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>> I was definitely born in the

wrong time.

Definitely.

This is how I'm supposed--

This is me in my natural state.

>> The banjo player told me, I

don't know where you're gettin'

your chords and I'm not sure the

melody is exactly the way it's

supposed to be, but boy, that's

the most fun I've had in years,

you know.

And so, you know, I think that

comes from not being able to do

what the ragtimers are doing,

because I can't read music.

>> I've been the only female in

top ten, the only female in the

top five.

To be chosen as a winner, yes,

that would feel absolutely

I couldn't think of a more

natural high than that.

>> I don't understand, and I

don't think I ever will, why

people like hard rock and rap,

hip hop.

That's why I play this music.

It's because I don't like that.

I think this is wonderful.

>> I'm not a great auto

mechanic.

I'm not good at sewing, I'm not

good at Judo.

I'd probably only be fair at

football.

And I'm a so-so singer.

But I can play ragtime.

I've got a black belt in it.

>> I know I don't have the

polish that the other performers

have, but I'm okay with that.

All I can do is just hold my

own.

Yes, I want to win the thing.

Who doesn't?

I just want to also have fun at

it.

listen for the little things

that are going to separate, like

last year, one point.

>> So I missed Adam.

Was it good?

>> Yeah.

>> It's going to be close I

think.

Just too many good pieces.

>> You've got to figure out

what's going to separate the men

from the boys, who is going to

put the top five in there.

There has to be something.

They thought, well, that's how

he wanted to do it.

But the judges, they go, oh,

hell.

He missed it, and that's what

happens.

>> It was pretty good.

than it did this morning.

There I am.

>> Here come the judges.

The contestants need to be

advised that they may talk with,

but not harm, the judges.

What we're gonna do first is

tell ya who's gonna be in

competition.

>> Ay-ay-ay-ay.

>> So get your little program

booklet out and write these ten

names down.

>> I'm actually getting away

with playing ragtime music for a

living.

How're you doing?

>> Fine, how're you?

>> I have so much fun doing it.

It doesn't feel like work.

Was somebody eating pancakes

with maple syrup and playing

piano at the same time here?

You know, the idea was it would

be a low-stress and safe and

ragtime in my free time.

And that's what I did.

>> I think before Ben was born,

he would go to work all day and

come home, and then he'd have

all night to play piano.

But after Ben came it was, go to

work all day, come home, take

care of a baby all day, and then

else.

I think he realized he wanted to

have life where he could balance

family and the things that he

loved.

That job thing had to go.

>> I had a list of all the

nursing homes in the area.

city and play at each one.

They all said, no.

So that was discouraging.

And then I tried again and I

said, I'll volunteer for an hour

if you consider having me once

or twice a month regularly,

>> Sing it, Charles!

>> Wiggle it, baby.

>> And that worked.

It worked big time.

>> You know, he'll be doing one

thing with this hand and one

thing with this hand, and then

he throws in these tricks.

It's just amazing how much

effort and thought I think he

puts into each piece.

I think people recognize that

and that's why they see

something special in him.

I'll get goosebumps, and see

people looking at each other

like--

>> I hope you noticed, out of

nowhere I played the funeral

march there.

There's just a minor chord at

that point.

I like to put in little

quotations of something else.

But you could also interpret it

as signifying the death of my

opponents.

>> I mean, there's no way that

>> Well, I'm telling you, this

kid is good.

The kid-- Last year I lost by

one point.

>> Yeah, but a 16 year old kid

is not going to be back.

>> He is, and he's going to be

17 now.

>> We all know the names of the

former champions.

I have no idea who finished

second in any of those contests.

I know Brian Holland won three

times.

Who did he beat?

You don't remember, it's second

place.

It's forgotten.

Yeah, this competition, all

year-round, it's in the back of

your mind, or the front of my

mind.

And if I lose then it's going to

be another-- You know, I'm going

to have to start this whole

thing over.

I could have won if I spats.

I could have won if I had three

costumes.

I could have if I made, perhaps,

one less mistake.

Oh, just thinking about it!

I'm queasy.

>> No performer of any caliber

is ever going to go up there and

not be nervous at least to a

point.

All right.

A good performer, you teach

yourself, you channel that

energy.

You put it into the playing.

That's how you get rid of it.

Let's face the music and dance.

I was actually born right here

in Champaign, Illinois.

They brought me home from the

hospital, and except of course

for going to school or extra

curricular activities such as

work, I haven't left.

I actually started in the very

second contest.

I was going up against -- who

was the reigning champion at

that time.

You had a 12-year old child,

myself, who went up against a

70-year old granny for an

old-time piano playing title.

According to what my mother told

me, she had a look on her face

as though she had thought that I

had beaten her.

Well, of course, I didn't, and

rightly so.

I certainly was not up at that

time to being a full-fledged

champion, to either handling the

publicity or, you know, the

playing demands that something

like that places on you.

But I would not trade that

anything.

As you see, I have a little

assistance here.

This, of course, helps me as far

like that, tone.

But a lot of it can't come just

from hearing it.

It has to come from the feel.

Is hearing an absolute necessity

for being a being a good

pianist?

did just fine.

I've been the only female in top

ten, the only female in the top

five.

