Etilmon J. Stark

Who was Etilmon J. Stark?

Etilmon Justus Stark was a prolific ragtime composer and arranger, the eldest son of ragtime publisher John Stark.

Born in Gosport, Indiana, While his birth date has been traditionally cited as 1868, he was actually born in May 1867. E.J. Stark moved to Missouri with his family in his youth. In 1885, his father, who previously had been a farmer and ice cream store proprietor, took the family to Sedalia, Missouri and opened a music store, John Stark and Son. John Stark later became a music publisher and made his fortune by publishing Scott Joplin's The Maple Leaf Rag. All of the Stark children, including sister Eleanor and brother William were talented musically. However, E.J. was the one who was able to achieve the greatest success.

E.J. Stark became a music instructor, first at the Marmaduke Military Academy in Sweet Springs, Missouri. When Marmaduke burned in 1896, Stark moved to Wentworth Military Academy in Lexington, Missouri. Stark organized Wentworth's first band, and stayed as bandmaster from 1896 to 1905, composing The W.M.A. Cadets' March and some of his first rags, including Kyrene and Trombone Johnsen, during his tenure there. He later wrote several other notable ragtime piano compositions, all published by his father, including a few under the alias "Bud Manchester". He was also the arranger of a collection of ragtime pieces scored for band which became popularly known as the Red Back Book for its red cover. He died in Maplewood, Missouri.