Scott Joplin - 'The King of Ragtime'

This amazing musician is one that, I am sad to say, I do not know that much about. All I really knew of him was that he was a fantastic piano player and wrote 'The Maple Leaf Rag' which was named after the bar that he worked at in Missouri.

But I have decided to take the time to learn a little bit more about him.

Joplin was born in Northeast Texas, right outside of Texerana, in 1867. He was the second child born to Giles Joplin and Florence Givens. They were poor, but his father moved them to Texerana proper to work on the railroad and provide for his family. Unfortunately, however, Giles was not a man of principles and left Florence for another women around 1880, leaving her to provide for the rest of the family. It has been speculated that one of his causes for leaving was because of Scott's mother insisting on his musical education, and his father claiming that it was taking away from his opportunities of getting a real job.

But all was not lost, for Scott had a flourishing talent that was helped by the local music professor, Julius Weiss, a Jewish man who had immigrated from Germany some years before. He trained Scott from ages 11-16, helping him to realize that music was more than just entertainment, it was an art form. Reportedly, Scott never forgot Weiss, even once his reputation took of and his fame was achieved. He would send Weiss money in an attempt to pay him back for all the help he had given Scott over the years.

Eventually, Scott saw that it was time to move on from Texerana. But at the time, there was not much work for black pianists, save for churches and brothels, and Scott jumped from city to city, trying to find work. He finally found himself in Sedalia, Missouri, in 1894. This is where he found work at the 'Maple Leaf Queen,' of which is famous piece is named after. However, this is another instance where not much is known on his activities at that time. It was true, that he did not have a recorded residence in the town until ten years later, in 1904. He also found love in the form of Belle Hayden, whom he married in 1899. The two of them would have a baby together, but it would die after only a few short months, and after that the two of them divorced in early 1900. Scott would again find love in 1904 when he went down to Arkansas and married Freddie Alexander, but she would die ten weeks after the marriage. But her death inspired one of the most beautiful ragtime waltzes, Bethena. Strange, how an artists tragedy becomes our gains, isn't it?

After moving to New York in 1907 and trying to produce his Opera that he had written, Scott descended into poverty, trying to produce 'art' as opposed to 'entertainment' and this did not work out in his favor. Eventually, he contracted tertiary syphilis, which sadly, would lead to him losing his mind and falling into madness. He was admitted to Manhattan State Hospital, and died on April 1, 1917. He was only 49 years old.

But what he left behind, was an amazing legacy of fantastic music, pioneering rhythm, and a tune that would make him the most recognizable faces of Ragtime.