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Max Morath

Max Morath (October 1, 1926 – June 19, 2023) was an American pianist, composer, entertainer, and author best known for spearheading the revival of ragtime music in the 1960s and 1970s through pioneering television series, solo performances, and recordings.^[1]^[2]^[3] Born in Colorado Springs, Colorado, to a musical family—his mother, Gladys, was a trained pianist who played for silent films—Morath developed an early interest in ragtime despite being born after its initial peak popularity around World War I.^[1]^[2]^[4] He graduated from Colorado College in 1948 with a bachelor's degree in English and later earned a master's in American Studies from Columbia University in 1996, focusing his thesis on composer Carrie Jacobs-Bond.^[1]^[2]^[5] Morath's career began in radio as a disc jockey at KVOR in Colorado Springs during high school, followed by work as a melodrama pianist at the Imperial Hotel in Cripple Creek in the 1950s, where he performed hundreds of shows.^[4]^[5] In 1959–1961, he wrote, produced, and starred in the groundbreaking 12-episode public television series The Ragtime Era for KRMA-TV (now Rocky Mountain PBS) and National Educational Television, which educated viewers on ragtime's history and Black origins while featuring his piano performances.^[1]^[2]^[3] This was followed by the 15-part The Turn of the Century series, exploring American social history through popular music of the era.^[2]^[3] A prolific performer, Morath toured extensively until age 80, delivering over 5,000 one-man shows in theaters, colleges, and cabarets across the U.S., often in period attire as the "Ragtime Professor."^[5]^[3] His off-Broadway productions included Max Morath at the Turn of the Century (1969) and others that highlighted ragtime's cultural context.^[1] He recorded 32 albums from 1955 to 2015 on labels like Vanguard and RCA, including The World of Scott Joplin (1972), and composed original rags such as the Cripple Creek Suite.^[1]^[4] As an author and advocate, he edited 100 Ragtime Classics, wrote Max Morath’s Guide to Ragtime (1964), and published a biography of Carrie Jacobs-Bond in 2008; he also penned screenplays like Blind Boone (2015), which won at the Nashville Film Festival.^[4]^[3] Morath emphasized the contributions of Black composers like Scott Joplin and Eubie Blake, as well as women in ragtime, mentoring younger musicians and crediting ragtime's roots in African American and working-class traditions.^[1]^[4] He was inducted into the Colorado Music Hall of Fame in 2016 as a "20th Century Pioneer."^[1]^[2]^[5] Morath died at age 96 in Duluth, Minnesota, leaving a legacy as a tireless ambassador for American popular music.^[2]^[3]

Early life and education

Family background and childhood

Max Morath was born on October 1, 1926, in Colorado Springs, Colorado, the younger of two sons to Frederic Palmer Morath, a real estate broker and founder of the AdAmAn Club—a group dedicated to the annual New Year's Eve fireworks ascent of Pikes Peak—and Gladys (Ramsell) Morath, a pianist and later society editor at The Gazette.^[6]^[7] His parents divorced when he was four years old, after which his mother raised him and his brother Frederic in Colorado Springs, while his father relocated to Europe.^[6] The family originated from Iowa, where his mother had transported a piano bench filled with sheet music from the family farm before settling in Colorado.^[8] Growing up in Colorado Springs during the Jazz Age and the waning years of silent films, Morath was immersed in a cultural landscape that included vaudeville performances, early radio broadcasts, and local theater traditions, all of which left a lasting impression on his developing interests.^[6]^[9] His mother's role as a pianist accompanying silent films at local venues provided direct exposure to the sounds of early 20th-century popular music, including the syncopated rhythms that defined the post-ragtime era.^[6]^[10] This environment, combined with the community's vibrant arts scene—bolstered by his father's involvement in Pikes Peak traditions—fostered an early appreciation for American entertainment forms.^[7] Morath's fascination with ragtime began in childhood when, at age seven, he first heard his mother play Scott Joplin's "The Original Rags," igniting a lifelong passion for the genre's composers and its place in American popular music history.^[6]^[7] He later recalled discovering the "beat" of ragtime in his fingers as a young boy, influenced by the family's piano and the lingering echoes of vaudeville and radio entertainment in Colorado Springs.^[8] These formative experiences, rooted in his musical family and the local cultural milieu, laid the groundwork for his future explorations without formal instruction at that stage.^[9]

Musical training and formal education

Morath attended Colorado College in Colorado Springs, earning a bachelor's degree in English in 1948.^[1]^[2] Although his formal academic focus was on English, he continued developing his musical skills during this period, drawing from childhood piano exposure provided by his schooled pianist mother.^[1] By high school, he had begun studying music theory and composition informally, which laid the groundwork for his later expertise.^[10] Morath's musical training remained largely self-directed, with no extensive formal instruction in performance or composition.^[11] He cultivated a deep interest in American vernacular music, particularly ragtime, through self-study of sheet music collections from the Progressive Era (1896–1920).^[1] This hands-on approach, combined with his classical piano foundations, shifted his focus toward the syncopated rhythms and cultural context of ragtime, preparing him for a career centered on reviving and interpreting early 20th-century American music.^[8]