To be chosen as a winner, yes,

that would feel absolutely

amazing.

I couldn't think of a more

natural high than that.

I mean, having been part of this

contest as long as I have, sure,

I would love to win it.

If you stumble the least little

bit, a simple point or two can

be the difference between

winning and losing.

It's like competing in an event

in the Olympics.

It's great that the audience is

there cheering for you.

We're there to entertain.

That should be our primary

focus.

But if you get so caught up in

that that you're not thinking

about what you're doing-- You

snooze, you lose.

>> In 2009 we're in the 112th

year of ragtime.

>> And if you look at all the

popularity for as long as

ragtime did.

>> Ragtime music is

American-made.

brought to the table.

>> Like most American pop music,

thing.

They took marches, the marches

that white people were listening

to and playing, and they would

syncopate them a lot and make

them snappy.

>> If you listen to a march,

even with the "Mickey Mouse

March" and "Stars and Stripes

Forever."

Then you get into the ragtime

and it's off the beat, and

that's what makes you move.

>> And then finally it hit the

mainstream.

>> Then in Kansas City sometime

in the late 1880s the word rag

started to show up on occasion.

In 1893 at the Chicago World's

Columbian Exposition, that is

allegedly where real ragtime was

first heard.

By 1900 everything in America

was ragtime.

There was a music industry all

of a sudden, a publishing

empire, million dollar

entertainers, records.

There was no record industry in

1890.

It was a pretty big industry by

1910.

Pretty phenomenal.

Ragtime went from 1897 to 1917,

and then one day everything as

jazz.

>> I don't think ragtime really

stopped.

I think what happened was in the

1920s ragtime just evolved into

jazz and people started using

the word jazz.

>> Jazz then went into swing

music.

Swing became rhythm and blues.

Rhythm and blued became rock and

roll.

>> Everything else that we call

popular music, even all the way

to hip hop, came from ragtime in

one way or another, owes

something to ragtime.

So I really feel that there's a

real connection between Scott

Joplin's "Maple Leaf Rag" and

Akon's "Don't Matter."

It's there, you just gotta

listen.

>> When I get to Peoria I just

wanna do well.

I just don't wanna hit any

clinkers.

I wanna sound good.

I've been going to the World

Championship Old-Time Piano

Playing Contest since 1993 when

it was still held in Decatur,

Illinois.

I've got to be honest, I stank

out the Holiday Inn.

All the juniors did much better

than I did.

But I had a call and they

encouraged me to come back,

which I did.

It's just a lot of fun, and

that's why I keep coming back.

This is what I take to the job

site at the factory I work at,

Majors Plastics Incorporated.

kind of tight for me.

And also because I'm kind of

He liked to choose foods that

could be eaten quickly.

But I really like it here, and

the only thing that would top

that would be my own house.

To tell you the truth, last

Thursday at this time I ended up

going to a courthouse to

sit in on a bankruptcy hearing.

I filed last month.

I just barely made the deadline

after talking to one of the

going through the

pre-bankruptcy.

I'll be all right.

I presently practice at two

different churches and I'm also

practicing at one of the local

piano stores.

I know I don't have the polish

that the other performers have,

All I can do is just hold my

own.

Yes, I want to win thing.

Who doesn't?

I just want to also have fun at

it.

Lord, lift me up

And let me say

I've had a life where rarely

I've been encouraged to have

fun.

This is one of the few times in

life where I get to have fun,

and I want to take advantage of

it.

>> No, I'm not feeling nervous

except I'm curious.

Because, you know, I don't know

what I'm going to do.

I mean, I know what songs

because you have to write 'em

down.

But I don't know what kind of

riffs and melody lines.

I never know and it's always

Sometimes they really work

great, sometimes they don't.

Yeah, so, we'll see.

>> I love competition.

It allows for an opportunity to

express your highest potential.

To compete with all your heart

and might and go full-tilt is

one of the great beauties of the

world.

I started playing these old-time

or seven years old.

I tend to throw in the old

St. Louis honky-tonk.

Like, for example, if I was

Instead of doing that I would

go--

Just to kind of get that feelin'

in.

Now that's probably

sacrilegious.

That's probably like oh, man!

I think that comes from not

being able to do what the

ragtimers are doing, because I

can't read music.

I never took a music lesson.

I really missed that.

What happens is you replace that

with a sense of style and heart

that comes from not knowing it.

She's a true psychic.

I told her I was looking for the

love of my life.

She says, I'm psychically

picking up someone who lives

near you, loves horses and

nature, everything you want.

talking in support

of Ride and Tie.

So I went and instantly fell in

love with him.

prenuptials.

So what do you want from me?

She says, well, I don't want you

to be an eight-to-five guy.

And she say, what do you want

from me?

I said, I want you to play banjo

with me.

She'd never played a banjo in

her life.

>> I said, what's a banjo?

>> So there you have the banjo

playing.

>> There you have it!

I began going by my Indian name,

which is --, and translates to

Four Arrows, after a vision

quest, an --.

I had a strong vision of a lake

with four arrows coming out of

the middle of it.

Each one went into a different

direction and became an animal.

When the community brought me

out of the vision pit I

described that story.

sacred ceremonies was a naming

ceremony.

