Wally Rose, Ragtimer
By Ed Berlin
The sad news has reached me that Wally Rose is hospitalized and is expected to die soon from a combination of serious ailments. He no longer recognizes anyone, so there is no point in calling or writing.
Wally was one of the great pioneers of the ragtime revival. As pianist for Lu Watters' Yerba Buena Jazz Band, he started recording ragtime in the early 1940s. His playing was always brilliant, tasteful and imaginative, and he was the first model for many current ragtimers. As ragtime developed a following, he became a favorite at festivals.
He has no family and his affairs have been assumed by his friends Ed Sprankle and Peter Mintun.
Ed Berlin
[ Editors note:
[
[ Member Ed Berlin is an enthusiastic supporter, historian and writer
[ of ragtime and the ragtime revival; he has promised to write again.
[
[ Wally Rose is among the first-generation students of the player piano
[ style; I learned much listening to his records from the 1940s, and
[ I'm proud that I appeared in concert with him as recently as two
[ years ago.
[
[ Robbie Rhodes
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(Message sent Tue 7 Jan 1997, 14:43:00 GMT, from time zone GMT-0500.) |
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