David Thomas Roberts

David Thomas Roberts (born January 16, 1955) is an American composer and musician, known primarily as a modern ragtime composer. Roberts is also a painter in a primitivist style.
Born in Moss Point, Mississippi, United States, 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 called him "the most important composer of this half of the century in America."
Roberts coined the term "Terra Verde" (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, Hal Isbitz and others.
Roberts also works as a writer and visual artist. 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.
Selected discography
From Discovery (2005)
(All original compositions, except where noted.)
Discovery (2004)
Charbonneau (2000) (Kirby)
Mariana's Waltz (2003)
Ice Floes in Eden (1986) (Budd)
Memories of a Missouri Confederate (1989)
Fantasy in D (2000–01)
Chorale-Prelude (1989)
Chorale No. 2 (1990)
Frederic and the Coast (1979)
Cynthia (2003–04)
Babe of the Mountains (1997–98)
Nancy's Library (2004–05)
From American Landscapes (1998)
(All original compositions, except the track "Dixon.")
Pinelands Memoir (1978)
The Girl Who Moved Away (1981–82)
Back to Marion County (1981)
Through the Bottomlands (1980)
Muscatine (1979)
Kreole (1978)
Dixon (1983)
The Girl On the Other Side (1979)
Franklin Avenue (1981–85)
Fontainebleau Drive (1981–85)
Napoleon Avenue (1981–85)
Madison Heights Girl (1979)
Anna (1978)
Roberto Clemente (1979)
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.)
Odeon
Matuto
Rapid Transit
Bee Hive Rag
The Naked Dance
For Molly Kaufmann
The Show-me Rag
The Nonpareil
Mississippi River Boulevard
Show Fly
Memories of a Missouri Confederate
Belle of Louisville
Morelia
Esta' Chumbado
Escovado
The Big Man
Mississippi Soul
The Queen of North Missouri
Ravenna
From Scott Joplin the Complete Piano Music, Vol. 1
(All compositions by Scott Joplin.)
Original Rags
Leola
Pleasant Moments
Peacherine Rag
Sunflower Slow Drag
Maple Leaf Rag
Weeping Willow
Bink's Waltz
Elite Syncopations
The Favorite
Swipesy
Antoinette
The Nonpareil
Gladiolus Rag
The Easy Winners
From 15 Ragtime Compositions
(All original compositions by Roberts.)
Waterloo Girls
Camille
Kreole
Frederic and the Coast
Madison Heights Girl
Poplarville
Through the Bottomlands
Pinelands Memoir
For Kansas City
The Girl Who Moved Away
Mississippi Brown Eyes
The Early Life of Larry Hoffer
The South Mississippi Glide
Roberto Clemente
Maria Antonieta Pons
From New Orleans Streets
(All original compositions by Roberts.)
Introduction
Decatur Street
Burgundy Street
Franklin Avenue
Jackson Avenue
Waltz
Napoleon Avenue
Magazine Street
Toulouse Street
Annunciation Street
Broad Avenue
Interlude
Fontainbleau Drive
Revenge
Farewell
From New Orleans Ragtime Piano
(Roberts plays compositions by others.)
Pretty Baby
Kansas City Stomps
Mamanita
Fat Frances
Honky Tonk Music
Stratford Hunch
The Pearls
Tom Cat Blues
Mr. Jelly Lord
New Orleans Joys
The Naked Dance
Sponge
From Folk Ragtime: 1899-1914
(Roberts plays compositions by others.)
Blue Blazes
Tennessee Tantalizer (a Southern Tickler)
A Tennessee Jubilee
Tickled to Death
Poison Rag
Scizzor Bill
The Dockstader Rag
Camp Meeting Melodies
Blind Boone's Southern Rag Medley No.2 (strains From Flat Branch)
Felix Rag (a Phenomenal Double Ragtime Two Step)
The Pirate Rag
Medic Rag
Just Ask Me
Why We Smile
Cotton Bolls
Possum and 'Taters (A Ragtime Feast)
The Black Cat Rag
X.L. Rag
A Barn Dance Shuffle
Whittling Remus
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.
See also
List of ragtime composers
References
External links
Roberts' website
The Terra Verde Corner
Roberts' article on Terra Verde Music
Interview with Roberts
Interview on NPR
Artwork by Roberts
1955 births
20th-century American composers
20th-century American male musicians
20th-century classical composers
21st-century American composers
21st-century American male musicians
21st-century classical composers
American classical composers
American classical musicians
American male classical composers
Living people
Ragtime composers