I first saw Johnny Maddox play in person at the Red Slipper Lounge in
the Cherry Creek Hotel in Denver in the early 1970's.  Although I was
immediately taken by his music and style, I had no idea that it would
turn into the long time following and acquaintanceship that it did.

A few years later I was living in Northern Virginia and found, to my
delight, that John was then playing regularly at the Il Porto in Old
Town Alexandria.  He played six nights a week for about three months,
then took a month off.  He was often spelled (or filled in for) by
another great ragtime player, Dick Kroeckel, who incidentally, was
guest at one of the national MBS or AMICA meetings a few years back.
Dick also played regularly at the Strater Hotel in Durango, Colorado,
where John starts again in two days.

John played three sets a night.  He said that the first set was for
warm-up and introduction, the second set was for the audience, and the
third set was for himself.  I would often go over for the last set and
stay to closing.

As anyone who has ever seen him play in person will know, his knowledge
of his type of music is truly encyclopedic.  He would tell all sorts of
information about each song - who wrote it, when, where, under what
circumstances, who performed it, where, etc.  He could easily carry on
conversations while he played.  He especially enjoyed it when some
serious and knowledgeable ragtime fans came in and stuck around for
the last set.  We would play "Stump the Piano Player".  It was nearly
impossible.

I once asked him for an obscure rag (I don't even remember which one
it was).  He was quiet for a few moments, then turned around to the
keyboard and hit it right on the head.  He stopped after a chorus or so
and said that it was the first time he had played that one in over 20
years, and that, if I would come back the next evening, he would really
play it right.  I did and he did.  I travel the country (and world) for
a living, and used to search for ragtime sheet music.  I never found
one that he didn't already have.

His personal collection of sheet music and records (mostly 78's) was
of museum proportions.  If I am not mistaken, he once told me that when
he moved, his record collection alone weighed 10,000 pounds.

Of particular interest to members of MMD, John had was very interested
in automatic musical instruments, and, at one time (before I knew him)
he had quite a collection of nickelodeons, orchestrions, etc.  He sold
it off prior to moving to Germany.  A few years ago, he contacted me
and told me that, in amongst his things, he found one box of rolls,
the final remains of his collection, and asked if I would like them.
It was a box of Wurlitzer APP 5 tune changer rolls, which are now in
my collection.

Bruce Miller