Scatman John

By adding traditional jazz scat singing to infectious Euro-dance rhythms, Scatman John became one of the most unlikely pop stars of the '90s, if not all time. While he was unmistakably a novelty artist, few novelty artists had a more fascinating life story. John Larkin, born in El Monte, California in 1942, had suffered from severe stuttering since childhood. He started playing piano at the age of 12, and became interested in scat singing after hearing recordings by classic jazz artists such as Ella Fitzgerald and especially Louis Armstrong, his primary influence. As he battle...