There's a certain feeling, a

certain heart, a certain soul to

this music.

I'd like to see it not be lost.

Hamlisch started playing "The

Entertainer" for the movie

resurgence and interest in

ragtime.

We devised The World

Championship Old-Time Piano

Playing Contest to take place on

opening day of the railroad

museum each year.

>> He started it as a fundraiser

for the Monticello Railroad

Museum.

>> This first year about 40

spectators showed up, but only

three contestants.

The next year we had lost a

contestant, but 120 people

showed up and the party went on

By the third year we were up to

600 spectators and 12

contestants.

We knew we had something that

had something that had some

enduring qualities.

>> It grew and it took on this

personality of its own.

>> People came in larger

numbers.

One year we had 32 contestants

that played in one afternoon.

>> They call me the contest

coordinator.

I call it a big title, no money.

>> I've seen every contestant,

which is somewhere near 700 now,

and thousands of happy people

who enjoyed the music.

>> I share with people the fact

that the contest is so much fun.

I always feel that if I can get

them to come and try it once, if

they don't like it, fine, you

know.

But they get hooked.

>> I don't want to wear this

hat.

>> You have to wear it.

>> No!

>> Yes, just for a few minutes

to look official.

>> Ack, forget it, it will be a

distraction.

>> I always get more nervous

than he does.

He doesn't get nervous before

performing except a little bit

at this.

And it's possible that his

nervousness at this has to do

with me!

>> Well, I think I live in about

1925.

If I had the choice of going

back, I would, just to try it.

Because I think I would have

been perfectly happy touring in

Vaudeville or playing the piano,

>> I'm sure we have the only

child who wants to go to antique

stores more than we do.

>> It used to be the opposite

way around before he started

playing the piano, but yeah.

Once he got interested in this,

Oh, there's an antiques store!

>> At some point I lost contact

with what people my own age were

interested in and went off

another way.

>> He first heard the music

through the internet.

He wanted me to be able to play

that kind of music rather than

the boring stuff.

>> The very first piece of piano

music that he ever played was

Scott Joplin's "Maple Leaf Rag."

He didn't play "Happy Birthday,"

>> That night I said, you'd

better watch this and see what

he can do.

you've got to come.

>> The junior world champion is

Adam Swanson!

Congratulations.

There he is.

competition three times you have

to go into the adult

competition.

So I thought, good, I can go to

and not really have to worry

about it.

He's too young.

Certainly he knows he can't win

>> I never expected to win it.

It came down to the two of us

and I thought, oh, no way.

But, ah--

It was only one point.

>> To Adam Swanson!

>> When I'm going through school

play.

I've got about 200 songs up

there.

I kind of live in my own world I

guess.

But I've got good company.

>> Socially he's not a person

that wants to go out on Saturday

night and go ride up and down

the streets.

He likes to go home and

practice.

That's what Adam does, he goes

home.

To him it's not practice.

To him it's just playing.

He just loves to play.

I would not be a bit surprised

if Adam played six to eight

because.

>> All I know it I want to do

something with music.

That's the simplest way of

first.

>> I just have no interest in

learning to drive.

People think that's crazy but

why should I.

I mean, where would I go?

Except to school and back.

>> One of the first things I do

to get my blood pumping, I get

up at 5:45 or 5:50 and I am down

here at 6:00 AM.

And we are deployed.

Thank you very much sir.

There she is.

Let me think.

You have three important days in

your life, the day you're born,

the day you're baptized, and the

day you find out who you are and

what you're here for.

I'm here, I believe, to spread

happiness and joy, and God,

whatever, through ragtime.

This is our parlor, and we've

fashioned parlor that might have

been found at the turn of the

century.

The piano, of course, two

pianos, knick-knacks.

This piano full of knick-knacks

is a piano full of piano

knick-knacks.

And a collection of various

musical instruments, an old

flute, an old E flat horn, not a

B flat.

sure what to call it.

I only know one song on it.

We call it "Hong Kong At Rush

Hour."

This frame over here was

something given to me by my

first wife many years ago.

I absolutely treasure it.

The one in the center is a place

medal, and on either side, a

second and a third place, the

silver and the bronze.

I have since added, as you can

up there yet.

>> To Professor Bill Edwards.

I don't know exactly what he

professes--

But we'll find all of that out.

>> In 1987 is the first year I

went to actually compete.

I've done the medals ceremony,

what, 18 or 19 times.

I'm quite familiar with standing

up there.

I've got to say, the year that I

won, when we're down to those

last two--

>> World champion old-time piano

player--

>> It's like I was shaking.

From Washington DC, Professor

Bill Edwards!

are so lucky.

You can hear him any time.

they think about Bill.

He's brought a lot about the

music on his website and he's

got an incredible sheet music

collection which he plans to

leave to a library.

>> You know, you do a Google

search for ragtime, you go

straight to Professor Bill.

Bill knows everything there is

to know about ragtime, including

stuff about ragtime that might

not be worth knowing.

>> What up?

>> I'm not going to respond to

that.

>> You're not?

>> No.

>> You ain't gonna get jiggy wit

it?

Ain't gonna give me shizzel,

huh?

He hates that.

>> Yeah, no.

