David Thomas Roberts is an American

United States

The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

 composer and musician, known primarily as a modern ragtime

Ragtime

Ragtime is an original musical genre which enjoyed its peak popularity between 1897 and 1918. Its main characteristic trait is its syncopated, or "ragged," rhythm. It began as dance music in the red-light districts of American cities such as St. Louis and New Orleans years before being published...

 composer. Roberts is also a painter in a primitivist style.

Born in Moss Point, Mississippi

Moss Point, Mississippi

Moss Point is a city, north of Pascagoula, in Jackson County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 17,653 at the 2000 census.On August 29, 2005, Moss Point was hit by the strong east side of Hurricane Katrina, and much of Moss Point was flooded or destroyed .-Geography:Moss Point is...

, United States

United States

The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

, his first recording, "Music For a Pretty Baby", appeared in 1978. Pieces such as "The Early Life of Larry Hoffer", "Roberto Clemente", "Pinelands Memoir", "Through the Bottomlands", and the suite, "New Orleans Streets" have caused Roberts to be considered one of the leading contemporary ragtime-based composers. The New Orleans historian Al Rose

Al Rose

Alfred Grady Rose was a tight end in the National Football League who played for the Providence Steam Roller and the Green Bay Packers. Rose played collegiate ball for the University of Texas before playing professionally for 7 seasons. He retired after the 1936 season...

 called him "the most important composer of this half of the century in America."

Roberts coined the term "Terra Verde

Terra Verde

Terra Verde is a relatively new style of syncopated piano music, which originated in the United States. The term "Terra Verde" was coined in 1995 by modern ragtime composer David Thomas Roberts ....

" (meaning "green earth") as a label for compositions which can not be considered as conventional ragtime, mostly by contemporary ragtime writers such as himself, Frank French, Scott Kirby and others.

Roberts also works as a writer and visual artist, and is currently writing a critical history of New Ragtime. His mixed-media art appears in the magazine of visionary art, Raw Vision, and his poetry has been anthologized in Another South, a collection of experimental writing published in 2003 by the University of Alabama Press

University of Alabama Press

The University of Alabama Press was founded in 1945 and is the scholarly publishing arm of the University of Alabama.An Editorial Board composed of representatives from all doctoral degree granting public universities within Alabama oversees the publishing program. Projects are selected that...

.

From Discovery (2005)

(All original compositions, except where noted.)

1. Discovery (2004)
2. Charbonneau (2000) (Kirby)
3. Mariana's Waltz (2003)
4. Ice Floes in Eden (1986) (Budd)
5. Memories of a Missouri Confederate (1989)
6. Fantasy in D (2000-01)
7. Chorale-Prelude (1989)
8. Chorale No. 2 (1990)
9. Frederic and the Coast (1979)
10. Cynthia (2003-04)
11. Babe of the Mountains (1997-98)
12. Nancy's Library (2004-05)

From American Landscapes (1998)

(All original compositions, except the track "Dixon.")

1. Pinelands Memoir (1978)
2. The Girl Who Moved Away (1981-82)
3. Back to Marion County (1981)
4. Through the Bottomlands (1980)
5. Muscatine (1979)
6. Kreole (1978)
7. Dixon (1983)
8. The Girl On the Other Side (1979)
9. Franklin Avenue (1981-85)
10. Fontainebleau Drive (1981-85)
11. Napoleon Avenue (1981-85)
12. Madison Heights Girl (1979)
13. Anna (1978)
14. Roberto Clemente (1979)
15. For Kansas City (1980)

From Early Tangoes to New Ragtime (1994)

(Mostly compositions by others. Roberts' compositions include For Molly Kaufman, Memories of a Missouri Confederate, and The Queen of North Missouri.)

1. Odeon
2. Matuto
3. Rapid Transit
4. Bee Hive Rag
5. The Naked Dance
6. For Molly Kaufmann
7. The Show-me Rag
8. The Nonpareil
9. Mississippi River Boulevard
10. Show Fly
11. Memories of a Missouri Confederate
12. Belle of Louisville
13. Morelia
14. Esta' Chumbado
15. Escovado
16. The Big Man
17. Mississippi Soul
18. The Queen of North Missouri
19. Ravenna

From Scott Joplin the Complete Piano Music, Vol. 1

(All compositions by Scott Joplin

Scott Joplin

Scott Joplin was an American composer and pianist. Joplin achieved fame for his ragtime compositions, and was later dubbed "The King of Ragtime". During his brief career, Joplin wrote 44 original ragtime pieces, one ragtime ballet, and two operas...

