The Distinction of Fred Hylands

Every pianist has their own style, and as we study the accompaniments of the earliest acoustic recordings of the regular studio pianists of the 1890s and 1900s their different styles are obvious. Of these, one pianist clearly stands out from the rest. Fred Hylands was not from the East Coast, where all the other pianists came from. Hylands was from one of the regions believed to be the cradle of ragtime, and from this brought a unique style that can still educate listeners about vernacular styles of music. He was able to make even very mundane and simple accompaniments very interesting and distinct. Although forgotten in the century after his death, Fred Hylands’ accompaniments preserved an authentic ragtime style that wouldn’t be known to us otherwise. In 1896, the newly established musical craze of ragtime spread throughout white society, and took the music world by storm. At the same time, the Columbia phonograph company was setting up their new headquarters at 1155-1159 Broadway in New York, and with this big move from Washington they were looking for local talent. Edward Issler was still their primary accompanist at the time, but they were likely auditioning many other pianists for the job. Certainly Hylands charmed them and prove