Little Bit of Green

The musical instrument, the piano has been around for 500 years and people from all over the globe love playing the wonderful 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 great performer, singer and pianist is Ray Charles who is a blind musician who had an instant connection to the piano as a young boy.

Jerry Lee Lewis was born in 1929 and is known as one of the best rock and roll and country performers. He grew up poor in Louisiana and his parents mortgaged their farm to be able to purchase a piano for him since he began playing it as a little boy with his two cousins. He had difficulties with his personal life getting married six times and became scandalous when he married his 13 year old 2nd cousin that stopped his career for a decade. His piano playing ability finally won out though and he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of fame in the 80′s and is best 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 the masses. His energy on stage was high as he played the piano rapidly and frantically while singing and sometimes yelling 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 live with religion and music 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 combined rhythm and blues with gospel and blues to create soul music. He began to lose his sight at the age of 5 and was totally blind by the age of 7 from an untreated eye infection. He attended a school for the blind and deaf in Florida where he was introduced to music and the piano. His mother died when he was 15, he didn’t return to school but worked with various bands and nightclubs to make a living. This is when he began to wear his famous black glasses. He relocated to Seattle where he got his first recording contract and signed with Atlantic records where he got suddenly famous. He was named one of 100 Greatest Artists of all time from Rolling Stone magazine and strongly influenced future pianist performers such as Billy Joel.

These 3 pianists and musicians will be forever known as some of the greatest performers that ever lived and ones that strongly influenced the music in America.

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