John Stillwell Stark facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
John Stillwell Stark
|
|
|---|---|
John Stillwell Stark
|
|
| Born |
John Stillwell Stark
April 11, 1841 Kentucky, U.S.
|
| Died | October 21, 1927 (aged 86) St. Louis, Missouri, U.S.
|
| Other names | John Stark |
| Occupation | Music publisher |
| Known for | Work with Scott Joplin |
| Spouse(s) | Sarah Ann Casey (wife) |
| Relatives | Adin Stark (father) Eleanor Stillwell Stark (mother) Etilman J. Stark (brother) William Stark (son) E.J. Stark (son) Eleanor Stark (daughter) |
| Military career | |
| Allegiance |  United States of America |
| Service/ |
 Union Army |
| Rank | Bugler |
| Battles/wars | American Civil War |
John Stillwell Stark (born April 11, 1841 – died October 21, 1927) was an American music publisher. He is most famous for helping to share ragtime music with the world. He especially worked with the famous composer Scott Joplin.
Contents
Growing Up and Early Life
John Stark was born in Shelby County, Kentucky. He was one of 12 children in his family. He grew up on a farm in Beanblossom, Indiana.
During the American Civil War, John Stark served in the Union Army. He played the bugle, a brass instrument like a small trumpet. After the war, he married Sarah Ann Casey. They started a family and continued farming in Indiana and later in Maysville, Missouri.
John Stark eventually decided farming was not for him. He moved to Cameron, Missouri and started a new business making ice cream. Later, in Chillicothe, Missouri, he also sold organs and pianos to earn more money.
Becoming a Music Publisher
In 1885, John Stark moved to Sedalia, Missouri. Here, he decided to focus only on the music business. He opened his own office and started a company called "John Stark and Son" with his 15-year-old son, William. He became a music publisher by buying the rights to seven songs from another company.
This was a big step for John Stark. He was about to change music history!
Discovering Scott Joplin and "Maple Leaf Rag"
While in Sedalia, John Stark heard a new and exciting type of music called ragtime. He especially loved a song called "Maple Leaf Rag" played by Scott Joplin. On August 10, 1899, Stark bought the rights to publish this song. He paid Joplin $50 and promised him one cent for every copy sold.
This deal was great for both men. "Maple Leaf Rag" became a huge hit, selling over a million copies! This success allowed John Stark to open new offices in St. Louis, Missouri and even in New York City. For Scott Joplin, it meant he could finally make a living just by composing music.
Promoting Classic Ragtime Music
For the next 20 years, John Stark became known for publishing "classic" ragtime music. He helped many talented ragtime composers share their music. Besides Scott Joplin, he published works by:
- Joseph Lamb
- James Scott
- Arthur Marshall
- Paul Pratt
- Artie Matthews
- Robert Hampton
- J. Russel Robinson
- And his own son, Etilmon J. Stark, who also became a well-known ragtime composer.
Later Years and Legacy
After his wife passed away in 1910, John Stark closed his New York office and returned to St. Louis. By this time, a new music area in New York called "Tin Pan Alley" was becoming very popular for selling music.
John Stark continued to publish new ragtime songs until 1922. This was even after jazz music started to become more popular than ragtime. John Stark himself was not a fan of jazz. He passed away in St. Louis on October 21, 1927. His work helped make ragtime music famous and preserved many important songs for future generations to enjoy.
