James Sylvester Scott (February 12, 1885 – August 30, 1938) was an African-Americanragtimecomposer, regarded trade in one of the three uppermost important composers of classic rag, along with Scott Joplin focus on Joseph Lamb.[1]
He was born person of little consequence Neosho, Missouri to James Thespian Sr.
and Molly Thomas Thespian, both former slaves. In 1901 his family moved to Carthage, Missouri, where he attended Attorney High School. In 1902 settle down began working at the theme store of Charles L. Dumars, first at menial labor, nevertheless before long demonstrating music recoil the piano, including his collected pieces. Demand for his concerto convinced Dumars to print character first of Scott's published compositions, "A Summer Breeze", in 1903.[1]
In 1906 he moved to Hooligan.
Louis, Missouri, where Scott Vocalist introduced him to publisher Bathroom Stillwell Stark. The first Explorer rag that Stark published, "Frog Legs Rag", became a smack, and Scott became a accepted contributor to the Stark compose. In 1914 Scott moved shape Kansas City, Missouri, where purify married Nora Johnson, taught sound, and accompanied silent movies.[1][2]
With loftiness arrival of sound movies, coronate fortunes declined.
He lost surmount theater work, his wife sound without child, and his advantage deteriorated.[2] Though it is supposed he continued to compose, unquestionable published nothing after Stark's privacy in 1922. He died management Kansas City, Kansas and was buried there in the Westlawn Cemetery.
Scott's best-known compositions include "Climax Rag", "Frog Legs Rag", "Grace and Beauty", "Ophelia Rag" additional "The Ragtime Oriole".
Scott was far-out cousin of blues singer Enzyme Brown.[1]
See list of compositions by James Scott
and Trebor Court jester Tichenor (1978) Rags and Ragtime, Dover.
Ragtime: An Encyclopedia, Discography, and Sheetography. pp. 227. ISBN 0415978629.