The Maple Leaf Rag is probably the most famous ragtime composition of all time. It was first published by Scott Joplin in 1899, the year J. Lawrence Cook was born. Joplin would pass away in 1917, just at the time Cook was becoming an accomplished pianist and musician himself. The player piano was gaining huge momentum at this time. Cook, eager to be part of this industry, bought a small hand operated paper perforator and was making piano roll master copies from his home and sending them to various roll companies as sort of a resume. His determination had to match his skill level, and indeed, it did. In 1921, he was hired by QRS. Previous to that, he had been working at US rolls under an assumed pseudonym. QRS had to find out who he was! They wanted him on staff there. He became the worlds most prolific piano roll artist of all time, spanning over 5 decades. I thought it appropriate to post this most famous ragtime hit by the most famous roll artist as my final of a 5 song tribute to J. Lawrence Cook on this day, which marks his 125 birthday, July 14.
Негізгі бет Maple Leaf Rag. QRS 7308. J. Lawrence Cook. Year: Sept. 1940
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