James Scott (b. February 12, 1885, Neosho, Missouri, USA – d. August 30, 1938, Kansas City, Missouri) is one of the Big Three composers of ragtime, along with Joseph Lamb and Scott Joplin. In 1902, Charles L. Dumars hired him at his music store, where Scott eventually played piano as a song plugger. Demand for his music was sufficient large so that Dumars published “A Summer Breeze - March and Two Step".” Dumars sold two more of his compositions, “Fascinator March” and “On the Pike March.” In 1905, he travelled to St. Louis in search of his idol, Scott Joplin. Joplin heard one of his rags, introduced him to John Stark, who published the rag as “Frog Legs Rag.” Stark regularly published his works until 1922. In 1914, Scott moved to Kansas City, Missouri, where he married Nora Johnson. He taught music, accompanied silent movies, and composed songs. Subgenre: Classic Ragtime

• Best known work(s): "Frog Legs Rag" (1906) and "Grace and Beauty" (1909)