Felix Arndt was an American pianist and popular music composer born on May 20, 1889. He learned music in New York, studying under teachers including Carl Lachmund. During his career, Arndt wrote songs for well-known vaudeville performers Jack Norworth and Nora Bayes. He was also very active in recording music, creating over 3,000 piano rolls for companies like Duo-Art and QRS Records. Arndt's life was cut short by the Spanish flu pandemic, and he passed away in New York City at the age of 29 on October 16, 1918. After his death, he was buried at Sleepy Hollow Cemetery in Tarrytown, New York. Despite his brief life, he made significant contributions to popular music in his time. He is most remembered for composing the piece "Nola" in 1915. This work is sometimes seen as the first example of a style called novelty piano or "novelty ragtime". Arndt's music in this genre left a lasting impression on early 20th-century piano music.