Ragtime
performer, researcher, author and lecturer Nan Bostick passes
away
It is with great sadness that we announce
the passing of our dear friend, Nan Bostick. Nan was among the group
of ragtime performers who constituted the “pilot” festival,
RagFest 2000, that was produced in October, 2000, by Friends of
Jazz and Eric Marchese as an FOJ fundraiser and to determine if
the festival was something viable as an annual event.
The festival was a great success, thanks in no small part to Nan’s
showmanship and musicianship. It has been brought back every year
since, and Nan was often at the forefront of these annual Fullerton
performances, delivering seminars and musical sets on her two favorite
subjects: Lady ragtime composers of the vintage era, and the music
and career of ragtime pioneer Charles N. Daniels, who was Nan’s
great-uncle.
Nan had been battling lung cancer since last year. It was a battle
she had hoped to win so she could continue to do what she loved
best – travel around the U.S. performing, lecturing and researching
while continuing to expose new audiences to the captivating sounds
of authentic ragtime music. She will be sorely missed, and we take
this time to announce that RagFest 2012 will be dedicated to Nan
Bostick’s life and to her memory.
