Hits of the Ragtime Era
Sat, Mar 21
|DeKalb Public Library
Music of America


Time & Location
Mar 21, 2026, 2:00 PM – 3:00 PM
DeKalb Public Library, 309 Oak St, DeKalb, IL 60115, USA
About the event
Pop music comes and goes, but some songs from over 100 years ago are just as fresh in the mind as the day they were written. The Entertainer, Alexander’s Ragtime Band, St. Louis Blues, and Ballin’ the Jack are still familiar, but even when they first hit the scene, these songs were recognized as having something special.
We’ll look at some of the songs that captivated the public and how their popularity continued into the present, and we’ll also share some songs and rags that were hits back in their day. So to quote Irving Berlin, “come on along” for a great hour of ragtime and some early jazz and blues!
“Cherry & Jerry” is Isaac Cherry on percussion and Jerry Rabushka on piano. Based in St. Louis, the duo is also part of the larger “Ragged Blade Band,” and has toured music of the ragtime era throughout a several…
