[Dixielandjazz] Re: "The Entertainer's" Composer

[Bill Haesler]

Dear George,
I asked my friend Geoff Holden to check his copy of the Bunk
Last Testament' LP for composer credits.
He has a 2-LP French Columbia set (Ory and Bunk).
The composer credit for "The Entertainer" is given as: Joplin arr. J. R
Johnson.
This is certainly unlikely to be J Rosamond Johnson given the things Edward
A. Berlin had to say regarding each of them in his excellent book 'Kings of
Ragtime. Scott Joplin and His Era' (1994. Oxford University Press).
Check out page 197 and the lead up.
Johnson belonged to a contemporary circle (including the Clef Club) which
seems not to have acknowledged Scott Joplin's musical contribution to his
'race'.
Kind regards,
Bill.