It was said that he knew 4000 ragtime songs by memory. In his later years (80-85-plus) he was retired, except he had two 3-week stints at the Diamond Belle Saloon in Durango, CO every year, and I'd go several nights per week just to watch him. My personal favorite was his version of the St. Louis Blues, which I thought was out of this world. But he would take audience requests by the hour, and never used a sheet of music. A tourist town, Durango had a lot of foreign visitors, and he would banter back and forth with them. They'd say where they were from, and he'd pull a song from that country out of his memory bank, and it would bring out an appreciative smile from them. He was fantastic. Finally when he got into his 90s he had lower back problems and had to fully retire back to (I think) Tennessee. But he said he started playing ragtime and travelling around the country in WW2, when he was only 11 years old, to make money for his family.
Was so shocked to learn that John had died. I used to sing with him at The Il Porto, in Alexandria, a few years back and would see him in Colorado, while visiting with friends, in Golden, CO, and then also saw him in Bozeman. Wonderful friend, and a real loss to the ragtime music world. Most all of the "group" from Il Porto, have left us and the few who are left, are failing fast. At 83, I count my blessings and thank The Lord for His mercy!!!! I'm shooting for 100 years!!!!
He had a 3-week stint twice per year at the Diamond Belle Saloon in Durango, CO, from his early 80s, until he was in to his 90s, and finally he came down with lower back pains and had to fully retire. But he'd play from about 5PM until about 11PM nightly and never used a single sheet of music. Everything was by memory. I once, when talking to him, made the mistake of saying it was "honkey-tonk" and got lectured at length about not using those words. It was "ragtime" and I better not forget it. Further, as Durango was / is a tourist town, there were a lot of people from out-of-state and even from foreign countries, and as he was bantering with everybody in the audience, he'd ask where they were from. No matter where they lived in the U.S. or whatever foreign country, he'd play something well known from where they were from. He was incredible. He knew, seemingly, every song from everywhere. RIP Johnny. He was beyond the best.
It was wonderful to actually see Johnny perform, as I've been a fan for years, and have many of his CDs. I also noted an error in song #2, "Amoureuse". It was written by Rodolphe Berger, not Souza. And as you know, I first saw you play it on YT, then learned the shortened version from Johnny on YT. It's still my #1 favorite song; but "Harmony Club Waltz" by Joplin, is a close 2nd. Thanks for sharing!
Live performance 2/xx/1985 Timestamps: 0:00:18 Friday Night Stomp (Johnny Maddox 1951) 0:02:38 Amoureuse Waltz (Rodolphe Berger 1900) 0:05:41 Under the Double Eagle March (J F Wagner 1895) 0:08:09 I’ll Lend You Anything I Got Except My Wife (Burt Williams 1909) 0:08:59 Swanee River (George Gershwin 1919) 0:09:25 Alexander’s Ragtime Band (Irving Berlin 1911) 0:09:38 Bugle Call 0:10:04 Dixie (Daniel Decatur Emmett 1859) 0:10:54 Yankee Doodle Boy 0:11:30 Listen to the Mocking Bird (Richard Milburn 1855) 0:11:43 Maryland, My Maryland (Melchior Franck 1615) 0:12:07 Carry Me Back to Old Virginny (James A Bland 1878) 0:12:32 Oh Dem Golden Slippers (James A Bland 1879) 0:13:09 My Old Kentucky Home (Stephen Foster 1852) 0:13:33 Hot Time in the Old Town Tonight (Theodore August Metz 1896) 0:14:20 Crazy Otto medley (Johnny Maddox 1955) 0:17:34 Sunflower Slow Drag (Scott Joplin 1901) 0:20:31 Maple Leaf Rag (Scott Joplin 1899) 0:23:35 Florine Waltz (William R Draper 1920) 0:25:15 Classical Rag medley 0:32:45 Creole Bells (J Bodewalt Lampe and George Sidney 1900) 0:35:32 Whistling Rufus (Kerry Mills 1899) 0:38:13 Car-Bar-Lick Acid (Clarence C Wiley 1901) [with Pickles and Peppers interlude] 0:40:30 Frankie and Johnny (Bill Dooley 1899) 0:41:49 That Corsica Rag (Joe Jordan 1913) 0:43:27 That Teasin’ Rag (Joe Jordan 1908)
![The best of James Scott- 1 HOUR EDITION (1885-1938) [HQ]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/LK4uHQaQNRE/mqdefault.jpg)
We used to go to Il Porto in Alexandria every Friday night to listen to Johnny. Those were the days!
All I can hear is Adam… I see your inspiration!!
Man could he play up a storm! And his respectful rendering of classic ragtime in the Joplin/Hayden "Sunflower Slow Drag" is a revelation to me.
lWhat a joy to hear a Joplin rag played at this tempo! Faster isn't.better,, it's well it's just faster
WoW ! Amazing… and such flow.
Wow! What a fabulous performer and such a great memory that he had!
