James Sylvester Scott, also known as James Scott, born on February 12, 1885, in southwest Missouri, was an American ragtime composer and pianist. He showed early musical talent, learning piano from his mother and theory from John Coleman. In 1903, Scott published his first compositions, "A Summer Breeze - March and Two Step" and "Fascinator March", marking the start of his career in ragtime music. His breakthrough came with "Frog Legs Rag" (1906), which gained significant popularity after being published by Scott Joplin. Scott worked extensively for silent films, composing scores and performing in theaters. He continued to publish rags and waltzes, including "Climax Rag" (1914) and "The Suffragette". In 1921, he released "Don't Jazz Me (I'm Music)", reflecting his shift towards jazz. Scott died on August 30, 1938.