It's going to sound like I'm

favoring him because he's my

dad, but that's not why.

I think he should be ranked

higher than he usually is, but

the judges don't usually get

what he's trying to do when he

plays his music.

They don't always seem to get

that.

And personality-wise he

definitely fits in with everyone

there.

He's definitely as weird as all

of them.

>> If there was a party where

there was a piano I was the

person who was playing stuff on

the piano.

Everybody could get into that.

They'd say, wow, he's actually

got a personality.

He's got some talent.

That's pretty cool.

Socially, without the piano,

sometimes I was like wallpaper.

Nobody knew I was there.

Finally I was able to step out

from behind the piano and come

up with a persona which is a

duel-persona.

It's half Bill and half

Professor Bill.

The stage version of me is

bigger, the gestures are bigger.

The comedy, well, the comedy is

Oh, I have been

Around the world

A time or two or three

From Paris, France

To Timbuktu

And sunny Italy

But of all the places

I have been

None fills my heart

With joy

Like that

Friendly little town

In central Illinois

Peoria

Where the weather is fine

Peoria

It's the talk of the line

I can hardly

Think of a place

That exhibits so much

Peoria

All the ladies are swell

Peoria

I want to shout

From December to June

Peoria, Peoria

I'll be there soon

Take it!

>> Welcome to the Hotel Pere

Marquette and the host of the

35th annual Old-Time Piano

Players.

is the historical grandeur of

the old hotel.

Peoria

Which is simply the best

Peoria

Pride of the whole Midwest

There's one place

Where I long to be

Not Estoria, Pretoria

Or even Lake Victoria

It's Peoria for me

>> Now this room is for the

contestants.

My name is Judy Leschewski.

I'm the contest coordinator.

I'm going to sit down, and if

you have any questions you can

ask.

You enter from stage right.

>> The basic rules of the

contest--

>> You have to play something

written prior to 1930.

>> And eight minutes only

playing time per round.

>> Or else they start

>> You may not do a medley.

>> You can't play patriotic

You're not allowed to play

religious songs.

>> "God Bless America" would be

a double no-no.

>> If you make the cut, the top

ten -- on Sunday.

>> Your scores are cumulative.

The five highest of those scores

would then move on to the final

round.

All three scores are added

together.

The highest score is your

winner.

>> I'm from Buffalo, which we

call the Miami of the North.

woman, win.

>> It doesn't matter if you win

or lose--

until you lose.

>> Welcome to the 35th annual

edition of The World

Championship Old-Time Piano

Playing Contest.

We've got contestants from 12

states, two foreign countries,

and you're really gonna enjoy

this year's show.

>> Well, you're excited, you're

nervous.

year.

What this year's surprise going

to be?

>> If you're not ready to go at

this point in time, you're not

ready.

so this must be the place.

>> That's all you can say about

it.

>> I won't know until I hit the

Upright.

We'll see what happens.

>> I've been collecting record

since 1964.

I try to collect all kinds of

I try to run the gamut.

I've got this arranged according

don't start out with Elvis

Presley.

My thing is pop music, whether

it's from the 1890s,

or all the way to the 1980s

>> Here she is for the first

time in '09 --

Everybody give a nice welcome to

a fella from Omaha, Nebraska,

Jim Boston!

How are you doin' today?

>> I'm think I'm doin' fine.

How's it goin' for you?

>> It's early.

I'll let you know.

Anyway, what are you gonna to

play first for us?

>> "Take Your Girly To The

Movies If You Can't Make Love At

Home"

"normal."

My mom was an alcoholic.

It got to the point where I

couldn't confide in any of my

adult relatives.

The radio and the record player

were my refuge.

Being able to have an advocate,

if you want to put it that way,

an advocate on vinyl, someone to

speak up for me.

I remember being told I'd have

been better off dead, better off

not born.

All of that before going to

still wrestling with L.B.J's

decision to sign the Civil

Rights Act back in 1964.

I'm still struggling to keep

convincing myself to choose

I've made it a promise, made

myself a promise, to choose

life.

I'm really fighting every day.

This is one of the reasons that

I want to choose life.

I'm gonna have some fun, and The

World Championship Old-Time

Piano Playing Contest, well,

part of that fun.

Every person has got challenges

in life.

I'm determined to lick it.

>> Jim Boston everybody.

Thank you Jim.

>> Oh, my gosh.

Oh, my gosh!

the second one.

I think I'm gonna be on the

sidelines, but that's okay.

I had fun.

I didn't feel all that nervous

at all.

to get any sort of applause.

I get goosebumps!

I get goosebumps.

>> Ahhh.

I'll go into a room where

there's an old upright piano and

I'll just sit there.

It's like meeting a beautiful

woman.

It's like, wow!

How're you doin'?

Sometimes if the piano tells you

what to do.

It says, I don't like that.

Do this right.

You know, if you're in a

melancholy mood because of some

of the things that have been

going on, you may be put more

emotion into it.

I think that comes back and you

realize that emotion is

something that has motion in it.

It can move on.

so much easier than the girls

simply because, okay, they don't

have to fuss really with the

hair.

They don't have to do the

make-up, jewelry.

>> Let's welcome a young lady

from Champaign, Illinois.

