▁The ▁St . ▁Louis ▁R ag tim ers , ▁became ▁a ▁widely ▁known ▁rag time ▁pian ist . ▁ ▁Biography ▁ ▁Tre bor ▁Jay ▁T ichen or ▁was ▁born ▁in ▁St . ▁Louis , ▁to ▁Dr . ▁Robert ▁and ▁Let it ia ▁T ichen or . ▁His ▁first ▁name ▁was ▁formed ▁by ▁revers ing ▁the ▁letters ▁in ▁his ▁father ' s ▁first ▁name . ▁He ▁studied ▁piano ▁from ▁the ▁age ▁of ▁five ▁and ▁was ▁influenced ▁by ▁hearing ▁the ▁rag time ▁piano ▁playing ▁of ▁his ▁mother ▁in ▁her ▁band , ▁L ett ie ' s ▁Colleg iate ▁S ync op ators . ▁ ▁During ▁the ▁early ▁ 1 9 5 0 s , ▁Lou ▁Bus ch ▁adopted ▁the ▁person ality ▁of ▁Joe ▁" F ingers " ▁Car r , ▁and ▁made ▁a ▁series ▁of ▁rag time ▁record ings . ▁These ▁record ings ▁might ily ▁influenced ▁Tre bor ' s ▁interests ▁in ▁the ▁direction ▁of ▁rag time . ▁According ▁to ▁the ▁noted ▁sources , ▁in ▁the ▁time ▁frame ▁from ▁the ▁mid - 1 9 5 0 s ▁to ▁the ▁early ▁ 1 9 6 0 s , ▁when ▁T ichen or ▁wasn ' t ▁acqu iring ▁first ▁a ▁high ▁school ▁degree ▁from ▁Country ▁Day ▁School ▁( 1 9 5 8 ) ▁and ▁then ▁a ▁b ach elor ▁of ▁arts ▁from ▁Washington ▁University ▁( 1 9 6 3 ), ▁he ▁was ▁sp ending ▁his ▁time ▁acqu iring ▁notable ▁collections ▁of ▁original ▁rag time ▁sheet ▁music ▁and ▁piano ▁roll s ▁and ▁making ▁contact ▁with ▁the ▁active ▁members