Remembering Scatman John Larkin

This page featuring Scatman John was put online for anyone who wished to share their memories or feelings about John. Scatman continues to be an influence to individuals who continue to discover his music, some who were born after he died. His legacy lives on.

Musician John "Scatman" Larkin passed away December 3, 1999, at his home in California. John, a person who stuttered, was known for his "scatsinging" and wrote that is was an example of how his "greatest problem has become my greatest asset." Professionally he was best known for his successful recordings in Europe on the BMG/RCA label. His first single, "Scatman" was recorded September 1994 and released in Germany December 1994. John wrote that two of the four verses of this song dealt directly with his stuttering. John received "Best New International Artist of the Year" in Japan and the German "ECHO" award for foreign artists. He also received awards from Italy, France, Poland, Hong Kong and elsewhere. His love for and work with the international community of people who stutter is a major part of John's legacy.

John is survived by his wife, Judy, who attended the National Stuttering Association convention with John in Buffalo, NY. Judy was Eddie Cantor's grand-daughter. Judy has sent three large pictures of Scatman that fans are invited to download.

People have asked me where Scatman John is buried. John's wife, Judy, informed me (personal correspondence, January 9, 2008) that it was his wish to not be buried, but instead to be cremated with burial at sea. This took place on a yacht off the coast of Malibu, California two years after his death with his many friends and a jazz trio.

  • On December 22, 2009, Jason McGuiness wrote, "I came across a sealed copy of John Larkin's Transition LP (or self-titled, on the Transition label). I picked up in a record lot, and just kept it b/c it had a song tribute to Coltrane & had Joe Farrell playing the sax on it. I started doing a little research & found this dedication page. I found his wiki page where I read that this LP is extremely hard to find, so it's an honor to have a copy in this condition, and to even be the 1st person to open it & give it a spin." I gave the LP to the National Stuttering Association for their auction fundraiser which brought in money to help support an organization John loved. (Judy Kuster)
  • John Larkin's Keynote Speech at the 1995 NSA Convention (video)
  • Scatman John Wiki a wiki by Jonathan Dolan
  • Scatman John from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.Those who are interested in learning more about Scatman John, seeing pictures and even hearing audio and seeing a video of some of his work are directed to:

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