Scott Joplin
Joplin was born in Texas, the son of a former slave. He grew up in a musical home: his mother played the banjo and sang, and his father played the fiddle. As a child Scott learned to play many instruments, but his favorite was the piano. Because his family couldn't afford to buy a piano, he would practice in the homes where his mother was working.
A local German piano teacher recognized his talent when he was 11 years old and gave Joplin free lessons. When he began to write his own music, he mixed the beat and rhythm of African songs with the melodies of classical music from Europe. In his music, the left hand plays a steady beat while the right hand plays an irregular, fast melody. Young people liked this "ragged" sound, and called the music "ragtime." Many parents and others thought the music was awful and should be wiped out!
Joplin traveled around the United States, composing, playing, and teaching ragtime music. He made an agreement with a music publisher to get one penny for each copy of the sheet music for "Maple Leaf Rag" that was sold. He made only four dollars in the first year but got a small income from this for the rest of his life.
Joplin, the "King of Ragtime" composed and published over 50 pieces during his lifetime. But, by the time of his death he had been almost forgotten. Joplin said "…When I'm dead 25 years, people are going to begin to recognize me." Nearly as he predicted, 56 years after his death "Ragtime Music" and Scott Joplin became famous once again when his music was used in the 1973 movie, "The Sting".
