The musical instrument, the piano has been around for 500 years and people from all over the globe love playing the beautiful instrument. There are all kinds of pianos and keyboards that people play describes an owner of a grand piano cover and grand piano covers business. Some of the more famous pianists that started the rock and roll era, used the piano in the 1950′s like Jerry Lee Lewis and Little Richard. Another terrific musician, singer and pianist is Ray Charles who is a blind musician who had an instant connection to the piano as a child.
Jerry Lee Lewis was born in 1929 and is famous for being one of the best rock and roll and country performers. He was from a poor family in Louisiana and his parents mortgaged their farm to be able to afford a piano for him since he started playing as a young boy with his 2 older cousins. He had difficulties with his personal life having been married 6 times and became scandalous when he married his 13 year old second cousin that stopped his career for a decade. His piano playing ability finally won out though and he was named to the Rock and Roll Hall of fame in 1986 and is well known for the song, Great Balls of Fire.
Little Richard was best known for making the transition of rhythm and blues to rock and roll in the 1950′s introducing that type of music to a broader audience. His energy on stage was high as he played the piano so quickly and frantically while singing and at times screaming his vocals with as much excitement. At the pinnacle of his career he quit and wanted to become a minister after becoming a born again Christian. He went back and forth between the two careers until he figured out a way to blend them both in his life. He has been the recipient of more awards than can be counted including the Rock and Roll hall of fame and his piano playing influenced many artists in the future.
Ray Charles blended rhythm and blues with gospel and blues to create soul music. He started to lose his vision at five years old and was completely blind at 7 years old from an untreated eye infection. He attended a school for the blind and deaf in Florida where he developed his musical talent. His mother died when he was 15, he didn’t return to school but played in different bands and nightclubs to earn money. This is when he started to wear his signature sunglasses. He relocated to Seattle where he got his 1st recording contract and signed with Atlantic records where he got suddenly famous. He was listed as one of 100 Greatest Artists of all time by Rolling Stone magazine and greatly influenced future pianist performers such as Billy Joel.
These three pianists and musicians will go down in history as some of the best that ever lived and ones that greatly influenced the music in the United States.