Scatman John

John Larkin - a fast-living, hard-playing, stuttering jazz pianist - overcame abuse, addiction, ageism, and obscurity to stage one of the most improbable debuts in pop music history by turning his greatest pain into his purpose. At 52, Larkin was a recovering alcoholic and veteran pianist, haunted by shame because of his lifelong stutter. His stutter meant he could scat-sing better than anyone else on the planet, grabbing and firing syllables like bullets - yet he couldn't even say his own name. But when a small, indie record label took a gamble on an oddball fusion of John's scat-singing and dance music, his life changed overnight: Scatman John was born. In 1995, his singles "Scatman (Ski-Ba-Bop-Ba-Dop-Bop)" and "Scatman's World" shot to #1 across Europe and Asia, turning a man who'd spent his life hiding into a global star. Audiences were captivated by the absurdity and charm of a middle-aged man in a fedora, machine-gunning syllables over a dance beat. But behind the novelty was a deeper story: John's scat-singing was creative camouflage for his stutter - his music, a last-ditch attempt to survive. When fame finally found him, he chose to reach others who felt broken or silenced, especially stutterers like him, by harnessing the one thing he was most afraid of: his voice. Based on rare archives and interviews with those who knew him best, this authorized biography is a redemptive, deeply human story of struggle, heartbreak, and triumph. For anyone who's ever felt like an outsider, this book inspires with a powerful message: your deepest fear can become your greatest strength, and your pain can become your purpose.

Gina Waggott is a writer, editor, and former BBC professional with a background spanning broadcasting, journalism, and disability advocacy. Her work has been published in The Times, The Sunday Times, The Independent, Reader's Digest, Significance Magazine, and over a hundred different websites for companies such as Microsoft and Amazon UK. A covert stutterer, she is active in several nonprofits serving the global stuttering community and its allies. Visit ginawaggott.com/

Introduction. The Unlikeliest Popstar Prologue. A Good Little Soldier Part I 1. The Ever-Present Saboteur 2. The Sacrilege 3. Be Someone 4. Girls and Booze 5. Portrait of the Jazzman 6. The Misfit 7. Happy Birthday 8. Secrets Too Hard to See 9. Jazz On the Gig 10. Working Class Hero 11. The Dance of John and Marcia 12. Speedball 13. Breath of Light 14. Going Out 15. Uncovery 16. Surrender Means Win 17. Oil and Water 18. On the Sunny Side of the Street 19. U-Turn 20. Don't Kill Me, But I Have an Idea Part II 21. The Stutter and the Scat are the Same Thing 22. Popstar 23. Let it Go 24. The Old Newcomer 25. Message To You 26. Scatman's World 27. Joyous Wisdom 28. Welcome to Scatland 29. Johnny Jetlag 30. Journey of Fantasy 31. Everybody Jam 32. One Confused Soul 33. Calling Out 34. Take Your Time 35. I'm Free 36. Can You Hear Me 37. Whatever God Wants Epilogue. To Be Continued Acknowledgements Notes