Would you welcome, please, Faye

Ballard.

>> Girls have to work a little

harder on that part of it.

I couldn't do contests without

her.

outfit's straight, the look is

there the way it's supposed

to be.

She keeps my nerves calm.

Business manager, mother, best

friend.

>> Flunky.

>> That too.

>> Yeah, that's good with that.

I'll do that, I'll do that.

It's slower in the beginning.

>> Professor Bill Edwards!

>> I'm going to repeat something

It's one of those condiment

pieces, something that I really

relish.

Hot dog! I do.

I'm going to mustard up the

strength to do this.

I'll give some of you a moment

to ketchup.

>> This was called "Trés

pretentious way of saying "Too

Much Mustard."

Without wanting to sound like I

have a big ego, other people

would say I'm sort of marquee.

to see me.

If I don't go, there'll be

questions asked.

Has he lost his enthusiasm?

Did he die?

>> He takes it really seriously.

Ragtime has it's own role in his

life.

It's almost like a mistress in a

way, which is fine.

I mean, when he's practicing or

when he's recording, I'm happy

just to leave him to do that.

He wrote a rag for me, "The

Ragtime Pamela".

I love to listen to him play.

I just love it.

>> I'll live with that.

It'll get me where I need to go.

I wish it were about three

percent better.

I'm happy enough, which is

unusual.

>> Who's here?

Adam Swanson, all the way from

Shenandoah, Iowa!

>> I've been playing the piano

for forty years.

players.

I've known a lot of spectacular

players.

Once in a great while, like once

in a lifetime, you run into

somebody who is able to think

the piano like Adam does.

>> His brain works so fast and

his fingers work so fast.

He just wants to go.

He'll be able to understand

had college professors that

could.

>> I've had some trouble trying

to do a chromatic run with my

left hand in one of my pieces

this year.

It's just driving me crazy,

because I just haven't run into

things that I've tried to be

able to do that I can't.

I mean, everything that I've

tried so far in ragtime I can

do.

It usually goes how I expect.

Uh-oh.

It's the fish mouth over here.

>> What the heck just happened?

>> I don't know.

A couple of those runs--

>> Did you do another one of the

octaves here?

octaves thing?

Like that?

There was one more that

sounded-- I was like, okay,

That's humanly impossible!

>> I pulled it off.

>> Yeah, you pulled it off!

>> It was great.

It was great.

I'm the underdog.

I'm the underdog again.

>> When you go back, take your

hands and insure them.

Because you never know who might

be trying to arrange an

accident.

>> You.

>> No!

>> Okay.

>> No, I wouldn't do that.

I know people.

I got something up my sleeve.

Ha ha ha.

>> Last year Professor Bill

stole one of my pieces.

He heard me doing "Bluin' The

He said, oh, I was doing it

before my arm broke.

>> It's a little hard to follow

Adam Swanson on this, but I will

be attempting "Bluin' The Black

Keys."

I'm surprised to be up here

today.

But we'll do what we can.

>> Yeah, uh-huh.

>> If somebody else were able to

find out what I was doing and

they add more panache and flash

to it than I do because they

it's a competition.

>> I didn't care.

It bothered my parents more than

anybody.

>> That's a disadvantage for

them.

Then if Adam plays it better

than they do, then it really

makes them look poor.

>> I usually am not going to

pick it up because their doing

it.

I was already planning on it or

it was somewhere in my choice of

top twenty pieces.

But I'm going to do it

differently.

I don't feel that that's

unscrupulous.

It's a competition after all.

me a little preview.

But somebody else might do that,

so-- It's too important now to--

>> I did a weaselly thing last

year.

because he's a nice guy and he

told me.

>> Yeah, we were just e-mailing

each other, and I told him, I'm

going to play this and this and

this.

>> So I decided to learn it and

play it as fast and as

complicated as I could.

>> He said, okay, Russell's

playing "Sweet Georgia Brown,"

I'm going to play "Sweet Georgia

Brown" too.

And I'm going to do it better.

And he did.

>> I figured out how to beat

Russell.

I'm really happy that I beat

Russell.

I was only here to beat Russell.

But I was surprised that Adam

beat me, yeah.

>> Was it really?

And you slipped under my radar,

I was like, well, you know--

That's the nature of

competition.

Competition turns nice people,

like myself, into weasels.

So next year, man.

>> Yeah.

>> It's on.

>> Now I have to do something.

>> It's on.

I don't know, how do you

properly hold a cane?

>> God, you're out to get me.

>> Hey man, all's fair in war.

>> You know, desperate times

call for desperate measures.

One of my problems, I think, is

I try to make my arrangements so

them.

It's hit or miss.

It might me better to play it a

little safer and play something

that I know I can nail.

But I don't think that's me.

I like to try to do stuff that I

can barely do.

That's just more fun for me.

>> Oh, how debonair, Ethan.

>> One of the tricks that I've

been working on is the Chico

Marx gun finger.

This is tricky for me with my

left hand.

I can do it easily with the

right hand.

With the left hand it's a little

harder.

But I feel I need to do it with

the stage is set up, the piano's

facing the audience.

showiness, I think I have to do

the gun finger with my left

hand.

>> The Chico was nice at the

end.

