King of Ragtime: Scott Joplin

With its tinkling piano and “ragged” style of syncopated beats, ragtime dominated American music at the turn of the 20^th century. Eventually giving birth to jazz, this first, truly American form of music emerged from African-American saloons and parlors in cities across the South and Midwest. Scott Joplin, a talented musician and prolific composer, is recognized as ragtime’s king. His classic piano rags, Maple Leaf Rag and The Entertainer, were widely popular and remain his most famous pieces.

The Life of Scott Joplin

• The Life of Scott Joplin – A biography from the Scott Joplin Organization
• The King of Ragtime – The story of Joplin’s life
• A brief history of Scott Joplin – The highlights of Joplin’s career
• 100 Years of the Maple Leaf Rag – A timeline of Joplin’s life and accomplishments

Works by Joplin

• Hear the Maple Leaf Rag! - A MIDI file of Joplin’s classic piece
• Hear more Joplin! – A collection of MIDI files of Joplin’s work
• All of Joplin's works – A list of Joplin’s works with dates included

Ragtime

• Ragtime Music – A study of Ragtime’s history and influences
• What is a Rag? – The musical origins of the piano rag
• A History of Ragtime – A Library of Congress article on Ragtime’s history
• "It Was Considered Low Music." – An interview with pianist, Eubie Blake
• National Ragtime and Jazz Archive – An archive held by Southern Illinois University
• Ragtime & Black Musical Theater – A history of ragtime and its composers