John Scatman
John Paul Larkin, known professionally as Scatman John, was born on March 13, 1942, in El Monte, California. Despite a challenging childhood marked by a prominent stutter, Larkin found solace in music, learning piano at age 12 and discovering scat singing at 14 through jazz legends like Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong. His stutter made his early years emotionally traumatic, but he viewed scat singing as a form of "freed stuttering," allowing him to express himself artistically.
Larkin's musical career began in earnest in 1981 with his performance on Sam Phipps' album "Animal Sounds." He released his self-titled album "John Larkin" in 1986. In 1990, he moved to Berlin, Germany, where he embraced jazz culture and began incorporating vocals into his performances. This transition led to the creation of his hit single "Scatman (Ski-Ba-Bop-Ba-Dop-Bop)" in collaboration with producers Tony Catania and Ingo Kays. The single's success transformed him into a global star at age 53.
Scatman John's unique fusion of scat singing with dance music resonated worldwide, particularly in Japan, where his album "Scatman's World" sold over a million copies. Beyond music, he was an advocate for the stuttering community, establishing the Scatland Foundation in 1996 and receiving the Annie Glenn Award for his contributions. Larkin passed away on December 3, 1999, in Los Angeles, California, leaving behind a legacy of inspiration and innovation in music.
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