BHS honors Scott Joplin as Honorary Life member
The Barbershop Harmony Society is proud and honored to announce the posthumous bestowal of Honorary Life Membership upon Scott Joplin (1868–1917), the celebrated “King of Ragtime,” in recognition of his extraordinary contributions to American music and his enduring influence on the art forms that define our nation’s musical soul.
Ragtime and barbershop harmony share a common birthplace: the streets, parlors, and gathering spots of late 19th-century America. Both were born in an era when communities came together through song. Side by side, these two art forms helped shape what it means to make music in America. They share not only an era but a spirit that is joyful, expressive, deeply human, and unmistakably American.
The award will be presented to members of his family at a special celebration on Saturday evening, July 4, in St. Louis. While in St. Louis, you are encouraged to learn more by visiting the Scott Joplin House State Historic Site.
Previous Honorary Life Members
Honorary Life Membership is presented to those who have had a significant impact on barbershop or a cappella singing – as well as those individuals or groups who, through their celebrity, bring positive attention and awareness of the Barbershop Harmony Society.