Scott Joplin in Sedalia: New Perspectives

Abstract

According to one reading of the available information, he arrived in Sedalia in 1894 as an unknown musician of twenty-five years of age, a good singer (with perfect pitch), the leader of an impressive vocal group, a reluctant cornetist, a pianist of exceedingly modest skills, an unpublished composer. By the time of his departure, seven years later, his fame and influence had spread far beyond Sedalia. His Maple Leaf Rag was quickly becoming a national phenomenon, earning him the title of the 'King of Writers. From our distant perspective it almost seems as if Scott Joplin's life began in Sedalia. We know practically nothing of his life prior to his arrival there, and even little enough of his years while in the town. But his impact during those years was so great that Joplin's Sedalia has been termed Cradle of Classic Ragtime and has been a focal point for ragtime scholarship for more than forty years. Telling Joplin's story is a process of piecing together a few documented facts with half-remembered, frequently contradictory anecdotes recalled by aged individuals. These facts and uncertain possibilities are then tied together with supposition to form a more-or-less cohesive narrative. There is little chance of certainty here. What we strive for is an account that is faithful to the few established facts while presenting plausible hypotheses for the rest. The distinction between these two components should always remain clear. The purpose of this paper is to re-examine selected facets of Joplin's life in Sedalia. This is done by testing accepted versions against the perspective of both previously discarded or unused information and newly discovered material. In some cases this new perspective yields new answers. More frequently, it presents contradictions, raises new questions,