Professional career

Early professional work

After completing his education at Colorado College, Max Morath embarked on his professional career in the early 1950s, initially working as a radio announcer, newscaster, and actor in Colorado Springs and Pueblo. He served as a disc jockey on KVOR during his high school years and later transitioned to daytime radio programming at Colorado College, where he was promoted as "the brightest spot in any housewife’s afternoon." Additionally, Morath contributed to KKTV by writing, announcing, editing, acting, and singing, marking his early involvement in broadcast media and performance in Colorado.^[4]^[1] Throughout the 1950s, Morath took on gigs as a pianist in nightclubs and local theater, particularly during summer seasons on the West Coast. He performed hundreds of times as the house pianist, director, narrator, and actor in melodrama productions at the Gold Bar Room of the Imperial Hotel in Cripple Creek, Colorado, and similar venues in Durango. These roles immersed him in American popular music and theater from the Progressive Era, while he also played in piano bars under the stage name "Skeets" Morath, including at Davy Jones’ Locker in St. Petersburg, Florida, in the mid-1950s. His itinerant work extended to nightclub performances across the Midwest and West Coast, where he initially focused on mainstream jazz and pop standards.^[1]^[4]^[12] Morath's exposure to ragtime revival circles began through early collaborations and self-directed research, influenced by his mother's background as a silent film pianist. In the late 1950s, he formed connections in performance settings that highlighted ragtime's historical repertoire, gradually shifting from jazz and pop toward specialized ragtime arrangements. His first notable ragtime compositions included "Gold Bar Rag" and "Honky Tonk in Hi Fi," both released in 1959, which demonstrated his departure toward authentic recreations of classics like Scott Joplin’s “Maple Leaf Rag” and Jelly Roll Morton’s “Tiger Rag.” These efforts established Morath as an emerging figure in the ragtime revival, blending performance with scholarly insights into the genre's origins.^[4]^[6]^[1]

Television and theater contributions

Max Morath played a pivotal role in reviving interest in ragtime music through his innovative television programming on National Educational Television (NET), the precursor to PBS, beginning in the late 1950s. Building on his early professional fascination with ragtime from regional performances, he wrote, produced, and hosted the 12-part series The Ragtime Era in 1959–1961, filmed at KRMA-TV in Denver.^[2]^[13] This series explored the development of American popular music from 1890 to the 1920s, emphasizing ragtime's syncopated rhythms and cultural significance through live piano performances by Morath, including classics like Scott Joplin's "Maple Leaf Rag."^[12] The program featured engaging historical reenactments set in period environments such as saloons and Tin Pan Alley offices, with actors in authentic 1890s attire to vividly illustrate ragtime's social context and its roots in Black musical traditions.^[13]^[2] Morath demonstrated era-specific instrumentation, such as player pianos and piano rolls by composers like Tom Turpin, while providing narrated insights into the genre's evolution, often consulting with music historians from Colorado College for accuracy.^[12]^[13] These elements combined education with entertainment, transforming dry historical content into dynamic broadcasts that aired nationally and even on some commercial stations, becoming the most-watched noncommercial series of its era and sparking widespread public appreciation for ragtime.^[2]^[12] A follow-up 15-part series, Turn of the Century, extended this approach to broader American cultural history from 1890 to the 1920s, further solidifying Morath's influence on educational television.^[2] In theater, Morath extended his ragtime advocacy to the stage with critically acclaimed off-Broadway one-man shows in the late 1960s, blending piano performances, storytelling, and historical vignettes to immerse audiences in the genre's heyday.^[14] His debut production, Max Morath at the Turn of the Century, premiered in 1969 at the Jan Hus Playhouse, where he portrayed multiple characters from the ragtime era, performing works by Joplin and others while narrating the music's impact on vaudeville and early jazz.^[14] Subsequent shows, such as Living a Ragtime Life and The Ragtime Years, maintained this format, incorporating ragtime elements into musical narratives that highlighted the era's composers and innovations, contributing to the genre's theatrical revival.^[14]

