Role

:

Composer

Country

:

United States of America

Birth

:

1873 in Savannah, GA

Death

:

1922 in St. Louis, MO

Genre

:

Keyboard

 

Tom Turpin was an American composer and pianist who was born on February 11, 1871, in Savannah, Georgia. He was the son of a former slave who had become a successful businessman, and his mother was a homemaker. Turpin grew up in a musical family, and his father played the banjo and the guitar. Turpin's interest in music began at an early age, and he started playing the piano when he was just six years old. Turpin's family moved to St. Louis, Missouri, when he was a teenager, and he continued to pursue his musical interests. He studied music at the St. Louis Conservatory of Music and later at the Chicago Musical College. Turpin was a talented pianist, and he performed in various venues throughout the Midwest. He also taught music and worked as a music publisher. Turpin is best known for his contributions to ragtime music. Ragtime was a popular style of music in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, and it was characterized by its syncopated rhythms and lively melodies. Turpin was one of the pioneers of ragtime, and he composed many popular ragtime tunes. One of Turpin's most famous compositions is "The Harlem Rag," which he wrote in 1897. The Harlem Rag was one of the first ragtime tunes to be published, and it became a popular hit. The tune was named after the Harlem district of New York City, which was a center of African American culture at the time. Turpin continued to compose ragtime tunes throughout his career, and he became known as the "Father of St. Louis Ragtime." Some of his other popular compositions include "Bowery Buck," "St. Louis Rag," and "Ragtime Nightmare." Turpin's music was popular not only in the United States but also in Europe, where it was performed by famous musicians such as Scott Joplin and Jelly Roll Morton. Turpin's music was not only popular but also influential. His compositions helped to shape the development of ragtime music, and his style influenced many other composers. Turpin's music was also important in the development of jazz music, which grew out of ragtime in the early 20th century. Turpin continued to compose and perform music throughout his life, and he remained active in the music industry until his death in 1922. He was a pioneer of ragtime music and a talented composer and pianist. His contributions to music have had a lasting impact, and his music continues to be enjoyed by audiences around the world.

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