Katherine Kennicott Davis was an American composer, pianist, arranger, and music educator born in St. Joseph, Missouri, who studied at Wellesley College and later with Nadia Boulanger in Paris. She taught music at schools including Concord Academy and composed over 600 works, primarily sacred choral music, cantatas, and educational pieces. Her best-known composition, ‘Carol of the Drum’ (1941), became famous worldwide as ‘The Little Drummer Boy’ after the Harry Simeone Chorale’s 1958 recording.

‘The Little Drummer Boy’ became one of the most recorded Christmas songs of the 20th century, and Davis directed her royalties toward funding music education at Wellesley College, extending her legacy into support for future musicians.

Sources:

• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Katherine_Kennicott_Davis