Touring productions and live performances

Beginning in the 1970s, Max Morath evolved his career as a live entertainer through a series of acclaimed solo touring shows that blended ragtime piano performances with insightful commentary on American social history. His production The Ragtime Years, which premiered in 1974, toured nationally and featured interpretations of classic rags alongside humorous vignettes depicting life in the 1890s, such as references to urban challenges and cultural shifts of the era.^[15]^[16] This format allowed Morath to educate audiences on ragtime's cultural context while delivering energetic musical sets, establishing him as a key figure in the genre's revival. By the 1980s, Morath refined his touring repertoire with Living a Ragtime Life, a one-man show that he launched on a national tour in 1987, combining piano solos, light dance elements, and narrative segments exploring ragtime's evolution and its ties to broader American experiences.^[17] He continued this approach into the 1990s with Max Morath's Ragtime America, a production he performed regularly since 1980, which highlighted regional variations in ragtime through historical anecdotes and selections from composers like Scott Joplin.^[18] These shows, inspired by the educational-entertainment blend of his earlier television series The Ragtime Era, emphasized audience engagement and ran for decades across the United States until Morath retired from touring in 2007.^[1]^[4] Morath's live performances reached diverse audiences at prominent venues and events dedicated to American music, including Town Hall in New York City, where he presented ragtime programs in the 1970s and 1980s, and the Denver Performing Arts Complex, site of a notable 1992 rendition of Living a Ragtime Life.^[19]^[20] He also appeared at specialized festivals, such as the inaugural Scott Joplin Ragtime Festival in Sedalia, Missouri, in 1974, where his contributions helped cement the event's focus on preserving early 20th-century American musical traditions.^[4] Through these engagements, Morath's shows not only revived interest in ragtime but also served as dynamic platforms for historical storytelling, often adapting vignettes from the Progressive Era to illustrate the music's societal impact.^[6]

Authorship and compositions

Max Morath established himself as a key scholar of ragtime through his authored books, which provided historical context, annotations, and curated selections of the genre's foundational works. His early publication, Max Morath's Guide to Ragtime (1964), served as an accessible introduction to the music, featuring a collection of classic ragtime songs and piano solos alongside explanatory notes on their origins and stylistic elements.^[4]^[21] Later works, such as Max Morath's Best of Ragtime Piano (2007), expanded on this approach by selecting and annotating a dozen seminal rags from the early 20th century, emphasizing ragtime's role as America's first popular music genre and its syncopated innovations.^[22] As a composer, Morath created original rags that blended traditional forms with modern sensibilities, contributing to the genre's revival in the mid-20th century. His collection Original Rags for Piano (2009) includes 17 pieces, such as "Doctor Jackpot," "Echoes of the Cakewalk," "Gold Bar Rag," and "Imperial Rag," which evoke the playful rhythms and structural complexity of classic ragtime while incorporating contemporary flair.^[23] These works were often performed in his live shows, where ragtime themes underscored narratives of American cultural history. Morath also composed music for musical theater, including scores for his one-man productions like Max Morath at the Turn of the Century (1969), which integrated original ragtime-inspired pieces to dramatize the era's social and musical landscape.^[14] Morath's written analyses further illuminated ragtime's cultural significance, appearing in articles and liner notes that contextualized the genre's African American roots and its influence on broader American music. In his essay "Ragtime Then and Now," published in The Oxford Companion to Jazz (2000), he traced ragtime's evolution from folk origins to its impact on jazz and popular song, highlighting its role in introducing vernacular elements into mainstream culture.^[24] Similarly, liner notes for albums like The Ragtime Women (1977) detailed the contributions of female ragtime composers, underscoring the genre's diversity and historical marginalization.^[25] Through these writings, Morath positioned ragtime not merely as nostalgic entertainment but as a pivotal force in shaping 20th-century musical identity.^[26]