It was said that he knew 4000 ragtime songs by memory. In his later years (80-85-plus) he was retired, except he had two 3-week stints at the Diamond Belle Saloon in Durango, CO every year, and I'd go several nights per week just to watch him. My personal favorite was his version of the St. Louis Blues, which I thought was out of this world. But he would take audience requests by the hour, and never used a sheet of music. A tourist town, Durango had a lot of foreign visitors, and he would banter back and forth with them. They'd say where they were from, and he'd pull a song from that country out of his memory bank, and it would bring out an appreciative smile from them. He was fantastic. Finally when he got into his 90s he had lower back problems and had to fully retire back to (I think) Tennessee. But he said he started playing ragtime and travelling around the country in WW2, when he was only 11 years old, to make money for his family.
Was so shocked to learn that John had died. I used to sing with him at The Il Porto, in Alexandria, a few years back and would see him in Colorado, while visiting with friends, in Golden, CO, and then also saw him in Bozeman. Wonderful friend, and a real loss to the ragtime music world. Most all of the "group" from Il Porto, have left us and the few who are left, are failing fast. At 83, I count my blessings and thank The Lord for His mercy!!!! I'm shooting for 100 years!!!!
He had a 3-week stint twice per year at the Diamond Belle Saloon in Durango, CO, from his early 80s, until he was in to his 90s, and finally he came down with lower back pains and had to fully retire. But he'd play from about 5PM until about 11PM nightly and never used a single sheet of music. Everything was by memory. I once, when talking to him, made the mistake of saying it was "honkey-tonk" and got lectured at length about not using those words. It was "ragtime" and I better not forget it. Further, as Durango was / is a tourist town, there were a lot of people from out-of-state and even from foreign countries, and as he was bantering with everybody in the audience, he'd ask where they were from. No matter where they lived in the U.S. or whatever foreign country, he'd play something well known from where they were from. He was incredible. He knew, seemingly, every song from everywhere. RIP Johnny. He was beyond the best.
I saw him many times in Durango. Foreigners loved how he knew songs from their homelands. He was a dear friend of mine his last 30 years.
Adam, thank you so much for posting this fabulous video of a great pianist.
You have a similar playing style to Johnny Maddox, especially the chromatic octave action with the bass; he must've been a good mentor to you!
Listened to Johnny's style for years in 1960's - 1970's when I learned ragtime and perfected much of his thank you
I didn’t even notice the 45 minutes go by. I could listen to him all day! Thanks.
Did you know and im not lying that he is my great great great uncle just found out today!!!
Wow! Love how he plays "Carbolic Acid Rag", that was fantastic!
A fantastic documentary.
It was wonderful to actually see Johnny perform, as I've been a fan for years, and have many of his CDs. I also noted an error in song #2, "Amoureuse". It was written by Rodolphe Berger, not Souza. And as you know, I first saw you play it on YT, then learned the shortened version from Johnny on YT. It's still my #1 favorite song; but "Harmony Club Waltz" by Joplin, is a close 2nd. Thanks for sharing!
Thanks, with your help I finally found the sheet music for Amoureuse.
Also one of his piano teachers he studied with had studied with Franz List!!!
Love this!
Now where have I heard those virtuosic arrangements before?!
Live performance 2/xx/1985
Timestamps:
0:00:18 Friday Night Stomp (Johnny Maddox 1951)
0:02:38 Amoureuse Waltz (Rodolphe Berger 1900)
0:05:41 Under the Double Eagle March (J F Wagner 1895)
0:08:09 I’ll Lend You Anything I Got Except My Wife (Burt Williams 1909)
0:08:59 Swanee River (George Gershwin 1919)
0:09:25 Alexander’s Ragtime Band (Irving Berlin 1911)
0:09:38 Bugle Call
0:10:04 Dixie (Daniel Decatur Emmett 1859)
0:10:54 Yankee Doodle Boy
0:11:30 Listen to the Mocking Bird (Richard Milburn 1855)
0:11:43 Maryland, My Maryland (Melchior Franck 1615)
0:12:07 Carry Me Back to Old Virginny (James A Bland 1878)
0:12:32 Oh Dem Golden Slippers (James A Bland 1879)
0:13:09 My Old Kentucky Home (Stephen Foster 1852)
0:13:33 Hot Time in the Old Town Tonight (Theodore August Metz 1896)
0:14:20 Crazy Otto medley (Johnny Maddox 1955)
0:17:34 Sunflower Slow Drag (Scott Joplin 1901)
0:20:31 Maple Leaf Rag (Scott Joplin 1899)
0:23:35 Florine Waltz (William R Draper 1920)
0:25:15 Classical Rag medley
0:32:45 Creole Bells (J Bodewalt Lampe and George Sidney 1900)
0:35:32 Whistling Rufus (Kerry Mills 1899)
0:38:13 Car-Bar-Lick Acid (Clarence C Wiley 1901) [with Pickles and Peppers interlude]
0:40:30 Frankie and Johnny (Bill Dooley 1899)
0:41:49 That Corsica Rag (Joe Jordan 1913)
0:43:27 That Teasin’ Rag (Joe Jordan 1908)
Thanks for sharing this Adam. It's amazing!
Kinda reminds me of Kiitty Russels place in "Gunsmoke".lol
This is really great!]
This is not just great, it's a great piece of history!
Those horrible computer graphics on the opening and closing credits make me realize how fuckin long ago 1985 was. Yikes.