Scott Joplin (1868-1917) Inducted - Tuesday, May 5, 1992 Sculptor: William J. Williams Where is Scott Joplin in the Hall of Famous Missourians? Scott Joplin became known as "The King of Ragtime" because of his significant contributions to this unique form of music as a composer and pianist. Born in Texarkana, Texas, he spent the major portion of his life in St. Louis and Sedalia, Missouri. His musical composition, "Maple Leaf Rag," named for a popular Sedalia nightclub, was the first piece of American sheet music to sell one million copies. His celebrated ragtime piece "The Entertainer" won an academy award in 1974 as the theme music for The Sting. In 1976, he was posthumously awarded the Pulitzer Prize for music.