Recordings and musical output

Max Morath's recording career spanned over five decades, resulting in more than 30 albums primarily focused on solo piano interpretations of ragtime and related American popular music genres.^[6] His work with major labels such as Vanguard and Columbia's Epic imprint during the 1960s and 1970s played a pivotal role in the ragtime revival, introducing authentic performances to broader audiences through high-fidelity vinyl releases.^[27] On the Vanguard label, Morath issued several influential solo piano albums in the 1970s that emphasized classic ragtime composers. Notable among these was the double album The Best of Scott Joplin (1972), which achieved commercial success by selling over 100,000 copies and featured faithful renditions of Joplin's seminal works like "Maple Leaf Rag."^[27] Subsequent releases included The World of Scott Joplin, Volume 1 (1973) and Volume 2 (1975), which expanded beyond Joplin to include his contemporaries, offering a more contextual and less commercialized exploration of the era's piano styles.^[27] Earlier Vanguard efforts, such as Max Morath Plays Ragtime (1960s reissue) and Living a Ragtime Life (1977), showcased his technical precision and historical insight into turn-of-the-century syncopation.^[28] Morath's association with Columbia's Epic label in the late 1960s and early 1970s produced albums that bridged honky-tonk influences with emerging ragtime interests, including Presenting That Celebrated Maestro: Max Morath (1963) and Oh! Play That Thing (1964), both highlighting his versatile piano technique on period pieces.^[29] A standout solo effort from this period on RCA Victor, At the Turn of the Century (1969), captured the essence of 1890s-1910s American music through a mix of rags, cakewalks, and novelty tunes, performed unaccompanied to evoke the intimacy of parlor piano playing.^[30] In collaborative recordings, Morath extended ragtime's scope by working with ensembles and vocalists, often integrating it into larger American songbook contexts. He joined pianist John Arpin and banjoist Jim Tyler for a Vanguard double album in the 1970s, blending solo and group interpretations of rags in a lively, ensemble format reminiscent of early 20th-century bands.^[27] Additionally, Morath contributed vocals and piano to five albums with mezzo-soprano Joan Morris and composer William Bolcom, starting with These Charming People (1978, RCA Red Seal), which featured duets on forgotten Broadway and Tin Pan Alley songs infused with ragtime rhythms.^[31] These projects, including later releases like Bolcom, Morris & Morath Sing Yip Harburg (2003), highlighted his shift toward vocal collaborations that wove ragtime elements into broader interpretations of the Great American Songbook.^[32] Morath's musical output evolved from strict instrumental ragtime fidelity in his early solo albums to more interpretive fusions by the 1980s, incorporating theater scores and songbook standards while maintaining ragtime's syncopated core, as evident in soundtracks for his PBS specials like The Ragtime Era series (1959–1961), where he performed and arranged music to accompany historical narratives.^[2] This progression preserved ragtime's legacy through accessible audio formats, influencing subsequent revivals without diluting its structural integrity.^[27]

Personal life

Marriages and relationships

Max Morath married Norma Loy Tackitt in 1953.^[6] The couple had three children—daughters Kathryn and Christine, and son Frederick—before divorcing in 1992.^[6]^[4] In 1993, Morath married Diane Fay Skomars, an author and photographer, on the shores of Lake Superior.^[6]^[33] Their marriage lasted 30 years, until Morath's death in 2023, during which time the couple collaborated on creative projects, including the illustrated book Max Morath: The Road to Ragtime, which drew from his touring experiences.^[6]^[34] Skomars also became stepmother to Morath's three children and brought her own daughter, Monette, into the blended family.^[33]^[35] The couple's relationship provided personal stability amid Morath's extensive travel for performances, with their shared life centered in Duluth, Minnesota, in later years.^[33]

Later years and relocation

In the 1990s, following his marriage to Diane Skomars, Morath relocated to Duluth, Minnesota, where he became a part-time resident, maintaining a cabin near Two Harbors while continuing his professional commitments elsewhere.^[10] By the mid-2000s, he transitioned to full-time residency in Duluth, supported by his wife's encouragement during his semi-retirement.^[4] This move marked a shift from his extensive touring schedule, which had included one-man shows like Max Morath at the Turn of the Century until 2007, when he retired from performances at age 81 due to arthritis.^[10]^[4] Post-retirement, Morath scaled back his public engagements but remained active through occasional lectures and educational talks on ragtime history and culture until 2017.^[4] In Duluth, he engaged with local music communities by connecting with ragtime enthusiasts and artists at regional festivals, fostering the genre's appreciation in the Northland.^[10] He also pursued scholarly interests, completing a master's degree at age 70 and finishing projects such as transcriptions of historical writings and a stage musical review.^[4] In interviews reflecting on his career, Morath emphasized ragtime's lasting cultural resonance, stating, "It’s just not going away. There’s something about it that’s ingrained in the American culture."^[10] He often acknowledged the foundational contributions of African American composers to the genre, noting, "I'm a white kid from Colorado who lucked into an interesting line of work, and I wouldn't be there with that music without a lot of forgotten African Americans who had it very tough... I owe a debt more than I can articulate."^[10] These reflections underscored his commitment to ragtime's preservation amid his quieter later years.^[4]

Death and legacy

Circumstances of death

Max Morath died on June 19, 2023, at the age of 96, while residing at Aftenro Assisted Living in Duluth, Minnesota.^[36]^[37] His death was announced by his wife, Diane Skomars, who informed the Duluth News Tribune via email, describing him as "beloved by his family, friends and fans" and an entertainer "til the end."^[33] Public tributes followed from music organizations, including Rocky Mountain PBS, which highlighted Morath's pioneering role in public television through his Ragtime Era series and noted his passing as the end of an era for ragtime enthusiasts.^[2] The Syncopated Times, a publication dedicated to ragtime and related genres, published a memorial by longtime friend Larry Melton, reflecting on Morath's lifelong dedication to the music form.^[4] A funeral service was held on June 29, 2023, at 1 p.m. at First Lutheran Church in Duluth, with a livestream available on the church's website; arrangements were handled by the Cremation Society of Minnesota.^[36]

