Jan Hamilton Douglas Has Passed Away

[ColinD. MacDonald]

Word was received by Nan Bostick that Jan Hamilton Douglas passed away
today (June 3, 2002). No further details were available as to the
nature of his passing. Nan requested that I post this notice to the
news group.

Mr. Douglas was scheduled to perform at the Scott Joplin Ragtime
Festival in Sedalia this week. He also had a weekly ragtime radio
program from 4:00 - 5:30 PM on Sundays on station KDHX ( FM 88.1) in
St. Louis, MO

His biographical information from the The Scott Joplin International
Ragtime Foundation web site (http://www.scottjoplin.org) is quoted
below:

"JAN HAMILTON DOUGLAS has been performing, arranging and composing
classic piano rag for over 20 years. Director of Scott Joplin House,
St. Louis, Missouri, Douglas has headlined at numerous prestigious
ragtime events since the early 1970's, including the Scott Joplin
Festival, the National Ragtime Festival in St. Louis, and the
International Ragtime Bash of Black Composers, the Joint National
Conference of the Center for Black Music Research and the College
Music Society, and was a participant in the Newberry Library
Foundation Series. Douglas performs piano rag as it was intended to be
played by serious composers such as Scott Joplin and Joseph Lamb: as
concert music, to be listened to, appreciated and enjoyed. His
approach not only garners new fans, but brings a new appreciation of
the music to those who though they had heard it before. As one long
time enthusiast said, after hearing Douglas play, 'I didn't know it
could sound like that!' "

Additional information on Mr. Douglas can be found at
http://www.lindbergh.k12.mo.us/harlem/douglas/
Sorry, I was unable to copy and paste the information because it was
a gif file.

Information on the Scott Joplin State Historical Site, which with Mr.
Douglas was associated, can be found at:
http://www.mostateparks.com/scottjoplin.htm

Additional information on Mr. Douglas can be found by using "Jan
Douglas Hamilton" as a search term in Google.com

Colin D. MacDonald
coli...@ragtimemusic.com

[Bill Edwards]

I have been watching the Post-Dispatch and the Sedalia paper for
ANYTHING and found nothing in St. Louis, and understand that there was a
mention in Sedalia. Did nobody inform the SLPD about Jan's unfortunate
demise? A couple of his students have corresponded with me about it, but
I would hope for some public recognition of his role and his
achievements.

St. Louis people - any news on that front?

What about the status of his show? Guest or replacement host? I'm trying
to get some word from KDHX on that.

With good memories of Jan, Bill E.

[Fred Hoeptner]

As I heard it in Sedalia, Jan had gone to the "Rosebud", which I am told is
next door to the Scott Joplin House, to get some ice. While there he had a
sudden heart attack and was not found until the following morning. I had
just listened to Sycopation Station that same afternoon, and all seemed
normal. This was a real shock.

"ColinD. MacDonald" <colind...@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:d6486227.02060...@posting.google.com...

[T-Man]

Hi to all:

Sorry to hear of the passing of Jan Hamilton Douglas. A St. Louis Post
Dispatch article can be found at:

http://home.post-dispatch.com/channel%5Cpdweb.nsf/TodayWednesday/86256A0E006
8FE5086256BD6003ECEE7?OpenDocument&PubWrapper=Metro

I had the privilege of being on the same bill with him a couple of years ago
at an outdoor ragtime festival in downtown St. Louis, plus numerous other
occasions. We (TurpinTyme Ragsters) apparently played one of his favorite
songs, Charles Johnson's "Beedle Um' Bo" before he had a chance to play it
on the concert. He jokingly came up to me and said "That's my song! You
can't play that!". I apologized profusely. Jan said "I'm just kidding I
just happen to really like that song".

Even though I didn't know him well I will certainly miss his gentle manner,
humor, and musicianship.

Regards,

GR

"Bill Edwards" <b_ed...@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:3D068E32...@hotmail.com...

[Bill Edwards]

T-Man wrote:
> Sorry to hear of the passing of Jan Hamilton Douglas. A St. Louis Post
> Dispatch article can be found at:
>
> http://home.post-dispatch.com/channel%5Cpdweb.nsf/TodayWednesday/86256A0E006
> 8FE5086256BD6003ECEE7?OpenDocument&PubWrapper=Metro
>

Hi. Thanks for the link, but it did not work. It must not be relevant
past Wednesday. I'll try to get an archive link tomorrow. It certainly
took them quite some time to get him in there.

Results when I find them.

Bill E.

[T-Man]

Just do a search for Jan Douglas here:

http://home.post-dispatch.com/channel/pdweb.nsf/SimpleSearch?OpenForm

"Bill Edwards" <b_ed...@hotmail.com> wrote in message

news:3D096263...@hotmail.com...

[Jim Andris]

Here is a copy of an article about Jan Hamilton Douglas in the St.
Louis Post-Dispatch:

St. Louis Post-Dispatch Archives |Full text of archived story
JAN DOUGLAS
* St. Louis Post-Dispatch (MO)
* June 12, 2002
* Section: METRO
* Edition: FIVE STAR LIFT
* Page B4

Jan Hamilton Douglas, renowned ragtime pianist and an administrator at
the Scott Joplin House state historic site, died June 3, 2002, of a
heart attack while at work. He was 62 and lived in St. Louis.

Mr. Douglas joined the historic site's staff in 1995 as director. He
later worked as cultural resource preservationist, playing piano for
thousands of visitors over the years. He frequently led group tours
through the home and particularly enjoyed introducing children to the
vintage music.

"He's really going to be missed here," said Carlotta Lewis, current
director of the Scott Joplin House. "He was so dedicated to the
performance and preservation of ragtime."

Mr. Douglas was a performer, arranger and composer of classic piano
ragtime for more than 30 years. While entertaining, he often dressed
in period costume. Throughout the year, he headlined numerous music
events in St. Louis and in the nation.

"Jan had a real passion for not only performing the music but also for
promoting it to youth through his work at the Scott Joplin House,"
said musician and former St. Louisan Virginia Tichenor. "He is
remembered by his many friends for his passion for the music and his
honest and friendly wit. Jan always had a smile, and his friendly,
kind demeanor always put you at ease."

Mr. Douglas was born in Taylorville, Ill., and first became interested
in the music as a college student, when given ragtime as an
assignment. He received a degree in piano performance from Southern
Illinois University at Carbondale.

He played in the Navy Band from 1958 to 1962.

A funeral service was held Monday at Hosea Gales-Atkins Home for
Funerals in St. Louis. Burial was at Lake Charles Park.

Among the survivors are his wife, Awa Kane Douglas, whom he married on
July 27, 2001; two stepsons, Mohammed Kane and BaMoussa Kane, both of
St. Louis; and his mother, Mina Douglas of St. Louis.

Memorials may be made to The Scott Joplin International Ragtime
Foundation, 321 South Ohio Avenue, Sedalia, Mo. 65301.

"Fred Hoeptner" <fre...@earthlink.net> wrote in message news:<sazN8.1046$NQ1...@newsread2.prod.itd.earthlink.net>...