>> I missed the note, did you

notice?

>> Yeah.

>> Yeah, I missed the gun.

I missed the gun.

Did you notice that, Adam?

>> He notice it.

I saw him.

>> He brought it up before we

did.

>> I missed the gun.

>> Oh, it's not that big a deal.

>> There's still a couple of

rounds.

Yeah, but that was Adam's

warm-up, you know.

I feel it was a good,

entertaining performance.

I'd be happy with it, but in

Peoria I don't know if that's--

I felt like I might have dug

myself a hole.

The key is to be able to play

something really hard easily,

which I think Adam has mastered.

>> It's a hundred point scale

that we judge on, five points

for every category.

>> Finger dexterity, note

articulation and phrasing,

contrast and dynamics.

>> When you figure in costuming

and the showmanship part of it,

that really only counts for 30

points.

Well, then somebody who has

not-so-great showmanship but is

perfect technically has that

other 70% to be able to make up

those points.

>> My big thing is dynamics.

If you can bring something down

to a really nice soft level and

then all of the sudden zing it,

now that shows me a little bit

of musicality.

>> I see dynamics as playing

with emotion.

I want somebody who gets up

there and feels this music, not

just sees it as a cluster of

level the technical stuff should

fall away and the drama takes

over.

>> If I stop writing my little

notes and actually listen to

somebody, then you know that I'm

impressed with that person.

Because it takes an awful lot to

convince me that something's

really, really good.

>> What we're gonna do first

is tell ya who's gonna be in

competition.

Four Arrows is in the

If he'd have been Three Arrows

he probably wouldn't have made

it.

Our second player tomorrow

afternoon, Brett Youens from

Germany.

Then position tomorrow in the

semi-finals will be Ethan Uslan.

Playing fourth, John --.

Playing in the number five

position in the semi-finals,

Adam Swanson.

Number six, all the way from

Buffalo, Joe Mankowski's playin'

in the semi-finals.

Yay!

Number seven will be Bill

McNally, all the way from

Philadelphia.

Number eight will be Faye

Ballard from Champaign,

Illinois.

She thought, we're running outta

names.

You better get in there, huh?

This is nine, Ben Rudolph.

You have to come back tomorrow,

Ben.

Bring your family this time.

And number ten,

Bill Edwards will be playing in

the tenth spot.

>> When you start getting to

number eight you start thinking,

what'd I do wrong?

You hear eight and then nine,

it's like, oh, my God!

Am I going to get called?

>> Even as a fan, as a

spectator, as a listener, as

long as that's part of the whole

deal, that's fine with me.

>> What do I think the future of

the contest is?

I don't know.

>> Our audience demo is getting

older and I'm getting older, and

I can't do this forever.

Some of the people that we saw

20 years ago at the contest

don't come back any more.

Either they've gotten too old to

travel or they're just not

around anymore.

there are going to be less and

less requests for "Let Me Call

You Sweetheart" and there are

going to be more requests for

Woman."

That's how everything from the

good at that.

Ah, there we go.

I'll be fine.

you know, our contestants are

young.

If they wanted to keep going

people are going to have to step

up and do it.

Basically, I'm worn out.

>> After 35 years of doing

something, of giving up your

weekends and a lot more time

in seeing someone with a little

more steam left.

I feel I got the nerves out

yesterday.

I made my mistakes.

Now they're over.

I tried to minimize it, I think

I contained them.

Now I'm just ready to rock out

and squeak by on my good looks,

with my nice clothes.

>> It's always a little more

tense on the second day because

out the big gun stuff.

Some of it's gonna to be a

little luck, and it's gonna be a

definite test of skill, speed

and strength.

>> I don't get nervous until I

actually sit on the stool.

Then all of the sudden it's

amazing how quickly sweat can

start dripping from your palms.

In 30 seconds it's, whoa!

>> If I do get stressed that's

why it would be.

It's the most important part of

the year for me.

>> I don't usually worry about

him truly messing up.

I've never really heard him mess

up.

But his pieces this time are

really hard, so technically he

could mess up.

I don't want him to mess up!

>> This is the true test of

will, who goes and who doesn't.

>> All right.

Are we on?

Almost.

I can't change my mind now, man.

So we'll just have to channel it

and see what happens.

It's hard for me when the

Here you look down and there's

these judges here.

My sister told me, that's the

first time I've ever seen you

'Cause you were being judged

instead of performing, you know?

My mom and dad got a divorce.

They used to have a lot of

arguments.

Once in a while I'd go down to

the tavern in St. Louis

with my dad.

In those days they always had an

So he'd go slide up to the bar

and I would kind of slide next

to the piano player.

You know, they were always doin'

all the old songs.

I kind of liked it.

It just made me feel happy.

When I look out at the audience

and I play the piano, I'm

thinkin', you know what, this is

for you guys.

Yeah, isn't this fun?

>> Hey what, you are what this

music's all about.

just everything.

That's what ragtime's all about.

>> Good luck.

>> Good luck, son.

>> I know you're gonna win.

>> All right.

>> Hey, Joe, welcome to the

stage.

Nice to have you here.

Just a second here.

I get these taller ones.

maybe goin' out and getting my

own place.

I had started lookin' around a

little bit.

