King of Ragtime In 1974, the Academy Award-winning film The Sting brought back the music of Scott Joplin, a black ragtime composer who died in 1917. Led by The Entertainer, a revival of his music resulted in events unprecedented in American musical history. Written by a renowned authority on ragtime, this is the definitive work on Joplin"s life and music. 48 photos. 57 musical examples. Full description