John W. "Blind" Boone was an accomplished pianist and composer. He was born in Miami, Missouri, and raised in Warrensburg. He played and wrote both classical and ragtime music. Blinded during infancy, Boone had natural musical talent. He could play complicated music by ear. Between 1879 and 1927, Boone toured the country giving two-hour concerts without an intermission in theaters and churches. His house still stands in Columbia, Missouri.