Cecil Duane Crabb (May 23, 1890 – April 27, 1953) was an American composer of

ragtime Ragtime, also spelled rag-time or rag time, is a musical style that had its peak from the 1890s to 1910s. Its cardinal trait is its Syncopation, syncopated or "ragged" rhythm. Ragtime was popularized during the early 20th century by composers ...

music and a member of Indianapolis group of ragtime composers. He was born in

Centerville, Indiana Centerville is a town in Center Township, Wayne County, in the U.S. state of Indiana. The population was 2,748 at the 2020 United States Census. Geography U.S. Route 40 runs east−west through town along Main Street. According to the 2010 ...

to James and Sarah E. Crabb. He moved to

Indianapolis Indianapolis ( ), colloquially known as Indy, is the List of capitals in the United States, capital and List of municipalities in Indiana, most populous city of the U.S. state of Indiana and the county seat of Marion County, Indiana, Marion ...

in 1908. Crabb composed only four albeit significant ragtime pieces including his best known ''Fluffly Ruffles'' from 1907. He had a job at a small publishing firm J.H. Aufderheide & Company that published ragtime by Indianapolis composers. Originally a sign painter, he had also designed cover art for ragtimes of Aufderheide composers, such as May Aufderheide (''Dusty Rag'') and Will B. Morrison. His primary career was in the sign business as co-owner for many years of the Indianapolis firm Staley and Crabb, now known as Staley Signs. He died in

Wisconsin Wisconsin ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Great Lakes region, Great Lakes region of the Upper Midwest of the United States. It borders Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake Michigan to the east, Michig ...

at the age of 62 and was buried at

Crown Hill Cemetery Crown Hill Cemetery is a historic rural cemetery located at 700 West 38th Street in Indianapolis, Marion County, Indiana. The privately owned cemetery was established in 1863 at Strawberry Hill, whose summit was renamed "The Crown", a high poi ...

in Indianapolis. He had three children, one of whom became Brig. General Cecil D. Crabb.

List of compositions

* ''Fluffly Ruffles - Two Step'' (1907) * ''Orinoco'' (1909) * ''Trouble'' (1909, with Will B. Morrison) * ''The Klassicle Rag'' (1911)

References

Biography at ragpiano.com

External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Crabb, Cecil Duane 1890 births 1953 deaths American male composers Ragtime composers American music publishers (people) People from Centerville, Indiana Burials at Crown Hill Cemetery 20th-century American composers 20th-century American male musicians

List of compositions

References

Further reading

External links