Ruby Fradkin

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Ruby Fradkin, formerly known as Ragtime Ruby, (born ca 1991) is an American indie teenage jazz pianist and composer turned alternative rock singer-songwriter from Sherman Oaks, Los Angeles, California.

Ruby began playing piano at age six, but started playing at age nine for people in nursing homes. She and her father, Chris, were visiting his stepfather in a nursing home when Ruby found an old piano with broken keys. She played the song Take Me Out To The Ballgame while her father and step-grandfather watched. Seniors who were listening to Ruby play piano, appeared from hallways and various other places to see her.

"It was incredible to see," her father had said. "Their faces just lit up. Some of the residents began to dance, others just sat in their wheelchairs keeping time with the music. All of them were smiling. I think in many ways they were seeing their own grandchildren or great-grandchildren sitting at that piano playing for them," he said

Ruby appeared in several more nursing homes, playing for seniors in her own hometown of Sherman Oaks. She became a member of The Rose Leaf Ragtime Club, a group of ragtime music musicians.

As Ruby began to become more popular, California's former governor Gray Davis praised her for "Giving spirit in bringing music into the lives of our community's seniors." The Fox Kids network aired a spot on television for Ruby's community service work as a role model for children. She also made appearances in Girls' Life Magazine and The American Rag in 1999.

In 2002, Ruby recorded her first album Warmin' Up with Ragtime Ruby Fradkin when she was eleven. It featured Ruby along with tubist Freebo (who had worked with Bonnie Raitt, Maria Muldaur and John Mayall) along with other musicians. The album had the old-time hits such as Swipesy, Bicycle Built For Two and Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah along with songs she'd written herself such as 'Catchin The Keys and Ruby's Boogie. After the album was released, In 2003, Ruby made another appearance in YM Magazine. She appeared in Five For Fighting's music video 100 Years.

2004's release of Circle Of Dreams is much different from her first album. She stepped away from the ragtime and switched to playing much more mature piano/soul music such as the late Ray Charles' Georgia On My Mind and J.S. Bach's Polonaise (in G minor) along with songs of her own.

"I'd been playing the Polonaise for a while," Ruby says, "when my producer (Tracy Bartelle) suggested that I get away from the straight groove I'd been playing and try to 'swing the Bach.' I looked at her like she was nuts, but when I tried it, the darn thing came alive!"

Both of Ruby's CDs are sold on CD Baby and are being played on various radio stations (including Whole Wheat Radio) in different parts of the world.

Ruby is currently pursuing a singing career. On her official MySpace, she released a song titled It Won't Work Out With You.

Discography

Warmin' Up with Ragtime Ruby Fradkin (2002)
Circle of Dreams (2004)

External links

References

Meador, Sarah [Warmin' Up With Ragtime Ruby Fradkin review] October 10, 2003

The Tolucan Times [Ragtime Ruby Fradkin - Preteen Phenom!] October 23, 2002

[CD Scoop] (Reproduction of ragtimeruby.com)

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