendition of âThe Entertainerâ from the soundtrack became a Number 3 Billboard hit.
Read All
Read Less
Albums
Top Tracks
- Track Popularity
- The Easy Winners by Scott Joplin
- Maple Leaf Rag
- The Entertainer featuring Scott Joplin
- Favourite Rag
- Agitation Rag
- Tickled To Death
- The Silver Swan
- Ragtime Oriole
- Combination March by Scott Joplin
- Quality Rag
- Augustan Club Waltz by Scott Joplin
- Anoma
- Cannon Ball
- 12th Street Rag
- Grace And Beauty
- Easy Winner
- Great Collision March by Scott Joplin
- Maple Leaf Rag (Part 2)
- Rag Medley, No. 6: Kay Of B Flat/Eighty-Eight Note
- Scott Joplin's Best Rags: Nonpareil/Palm Leaf Rag/Sunflower Slow Drag/Original Rag/Maple Leaf Rag/ The Easy Winner
- Grizzly Bear Rag
- States Rag Medley
- Evergreen Rag
- 'Possum And 'Taters