After dad died it just seemed

like it made more sense that I

stuck around here.

>> She's not only caring, but

she's entertaining.

I feel every fortunate.

I'm waitin' for her ship to come

in.

>> Faye Ballard everybody.

Thank ya, Faye.

>> Oh, that was great.

>> Your second pieces are the

best I've ever heard you play.

>> Cool.

>> Yeah, good piece.

>> You didn't like my first one?

>> It was okay, but nothing to

That one I'm sure pulled you up

a lot in the scores.

>> Well, we'll see if it's

enough.

>> I hope so.

>> The most fun part about being

in the Hall of Ragtime is the

other musicians.

They've all been wonderful to

me.

>> Even when he was very little

these people were willing to sit

and play.

nice to him.

Shared information and just

shared their time.

>> Our hope is that he will

continue to grow and be able to,

not just perform, but to

entertain audiences.

And teach people and infuse them

with this electricity that this

music has for him.

>> He's the future.

He may be the rock and roll guy

of ragtime.

What I mean is, he could be one

of the next superstars of

ragtime.

>> It seems like, when I heard

this music the first time, it's

what I was meant to do.

>> You know, I don't want to do

anything too aggressive, any

this that's going to make me

sore.

>> I understand, get some blood

moving and that kind of thing.

>> Yeah, you choose a body part.

Whatever you feel--

>> Okay.

>> That feels great.

Last year I was de-throned so I

need every advantage I can get.

Coming back to this contest

makes me feel like those

Christian gladiators.

The people who go to the

stadium, they're just like--

You know, it's like, whatever,

they're here to entertain us.

It's kind of like that for me.

You know, you put in all this

work.

You want to win.

To not win, it's like being feed

to the lions emotionally.

to the rooms and change all my

arrangements.

record, huh?

That was phenomenal.

That was phenomenal.

Wow.

I quit, I'm out.

>> I've never played that well

It's really nice to see those

shirt, guys.

Thank you.

This was really nice, a really

nice gesture.

super-awesome.

The best.

I mean, I think he had

everybody's attention, don't

you?

Yeah, yeah.

I mean, it was just beautiful.

>> I almost believe that if that

if I could get that trophy one

more time, then I would step

down.

I'll say I've proved it twice.

>> I think he wants to win

again.

I really do, but I also think

he's realistic and he knows

that, you know, he'd just have

to be almost perfect.

>> Nope.

Close, but no cigarette.

There's no throngs to greet me.

That says something.

You couldn't tell?

>> I didn't listen, sorry.

>> Where were you?

>> It was too stressful.

I went up to the room for a few

minutes.

>> It was too stressful?

>> It's very stressful.

>> And you went up to the room.

That's great.

"Steeple Chase" before.

>> If I'm in fifth it's because

I did well yesterday.

That's okay.

>> It all comes down to how they

play at that moment.

week, or whether they can play

better.

You can't even take them down

for not playing better than

they're able to play, because

that isn't what it's about.

It's about that moment on the

stage.

>> This may be the toughest

competition we've ever seen.

>> The competition is gonna be

extremely close.

>> Well, it will be interesting

to see who the top five are,

because it's not clear, at least

not to me.

>> They're competing with him,

but I've got Adam up on the top

right now.

>> Bill Edwards has a good shot

at it.

>> Ethan would be our number one

pick.

>> I was impressed with Brett

Youens.

>> I'm for Four Arrows to win it

all, I hope.

>> Ethan Uslan.

>> Adam knows how to play.

>> All right, and now I guess

we're gonna announce the final

five.

Okay, Adam Swanson will be

playing in the finals.

>> Ethan Uslan.

>> Let's see, left one.

Let's see who that is.

Bill McNally will be playing in

the finals.

>> Professor Bill Edwards.

>> I'll hold this one with I

draw it myself.

And Brett Youens will be playing

in the finals today.

All right.

Those are gonna start.

We give these people 14 seconds

to get their adrenaline levels

back down.

>> I feel that it was accurate

in terms of the way the criteria

is for the judging.

I had at least six members of

the audience come up and they

were saying, oh, no, no!

That shouldn't be!

But you know what, there's a

different criteria for

showmanship and musicianship.

These guys are the musicians.

They really are.

>> I disagree, I disagree.

>> They are.

>> You're a musician.

>> No, no, it's really--

>> Music's more than hitting the

Like I said before, you could

not pick a bad final five out of

bunch.

I rejoice that you've got five

great guys going up there.

For myself, okay, Finnegan,

begin again.

I go home, I start picking the

stuff for next year.

I come back better, stronger,

faster.

>> We're happy.

Enough said.

>> Okay, PDA.

>> When you get to perform for

people and make them happy, you

know, that's really-- That's

great.

I mean, musicianship you can't

take it away.

But makin' people happy because

of the feeling that the

vibrations of music puts out to

their hearts, when I walk away,

that's what I'm bringing home.

If I come back it's because of

that.

>> I've done it, I know what

it's like to have it, and it

really is a joy.

I believe in myself until I'm on

stage.

Then I believe that hopefully

I'm going to survive this.

>> You worry about your child

being disappointed or hurt.

>> Heart pounding, walking down

the hall.

