James Scott (composer) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
James Scott
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James Scott circa 1904
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | James Sylvester Scott |
| Also known as | The Little Professor |
| Born | February 12, 1885 Neosho, Missouri |
| Died | August 30, 1938 (aged 53) Kansas City, Kansas, U.S. |
| Genres | Ragtime, march, waltz |
| Occupation(s) | Composer, pianist, music teacher, band leader, arranger |
| Instruments | Piano, organ |
| Years active | 1901–1938 |
James Sylvester Scott (born February 12, 1885 – died August 30, 1938) was an American ragtime composer and pianist. He is known as one of the three most important composers of classic ragtime music. The other two were Scott Joplin and Joseph Lamb.
Contents
Early Life and Musical Start
James Scott was born in Neosho, Missouri. His parents, James Scott, Sr. and Molly Thomas Scott, were formerly enslaved people. In 1901, when James was about 16, his family moved to Carthage, Missouri. There, he went to Lincoln High School.
In 1902, James started working at Charles L. Dumars' music store. He began by washing windows. Soon, he was playing music on the piano to show customers new songs. This job was called being a "song plugger." He even played some of his own music. People liked his songs so much that Dumars decided to print them. Scott's first published song was "A Summer Breeze - March and Two Step" in 1903.
By 1904, two more of Scott's songs, "Fascinator March" and "On the Pike March," were published. They sold well. However, the music company soon closed down.
Meeting Scott Joplin and Success
In 1905, James Scott went to St. Louis, Missouri. He wanted to meet his hero, Scott Joplin, who was a very famous ragtime composer. Scott found Joplin and asked him to listen to one of his ragtime songs.
Joplin was impressed by Scott's music. He introduced Scott to his own publisher, John Stillwell Stark. Joplin told Stark that he should publish Scott's work. A year later, Stark published Scott's song "Frog Legs Rag." This song quickly became a big hit! It was the second best-selling song in Stark's music catalog, right after Joplin's own "Maple Leaf Rag." James Scott continued to publish many songs with Stark until 1922.
Later Life and Legacy
In 1914, James Scott moved to Kansas City, Missouri. He married Nora Johnson there. He also taught music and played the organ at the Panama Theater. He would play music to go along with silent movies. People who knew him said that working at the theater was a big part of his life. His cousin, Patsy Thomas, remembered him as "Little Professor." She said he always walked fast, looking at the ground, deep in thought.
In his later years, Scott kept busy teaching music and composing. He also led an eight-piece band. They played music at different places like beer parks and movie theaters. But when movies started having sound, his job at the theater ended. He lost his work, and his wife passed away. His health also got worse.
He moved in with his cousin, Ruth Callahan, in Kansas City, Kansas. Even though he was sick, he kept composing and playing the piano. James Scott died on August 30, 1938, at age 53. He was buried next to his wife.
Some of James Scott's most famous songs include "Climax Rag," "Frog Legs Rag," "Grace and Beauty," "Ophelia Rag," and "The Ragtime Oriole." James Scott was also a cousin of the famous blues singer Ada Brown.
Published Works
See list of compositions by James Scott
See also
In Spanish: James Scott (músico) para niños
