Joseph Lamb
Birthday December 6, 1887
Birth Sign Sagittarius
#141,162 Most Popular
About
The only non-African American of classical ragtime's "Big Three." The other two were James Scott and Scott Joplin. He became known for subverting ragtime's usual four-measure phrase structure.
Before Fame
He taught himself how to play the piano at a very early age. He was employed by a dry goods company after quitting St. Jerome's College in 1904.
Trivia
His career was made when Joplin highly recommended him to ragtime publisher John Stark. His first published work was "Sensation." Joplin arranged it for the printing.
Family Life
He was the youngest of four children. He married Henrietta Schultz in 1911.
Associated With
His music was featured on the January 29, 2000, edition of "A Prairie Home Companion," with host Garrison Keillor relating biographical details of Lamb's life.
