The Black Cat Rag by Frank Wooster & Ethyl B. Smith
Sequenced by: Warren S. Trachtman

Info on Frank Wooster:
Frank Wooster came to notoriety through a single rag he published with co-composer Ethyl B. Smith, but until this biography was researched, both of them were somewhat of a mystery to the ragtime community, unusual given the popularity of their Black Cat Rag.
While the information here is limited, it does tell a story of typical heartbreak met by some who tried very hard to get into the growing music industry, but missed that bubble of success for reasons sometimes difficult to discern, although not for a lack of effort.

Frank was born in St. Louis, Missouri, the only child of Henry Wooster and Josephine Bartholomew. Virtually nothing is known about his musical training or schooling. When Frank was eight years old, his father, a United States Marine, died on December 11, 1893 in the St. Louis U.S. Marine hospital of unspecified causes, leaving Josephine a widow.
For the 1900 census, she and Frank were shown living with her parents, former New York residents Vincent and Mary Bartholomew.the brownie rag cover Vincent was fairly well off and retired, turning 81 that year.
The only one in the household with a job was Frank, who was an accounts collector for a local hat store. At some point over the next five years, Frank got the idea in his head that he wanted to go into the music business for himself, and endeavored to do so.
(Source: https://www.ragpiano.com/comps/fwoost...)

Info on Ethyl B. Smith:
Less is not always more. In the case of Ethyl B. Smith there was supposed to have been more, but we simply can't confirm that, having to do with less instead. While not a complete mystery, there are still many unanswered questions about this somewhat talented lady composer and piano instructor.

Attempts to pin her down in city directories and census records proved daunting, considering her common last name. However, persistence won out and now at least something more is known of her. It should be noted that there was an Ethel E. Smith in Saint Louis, Missouri, that worked as a music teacher for many years in the early 1900s, but she was not the person discussed here — just a confusing coincidence.
(Source: https://www.ragpiano.com/comps/ebsmit...)
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