Floyd R. Bean was an influential American jazz pianist born on August 30, 1904, in Ladora, Iowa. He initially played drums for the Grinnell High School band but soon developed a passion for the piano. Bean began his professional music career in 1919 at the Linwood Inn in Davenport, Iowa, where he sometimes performed with the legendary Bix Beiderbecke.

Throughout the 1920s and 1930s, Bean played with various local bands and worked at the WOC radio station in Davenport. In 1933, he moved to Chicago, where he collaborated with notable musicians such as Eddie Niebaur, Jimmy McPartland, and Bob Crosby. His career continued to flourish as he played with Wingy Manone in 1940, led his own trio, and worked with prominent figures like Eddie Stone, Jess Stacy, Paul Mares, and Sidney Bechet.

In the 1950s, Bean performed with Miff Mole and Muggsy Spanier, and later joined Georg Brunis in 1953, maintaining this collaboration until the end of the decade. His associations during this period also included Bob Scobey and Bill Reinhardt. Bean was not only a performer but also an arranger and composer, known for works such as "Lazy Piano Man" and "I Never Thought I'd Sing the Blues."

Floyd Bean's contributions to jazz were significant, and he spent the last thirteen years of his life playing at various jazz festivals and local venues in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, until his death on March 9, 1974, in Marengo, Iowa. His legacy includes a collection of musical compositions, recordings, and personal papers housed at the Iowa State University Library.