.)

1. Original Rags
   Original Rags
   "Original Rags" was an early ragtime medley for piano.It was the first of Scott Joplin's rags to appear in print, in early 1899, preceding his "Maple Leaf Rag" by half a year.- Publication history :...
   
   
2. Leola
3. Pleasant Moments
4. Peacherine Rag
5. Sunflower Slow Drag
   Sunflower Slow Drag
   "Sunflower Slow Drag" is a ragtime composition by Scott Joplin and Scott Hayden. It is about four minutes long and has been described as "full of gaiety and sunshine".-Musical structure:...
   
   
6. Maple Leaf Rag
   Maple Leaf Rag
   The "Maple Leaf Rag" is an early ragtime musical composition for piano composed by Scott Joplin. It was one of Joplin's early works, and is one of the most famous of all ragtime pieces, and became the model for ragtime compositions by subsequent composers. As a result Joplin was called the "King...
   
   
7. Weeping Willow
   Weeping Willow (rag)
   "Weeping Willow" is a 1903 classic piano ragtime composition by Scott Joplin.One of Joplin's simpler and less famous ragtime scores, written during a transitional period in Joplin's life...
   
   
8. Bink's Waltz
9. Elite Syncopations
10. The Favorite
11. Swipesy
12. Antoinette
13. The Nonpareil
14. Gladiolus Rag
15. The Easy Winners
    The Easy Winners
    "The Easy Winners" is a ragtime composition by Scott Joplin. One of his most popular works, it was one of the four that had been recorded as of 1940.-Musical structure:...
    
    

From 15 Ragtime Compositions

(All original compositions by Roberts.)

1. Waterloo Girls
2. Camille
3. Kreole
4. Frederic and the Coast
5. Madison Heights Girl
6. Poplarville
7. Through the Bottomlands
8. Pinelands Memoir
9. For Kansas City
10. The Girl Who Moved Away
11. Mississippi Brown Eyes
12. The Early Life of Larry Hoffer
13. The South Mississippi Glide
14. Roberto Clemente
15. Maria Antonieta Pons

From New Orleans Streets

(All original compositions by Roberts.)

1. Introduction
2. Decatur Street
3. Burgundy Street
4. Franklin Avenue
5. Jackson Avenue
6. Waltz
7. Napoleon Avenue
8. Magazine Street
9. Toulouse Street
10. Annunciation Street
11. Broad Avenue
12. Interlude
13. Fontainbleau Drive
14. Revenge
15. Farewell

From New Orleans Ragtime Piano

(Roberts plays compositions by others.)

1. Pretty Baby
2. Kansas City Stomps
3. Mamanita
4. Fat Frances
5. Honky Tonk Music
6. Stratford Hunch
7. The Pearls
8. Tom Cat Blues
9. Mr. Jelly Lord
10. New Orleans Joys
11. The Naked Dance
12. Sponge

From Folk Ragtime: 1899-1914

(Roberts plays compositions by others.)

1. Blue Blazes
2. Tennessee Tantalizer (a Southern Tickler)
3. A Tennessee Jubilee
4. Tickled to Death
5. Poison Rag
6. Scizzor Bill
7. The Dockstader Rag
8. Camp Meeting Melodies
9. Blind Boone
   John William Boone
   John William "Blind" Boone was an American pianist and composer of ragtime music.- Early life :Boone was born in a Federal militia camp near Miami, Missouri, May 17, 1864, to a contraband slave, Rachel Carpenter, who had been owned by descendants of Daniel Boone. His father was a bugler in the 7th...
   
   's Southern Rag Medley No.2 (strains From Flat Branch)
10. Felix Rag (a Phenomenal Double Ragtime Two Step)
11. The Pirate Rag
12. Medic Rag
13. Just Ask Me
14. Why We Smile
15. Cotton Bolls
16. Possum and 'Taters (A Ragtime Feast)
17. The Black Cat Rag
18. X.L. Rag
19. A Barn Dance Shuffle
20. Whittling Remus
21. Lover's Lane Glide

Other David Thomas Roberts compositions / recordings

• To Nita and Raul Casso in Laredo appear on the CD Terra Verde.
• For Robin Holtz Williams appears on the album Frontiers.

External links

• Roberts' website
• The Terra Verde Corner
• Roberts' article on Terra Verde Music
• Interview with Roberts
• Interview on NPR
• Artwork by Roberts