Frank P. Banta (1870–1903) was an American pianist, composer, and pioneer of the early recording industry. Born in New York City, Banta taught himself to play the piano while working as a piano tuner. By 1893, he had secured a position as the house pianist for the New York Phonograph Company, and shortly thereafter began leading "Banta's Parlor Orchestra." Throughout the late 1890s, he recorded extensively for various early record labels, including the Columbia Phonograph Company and Walcutt and Leeds.
The majority of Banta's career was defined by his work as the house pianist for Thomas Edison's National Phonograph Company. Renowned for his stamina and reliability, Banta performed piano accompaniments for more than half of the records in the Edison catalog during an era before mass-duplication, which required musicians to play pieces repeatedly. He was an early proponent of ragtime, and his recorded accompaniments represent some of the earliest surviving audio examples of the genre.
In addition to his prolific work as an accompanist, Banta was a composer who published at least fourteen pieces between 1895 and 1903, focusing primarily on ragtime piano solos and popular songs. Among his notable contributions are his original composition "Violets" and his arrangement of the famous "Laughing Song" performed by George W. Johnson. Banta died in New York at the age of 33 after a period of poor health, leaving behind a musical legacy continued by his son, the pianist Frank E. Banta.