Awards and honors

Max Morath received numerous accolades throughout his career, recognizing his pivotal role in reviving and preserving ragtime music. In 1989, he became the first recipient of the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Scott Joplin Ragtime Foundation at the Scott Joplin Ragtime Festival in Sedalia, Missouri, honoring his early efforts in promoting the genre through performances, recordings, and educational programming.^[38] In 2008, Morath was awarded the Louis T. Benezet Award by Colorado College, his alma mater, for his distinguished contributions to the arts as a performer, composer, and advocate for American musical heritage.^[39] This honor underscored his lifelong dedication to musical education and performance, rooted in his studies at the institution. In 2016, he was inducted into the Colorado Music Hall of Fame as a 20th Century Pioneer, alongside notable figures like Paul Whiteman and Glenn Miller, celebrating his innovations in ragtime and early public television.^[1] Morath's influence extended to public broadcasting, where he was honored as a PBS founder by performing as the closing act at the network's 25th anniversary gala, acknowledging his pioneering series like The Ragtime Era.^[4] In 2022, the Glenn Jenks Ragtime Revue presented him with its inaugural Lifetime Achievement Award, recognizing his enduring advocacy for ragtime's cultural significance.^[33] These awards collectively highlight Morath's impact on preserving and popularizing ragtime as a vital part of American music history.

Influence on ragtime revival

Max Morath played a pivotal role in mainstreaming ragtime music during the mid-20th century, predating and laying the foundation for the genre's broader revival in the 1970s. Through his innovative use of media, including television productions and recordings, he introduced ragtime's syncopated rhythms and cultural context to mainstream audiences, emphasizing its roots in American popular culture and crediting Black pioneers like Scott Joplin. His 1959–1960 National Educational Television series The Ragtime Era, a 12-part program produced with KRMA-TV in Denver, explored ragtime's history and societal influences, reaching viewers nationwide and establishing Morath as a leading interpreter who blended performance with historical narrative. This work helped shift public perception of ragtime from a novelty to a respected art form, influencing subsequent artists such as Joshua Rifkin, whose 1970 album Piano Rags by Scott Joplin built on the accessibility Morath had fostered, and contributing to the genre's surge in popularity via the 1973 film The Sting, which featured Joplin's compositions.^[40]^[41]^[6] Morath's educational outreach further sustained ragtime's revival by introducing the genre to new generations through books, lectures, and multimedia. His authored works, such as The Road to Ragtime (1999), an illustrated exploration of the era's music and culture, and collections like Max Morath's Ragtime Guide, provided accessible insights into ragtime's composition and historical significance, encouraging amateur musicians and scholars alike. Complementing these, Morath delivered lectures and consultations well into his later years, including after his 2007 retirement from touring, where he shared expertise on ragtime's street-level origins and evolution. His television efforts extended beyond The Ragtime Era to series like The Turn of the Century, syndicated through the 1960s, which educated viewers on ragtime's ties to broader American trends, fostering a deeper appreciation that influenced educational programming on public television.^[42]^[1]^[13] Following his death on June 19, 2023, Morath's pioneering status in the ragtime revival has been celebrated in tributes from public television and music historians, underscoring his enduring cultural impact. Rocky Mountain PBS highlighted his role in making educational TV engaging through The Ragtime Era, crediting him with reviving ragtime while honoring its Black origins. Music historians, including contributors to The Syncopated Times, have noted his unequaled contributions, with dedications at the 2023 West Coast Ragtime Festival finale and a 2025 seminar at the festival based on his widow's book Loving Mr. Ragtime: Max Morath, which includes tributes to his showmanship and legacy. These recognitions affirm Morath's foundational influence, as his efforts continue to inspire ragtime preservation into 2025.^[2]^[4]^[43]^[34]

