John William "Blind" Boone - Warrensburg, Missouri
Posted by: 
BruceS
N 38° 45.787 W 093° 44.935
15S E 434933 N 4290756
Sculpture of John William "Blind" Boone, accomplished African-American concert pianist and composer located in Blind Boone Park in Warrensburg, Missouri.
Waymark Code: WM1JEA
Location: Missouri, United States
Date Posted: 05/19/2007
Views: 122
John William Boone
"This sculpture, honoring John William "Blind" Boone was
commissioned by the Blind Boone Renovation Group & created in honor of Mr. Boone
by artist Ai Qiu Hopen. It sits on a piece of locally quarried limestone.
Volunteers raised the money for he sculpture, delivered & placed the stone
and set the sculpture in place.
Please feel free to touch this sculpture.
John William Boone (1864-1927), African-American concert
pianist & composer was a beloved member of the community. He was known for
bringing Ragtime music to the concert stage as well as for his work as a
classical pianist & composer. His music was revolutionary & inspired many
young people to enter music study. The motto of the Blind Boone Concert Company,
with Manager John Lange: 'Merit, Not Sympathy Wins.'
The Warrensburg Star, in an article date April 13, 1889 said
of Boone, "...Warrensburg has a musical prodigy in the person of Blind
Boone, who is already achieving a national reputation... His visit are hailed
with delight by citizens, but his musical genius has lifted him out of the
poverty in which his childhood was spent. He is 25 or 30 years of age and
somewhat heavy set. He is afflicted not only with blindness, but with a
nervous derangement which keeps his body constantly swaying backward and
forward. This becomes more violent as the interest in the music increases,
until it would seem a physical impossibility for him to strike the keys with
such delicacy and perfect accuracy. With a machine machine made performer
this would be impossible, but Boone's musical powers are seemingly miraculous."
The Chillicothe Constitution, in an article dated Saturday, November 11, 1916
stated, "...Better than Blind Boone's music - and it is good - is his
philosophy:
"Life is too short to sulk and please the devil for one moment."
A Resolution of Respect was written at the time of his death
in Warrensburg: "We need not try to speak to you of his wonderful
achievements in life's work as a musician; history will take care of that and
your children's children shall read of his great work when we have gone from the
earth. Brother Boone, who now lies upon the folding couch of death has
fought his way through life, step by step; having reach the pinnacle of fame,
wrote his name not i clay but on the hearts of men and women" ~ plaque
near sculpture