It's not that bad really.

>> History is written by the

victors.

Second place, nobody remembers.

>> See, you're not quite such an

old dog.

>> It's all right.

>> How do you feel?

Are you okay?

>> It was dope, Dawg, it was

dope.

That was good.

>> Bill McNally, welcome to the

finals, buddy.

>> No, I never get nervous.

I get cold hands in Peoria.

That's about it.

>> That last chord!

>> Clean!

>> But the last chord.

I didn't hardly get any sound

out of it.

>> But it was perfect!

It was absolutely perfect,

because it was one of those--

It was like you're going over

a hill, and it's like--

That's exactly what it was.

It was perfect.

>> It was too soft.

It was supposed to be, poom!

But it was, blah.

>> That's what I heard.

>> You really must feel good.

>> I had a lot of fun.

I had a lot of fun, but it was,

you know--

There was some things--

But I had a lot of fun.

>> Thanks, Martin.

>> The articulation, God!

My hand hurts.

>> Thank you.

>> Wow!

>> Awesome, awesome.

Awesome.

>> That was spectacular.

>> Thanks, June.

>> I was incredible.

He doesn't practice like that at

home.

It's pretty exciting.

I got goosebumps.

>> Now this is the worst part.

compliments you.

You know, and the people who

didn't like it don't talk to

you.

So all you get is compliments.

It makes you think that you're

going to get first, you know.

when it's all over.

The fun is gone, you have to

leave.

I guess the wait adds to the

suspense.

>> I've taken home plenty.

I'm taking home another medal.

I've got that wall you already

saw full of medals.

That thing is going to fall off

pretty soon.

I don't care.

>> There's going to be maybe a

point here, maybe a point and a

half, variance, is what you're

going to see.

But it's going to be this tight.

This tight.

>> Number one.

All right, now ladies and

gentleman, the 35th annual World

Championship Old-Time Piano

Playing Contest comes down to

the regular division with these

finalists.

Lee -- is going to put the

ribbon around their neck.

This is for fifth place.

Oh, he took his hat off in

deference.

Thank you, Lee.

place one to Brett Youens.

>> Ted Lemen is going to give

the third place medal to--

>> Bill McNally.

Here's Judy Leschewski, our

contest coordinator.

She's got the ribbon and the

else.

>> A whole year of preparing for

this, you know, of just really

devoting my life to it.

>> My biggest fear is if I might

get to a point where I can never

improve.

That would be-- I always hope I

can do--

I always know I can do better.

And Barb -- presents Adam

Yay!

If you want to get up and get a

photo, this is the time, folks.

Why don't ya get in a little

closer?

All right, boys, that you very

much.

I'd like to present now the Ted

Lemen memorial trophy, for the

second year, to Adam Swanson!

>> I think, after initially

getting here, the feeling is,

oh, my goodness!

It's the contest again!

more relaxed.

>> It's hard, but it's okay.

>> If I don't come back next

year I'll miss it.

Yeah.

But I'll also get frustrated,

because I can't beat Adam.

I can't do it.

>> Are you gonna get frustrated?

>> Yeah.

>> Why?

>> Because, because I play piano

in a contest and another guy

wins.

We use the word frustrated.

He gets frustrated too

sometimes.

>> There's always next year.

Who knows what will happen.

>> In a way it's liberating not

to have to stress all year about

putting arrangements together,

but I kind of live for that.

I love putting arrangements

together.

I love the stress, but I also

hate that stress.

It's a big contradiction.

>> Well, this will be my last

official year of competition.

I will be taking over as the

contest coordinator.

But of course you have to quit

sometime.

With the younger caliber player

that you have now, quite

frankly, it's scaring the snot

outta me.

>> To be truthful, I don't think

she has any idea of what she's

gettin' into.

It's between you and me, okay?

>> Bring it on.

It's going to be a great

challenge for me.

>> In the last year my research

has really intensified.

I have three books, one's

completed, two are getting near.

God gave everyone certain gifts.

entertain, play the piano, and

to love syncopation and be able

until they kick me out.

as much, or more, spiritual

awareness and happiness, and

feeling connected with

everything as anything.

You know, we say in Lakota, --.

American songs there's this real

sense of relatedness that comes

before, but thanks for the

question.

>> Well, I just graduated from

I'm probably going to college in

Durango, Colorado.

which we found because I played

the piano a lot there at the

Strater Hotel.

I have a learner's permit!

I've been up to 65 miles an

hour!

world are hurting.

Hurting financially, hurting

Too many people are falling

through the cracks.

Who's gonna help 'em if we

don't?

I've been interested in helping

bring a ragtime festival about.

raise money for a different

nonprofit effort each and every

year.

And, you also get some really

great music.

>> Jim has more enthusiasm for

the piano than I think anyone

I've every met in my entire

life.

>> Doubt is natural.

It's in every person.

It's just what we do with it.

It's what we do during times of

doubt that makes the difference.

>> The first stage is denial.

I denied it, then I grieved.

I was very regretful and ashamed

that I played so fast.

Then I said, it's not the end of

the world.

There's another contest.

Joplin, Joplin, Joplin.

I don't really know exactly why

this music is in my bones.

I feel like when I play it, it's

just me.