Gladys E. Yelvington (Parsons) (November 29, 1891 – February 11, 1957Death notice in the Anderson Daily Bulletin, 13 Feb 1957, Wed, Page 10 via newspapers.com
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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 ...

composer A composer is a person who writes music. The term is especially used to indicate composers of Western classical music, or those who are composers by occupation. Many composers are, or were, also skilled performers of music. Etymology and def ...

and friend of

May Aufderheide May Frances Aufderheide Kaufman (May 21, 1888 – September 1, 1972) was an American composer of ragtime music. She was probably the best known among female ragtime composers. She received training in art music and visited Europe on a grand tou ...

and Julia Lee Niebergall. She was born in

Elwood, Indiana Elwood is a city in Madison County, Indiana, Madison and Tipton County, Indiana, Tipton counties in the U.S. state of Indiana. The Madison County portion, which is nearly all of the city, is part of the Indianapolis metropolitan area, Indianapoli ...

to Asa and Alice Yelvington. She composed and performed as a silent-movie pianist in Indianapolis and Alexandria. She returned to Elwood in 1910, and performed regularly at the Princess Theatre. In 1912 she married Leo G. Parsons (1887–1958), a cigar salesman, in Elwood in 1912. This ended her professional music career. They moved to Gary, Indiana in 1917, where she died in 1957.

Piffle Rag

Her only surviving published composition is the Piffle Rag, published by J.H. Aufderheide in 1911 and Mentel Bros in 1914. It has been recorded by pianists

Max Morath Max Edward Morath (October 1, 1926 – June 19, 2023) was an American ragtime pianist, composer, actor, and author. He was best known for his piano playing and is referred to as "Mr. Ragtime". He was a touring performer as well as being various ...

, Virginia Eskin, and Nancy Fierro.

Remy Charlip Abraham Remy Charlip (January 10, 1929 – August 14, 2012) was an American artist, writer, choreographer, theatre director, theatrical designer, and teacher. He wrote or illustrated more than 40 children's books. Life and career Charlip w ...

choreographed his "air mail dance" ''Garden Lilacs'', set to the Piffle Rag. It was performed by Betsy Kagan in San Francisco in 1991.

References

People from Elwood, Indiana Songwriters from Indiana American women composers American composers Ragtime composers 1891 births 1957 deaths 20th-century American women musicians 20th-century American songwriters {{US-composer-19thC-stub