Bibliography

Major books and writings

Max Morath's contributions to ragtime literature include memoirs, biographical works, and extensive sheet music collections featuring his arrangements of classic and lesser-known pieces, which helped revive interest in the genre during the late 20th century.^[6] Among his early influential works was 100 Ragtime Classics (1963), a compilation of ragtime pieces that introduced many to the genre's diversity. This was followed by Max Morath’s Guide to Ragtime (1964), a collection of ragtime songs and piano solos that provided accessible arrangements and historical context, playing a key role in the 1960s revival.^[3]^[4] His illustrated memoir, Max Morath: The Road to Ragtime (1999), co-authored with Diane Fay Skomars and Ralph Schoenstein, chronicles his personal journey in discovering and promoting ragtime, blending anecdotes from his performances with reflections on the social and cultural context of the music's origins and revival. The book emphasizes Morath's role in popularizing ragtime through television and stage shows, offering insights into forgotten aspects of early 20th-century American music scenes.^[42] In I Love You Truly: A Biographical Novel Based on the Life of Carrie Jacobs-Bond (2008), Morath draws on his master's thesis research to explore the career of the pioneering songwriter Carrie Jacobs-Bond, whose sentimental ballads intersected with the ragtime era's broader musical landscape. This work highlights social commentary on gender roles and commercial music production in turn-of-the-century America, connecting Jacobs-Bond's output to the evolving piano traditions that influenced ragtime.^[44] Morath also authored The NPR Curious Listener's Guide to Popular Standards (2002), which provides a history of American popular music standards, including ragtime influences, with listings of key composers and performers.^[45] Morath's sheet music collections, such as Best of Ragtime Piano (1993), compile and arrange seminal works by composers like Scott Joplin, providing accessible editions that underscore ragtime's structural innovations and cultural significance without exhaustive historical annotation. These volumes served as practical resources for performers, emphasizing conceptual depth over rote reproduction. Similarly, Original Rags for Piano (2008) features 17 of his own compositions and arrangements inspired by overlooked ragtime influences, including pieces like "Doctor Jackpot" and "Imperial Rag," which revive forgotten stylistic elements from the genre's golden age.^[46]^[23] Morath contributed forewords to several ragtime histories, including one for The Complete Ragtime Works of Glenn Jenks (c. 2019), where he contextualizes the composer's dedications and innovations within the revival movement, praising Jenks's ability to blend traditional forms with modern sensibilities.^[47]

Discography

Key albums and releases

In 1977, Morath released Living a Ragtime Life on Vanguard Records, an LP that drew from his touring and stage repertoire, blending traditional rags such as "Maple Leaf Rag" and "The Easy Winners" with original compositions and vocal numbers to evoke the spirit of ragtime-era entertainment. The album, later reissued in expanded CD form by Solo Art in 1990 with additional tracks recorded between 1987 and 1989, showcased Morath's deep immersion in ragtime history through lively piano solos and narrative flair. Critics praised its intimate and knowledgeable presentation, highlighting Morath's role as a "ragtime minstrel" who captured the genre's joyful essence.^[48]^[49] Morath's 1973 Vanguard album The World of Scott Joplin, Vol. 1 explored Scott Joplin's music alongside works by contemporaries like Joe Lamb and James Scott, emphasizing authentic interpretations and the cultural context of ragtime. This release, part of his early Vanguard efforts, contributed to the genre's revival by presenting ragtime in a scholarly yet accessible manner, educating listeners on its historical significance.^[27] Morath's later output included notable compilations and reissues in the 1990s and 2000s, such as the 1988 Vanguard double CD The Best of Scott Joplin and Other Rag Classics, which collected his interpretations of Joplin's works alongside pieces by contemporaries like Joe Lamb, and the 1994 CD reissue of The Ragtime Women on Vanguard, focusing on female ragtime composers. These releases, along with digital reissues of his Vanguard catalog on platforms like Spotify and Apple Music starting around 2006, extended the accessibility of his recordings into the streaming era, sustaining ragtime's popularity among new generations.^[50]^[51]^[52]

References

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Max Morath | Colorado Music Hall of Fame
Ragtime virtuoso Max Morath. He was born in Colorado Springs on October 1, 1926. When moving west from her family farm in Iowa, his mother, a schooled pianist ...
[2]
Remembering Max Morath, the pioneering pianist of public television
Jun 21, 2023 · Morath was born in Colorado Springs in 1926, roughly a decade after ragtime's national popularity concluded. He came from a musical family.Missing: biography | Show results with:biography
[3]
Max Morath
Max Morath was born on October 1, 1926 in Colorodo Springs, Colorado. Though himself born after ragtime's decline, Max learned to play it from his mother ...
[4]
Mr. Ragtime: Remembering Max Morath - The Syncopated Times
Jun 23, 2023 · Max was a humble celebrity and always credited the work of minority composers and entertainers who aided his own career.
[5]
Remembering Colorado music pioneer Max Morath
Jul 28, 2023 · Max Morath was a pianist, composer, TV personality and author with a deep love of American popular music, especially ragtime. Born in 1926 ...Missing: biography | Show results with:biography
[6]
Max Morath, Pianist Who Staged a One-Man Ragtime Revival, Dies ...
Jun 19, 2023 · Max Edward Morath was born in Colorado Springs on Oct. 1, 1926, the younger of two sons of Frederic Morath, a real estate broker, and Gladys ...
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Colorado Springs native Max Morath, ‘Mr. Ragtime,’ dies
### Summary of Max Morath's Life and Influences (gazette.com)
[8]
Max Morath | Profile | Colorado Music Experience
Jul 16, 2018 · Ragtime virtuoso Max Morath was born in Colorado Springs on October 1, 1926. His mother had lugged a piano bench full of music west from the family farm in ...Missing: childhood | Show results with:childhood
[9]
Max Morath, musician who revived ragtime via public television, dies ...
Jun 19, 2023 · Max Morath was born in Colorado Springs, Colo., in 1926. He learned a love of music from his pianist mother, honing his skills as a ...Missing: background childhood
[10]
'Mr. Ragtime' Max Morath, public TV pioneer, is happily living his ...
Dec 26, 2022 · ... Morath was born in Colorado Springs in 1926, the ragtime era had ended. It was the Jazz Age, and the twilight of silent film. Morath's mother ...Missing: background childhood
[11]
Max Morath - The Syncopated Times
Sep 29, 2021 · ... formal music instruction. After graduating from Colorado College with a Bachelor's degree in English, Max began evangelizing early 20th ...Missing: training | Show results with:training
[12]
A ragtime pianist shows public TV how to have fun - Current.org
Sep 30, 1996 · A year later, the 33-year-old graduate of Colorado College had written and performed a 12-part TV series that would change noncommercial ...
[13]
The Ragtime Era and the Birth of Public Television
Sep 29, 2021 · When completed, twelve one-half hour programs comprised The Ragtime Era, with more Morath informed and enthused program series to follow.
[14]
Ragtime King Max Morath - WRTI
Jul 2, 2010 · In 1969, he premiered his critically acclaimed one-man play, Turn of the Century, off Broadway. Morath matched that success with the equally ...
[15]
A New Show for Max Morath - The New York Times
May 12, 1974 · Morath's most recent one‐man show, “Ragtime Years,” is a melange of period songs, piano rags 'and commentary on social history. The ...
[16]
Max Morath's Tour of 'The Ragtime Years' - The Washington Post
Dec 22, 1977 · The focus is on ragtime - and Morath, the pianist, is an excellent interpreter. He plays many of the familiar tunes, including "Maple Leaf Rag," ...Missing: America | Show results with:America<|control11|><|separator|>
[17]
NEWLN:Max Morath begins 1987 tour of 'Living a Ragtime Life' - UPI
Jan 9, 1987 · Musicologist Max Morath has been America's ragtime minstrel for so many years that the latest edition of his one-man show is the nearest ...
[18]
West Coast Ragtime Festival Performers
... Ragtime America since 1980. He is also founder and co-producer of the annual ... Max Morath occupies a unique space as a spokesman for American life and music.
[19]
MAX MORATH IN RAG AND 'UNRAGTIME' - The New York Times
Jul 30, 1982 · He did an hour of his ragtime songs and piano playing at Town Hall in 1974 and 1975 as part of the late afternoon ''Interludes'' series there, ...Missing: collaborations orchestras
[20]
Living a Ragtime Life -- Max Morath (1992) - YouTube
Dec 28, 2023 · The late Max Morath performs at his best in this live video recording entitled "Living a Ragtime Life" (filmed at the Denver Performing Arts ...Missing: Show | Show results with:Show<|control11|><|separator|>
[21]
https://unlv-primo.hosted.exlibrisgroup.com/primo-explore/fulldisplay?vid=UNLV&search_scope=01UNLV_ALMA_LIBRARY_TDRL&tab=default_tab&docid=01UNLV_ALMA21174423460004081&lang=en_US&context=L&adaptor=Local%2520Search%2520Engine
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Max Morath's Best of Ragtime Piano - Google Books
Included are a dozen rags, handpicked from the best and the best-known during the early twentieth century, when ragtime had become America's ...<|separator|>
[23]
Max Morath – Original Rags for Piano Misc Softcover - Hal Leonard
17 original rags by the man who spearheaded the Ragtime revival of the 1970s. Includes: Doctor Jackpot • Echoes of the Cakewalk • Gold Bar Rag • Imperial Rag • ...Missing: study | Show results with:study
[24]
Ragtime Then and Now | The Oxford Companion To Jazz
Oct 31, 2023 · The opening chapter tracks this unruly American music as it coalesced in the late nineteenth century from undocumented folk origins. Early ...
[25]
https://www.degruyterbrill.com/document/doi/10.1515/9781438496399-016/html
[26]
[PDF] Ragtime Then and Now - Amherst College
Ragtime Then and Now. 29. Max Morath. The Early Origins of Jazz. 30. Jeff Taylor. New York Roots: Black Broadway,. James Reese Europe, Early Pianists. 53.
[27]
Max Morath: Records That Changed Ragtime History
Sep 30, 2021 · Within the space of three years, ragtime pianist-composer Max Morath released four vinyl LPs on the prestigious Vanguard label: The Best of ...Missing: exposure | Show results with:exposure
[28]
https://www.discogs.com/artist/1060601-Max-Morath
[29]
Ragtime and Honky-Tonk of the 1950s and 1960s - RagPiano.com
Jun 19, 2023 · Presenting That Celebrated Maestro: Max Morath, Max Morath, Epic, BN26066, 1963, 12", Stereo, Ragtime Piano. Queen of Honky Tonk, Winifred ...
[30]
https://www.discogs.com/release/8812619-Max-Morath-At-The-Turn-Of-The-Century
[31]
Recordings - Bolcom & Morris
Recordings · Autumn Leaves · SOMEONE TALKED! · SONGS OF INNOCENCE AND OF EXPERIENCE · BOLCOM, MORRIS & MORATH SING YIP HARBURG · BOLCOM, MORRIS, MORATH AND WHITE ...
[32]
Bolcom, Morris and Morath's Yip Harburg Concert Gets Live Recording
Jun 24, 2003 · ... Max Morath, William Bolcom and Joan Morris will be heard on a live recording being released later this year on the Original Cast Records label.<|separator|>
[33]
Duluth's Max Morath, ragtime legend and public TV pioneer, dead at ...
Max Morath, a practitioner and proponent of ragtime music who became a public television pioneer, died Monday morning at age 96.Missing: NET | Show results with:NET
[34]
Loving Mr. Ragtime: Max Morath By Diane Fay Skomars
Apr 29, 2025 · Those looking for a detailed history of Max Morath's life and professional career won't find it in Loving Mr. Ragtime, and that's just fine.
[35]
Max Morath | News, weather, and sports from Duluth, Minnesota
Jun 21, 2023 · - Max Morath, 96, Duluth, Minn., died Monday, June 19, in Aftenro Assisted Living. A funeral will be 1 p.m. Thursday, June 29, at First Lutheran ...
[36]
Max Edward Morath Obituary | Cremation Society of Minnesota | 1926
Jun 19, 2023 · Max Morath was born October 1, 1926 in Colorado Springs, and died June 19, 2023 in Duluth, Minnesota. He grew up in Colorado Springs.Missing: background childhood
[37]
Lifetime Achievement Award | Scott Joplin Interna
Make Plans to Attend the 2026 Festival! May 27-30, 2026 The Scott Joplin Ragtime Foundation Board accepts nominations for its Lifetime Achievement Award in ...Missing: date | Show results with:date
[38]
Louis T Benezet Award - Colorado College
Jun 27, 2025 · Max Morath '48. Bonnie Timmons '73. Dr. Terry Winograd '66. 2007. Sharon Louise Smith '67. Vivian Ota Wang '83. 2006. Rich Brotherton '81
[39]
History of Ragtime | Articles and Essays - Library of Congress
In 1959 and 1960 Max Morath, a talented pianist and entertainer who had some experience directing in television, produced a successful 12-part program entitled ...Missing: exposure family
[40]
Max Morath and the 1941-2023 Ragtime Revival
Jul 31, 2023 · The “ragtime revival” started with Wally Rose's surprise hit recording, in December 1941, of George Botsford's “Black And White Rag.Missing: revues | Show results with:revues
[41]
Max Morath: The Road to Ragtime - Amazon.com
Exuberant biography of ragtime pianist and composer Max Morath, with photographs of Morath and fellow performers, and memories of life on the road as a musician ...
[42]
2025 west coast ragtime festival
There will be three venues all on the ground floor level of the hotel, which run simultaneously, almost nonstop throughout the three days of the festival, ...
[43]
The Glenn Jenks Ragtime Revue - Aaron Robinson
Feb 7, 2017 · ... Foreword by legendary composer and pianist Max Morath. Robinson gathered personal stories by those to whom Jenks had dedicated rags, and a ...
[44]
https://www.amazon.com/Love-You-Truly-Biographical-Jacobs-Bond/dp/0595530176
[45]
Living a Ragtime Life - Max Morath | Album - AllMusic
Living a Ragtime Life by Max Morath released in 1989. Find album reviews, track lists, credits, awards and more at AllMusic.<|control11|><|separator|>
[46]
Max Morath's CD releases
Max Morath's CD releases. The Flowers. The World of Scott Joplin, Vol. I; The World of Scott Joplin, Vol. II; The Ragtime Man; The Ragtime Women; The Best of ...
[47]
The Ragtime Women - Album by Max Morath - Apple Music
Jul 22, 1994 · Listen to The Ragtime Women by Max Morath on Apple Music. 1994. 10 Songs. Duration: 37 minutes.
[48]
The World Of Scott Joplin - Album by Max Morath | Spotify
Listen to The World Of Scott Joplin on Spotify · album · Max Morath · 2006 · 12 songs. ... © 2006 Vanguard Records, a Welk Music Group Company. ℗ 2006 Vanguard ...