Famous Piano Performers and Their Music

Jerry Lee Lewis was born on September 29, 1935 in Ferriday, Louisiana and he was well known for his wild piano playing style. Before he became famous as the rock and roll piano playing ball of fire, Jerry Lee sang gospel as well as country style of music.

Jerry is perhaps as well known for his marriage to his 3rd cousin 13 year old Myra Gale Brown as he was for his foot stomping piano playing live performances. Some people continue to speculate that it is this controversial marriage to Myra that led to the decline of Mr. Lewis.

Even though he is an amazing performer and pianist, Jerry had a lot of problems in his life that took his attention away from the piano. Because of (or maybe in addition to) his personal problems - Jerry Lee's career was not able to reach the height of stardom again, that he once knew.

He did make a slight comeback after appearing on the Steve Allen Show and since then he has suffered many tragedies in his life - including the death of two sons.

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Frederic Chopin is known as (one of) the best piano player ever. He was born in 1810, but the date is celebrated by the family of Federic Chopin on March 1st but his Christening papers hold the date of February 22nd. Some say he was born in February others say he was born mid March. Even though Chopin lived a very short life, his music has lived for generations.

He is the most noted piano player from Poland, a genuis who composed and played some of the most complicated music ever played but, his music is also the most beautiful ever heard. His distinctive style cannot be duplicated without giving credit to the originator of that particular sound.

Chopin was born to play the piano, his music ability was noted at a very young age and he was given private piano lessons by some great musicians during his time.

He played live concerts in Paris, England and Scotland and his music was known the world over. Chopin wrote piano sonatas, concertos, nocturnes and so much more. Every piano student the world over has played or will play some works by Chopin before they are through with their studies.

Known as one of the most popular pianists in the history of music Chopin will be forever remembered for his unique style and his brilliant works of musical art.

A short Frederic Chopin biography.

Born on September 23 as Ray Charles Robinson in Albany, Ga - Ray was known not only because he was a brilliant piano player, but, he was also blind.

Even though Ray was born with normal eyesight, (due to an accident), he began to lose his sight when he was six years old. By the time he was seven - he was completely blind.

His mother was determined to give him a normal life so she enrolled him in The St. Augustine School for Deaf and Blind and she died shortly after. His father died about two years after his mother.

While he was enrolled in The St. Augustine School for Deaf and Blind , Ray learned to play several instruments and he learned to write his own music.

Ray Charles was able to make a name for himself as a country singer, in jazz, soul while all the time playing that piano like no one else can.

Sadly, Ray Charles died on June 10, 2004 at the age of 73

Born on September 26, 1898, George started his music career at a very young age, by the time he was 16, he was already in his chosen field. He discovered his love of music when he was roaming the streets of New York as a teenager.

His piano teacher knew early on that he would make his mark in the music field.
Even though Mr. Gershwin was a great classical pianist, he was also well known as for his ability to play pop and jazz.

By the time he was 18, George already had his first song published - When you Want 'Em, You Can't Get 'EM, When You Got 'Em, you Don't Want 'Em - and from then on, he was a complete success.

In 1919, George (with the help of his brother Ira) had his first really big hit called Swanee which was sang by a man named Al Jolson and it was made into a 'record' and George Gershwin was now as famous as they come.

Even though Geroge Gershwin was immensley famous, he died at a very young age (1898-1937) from brain cancer and people all over the world mourned his death.

Billy Joel is known as The Piano Man not only because he is a phenomenal piano player but, also because he wrote the song Piano Man. This hit has never left the list of the most popular music and it remains one of Billy Joels best selling recordings.

Billy Joel was born on May 09, 1949 in Bronx, NY and he was raised a few miles away in a small town called Hicksville, in Long Island, NY. His first try at stardom was when he joined the group called The Lost Souls (originally known as the Echos ) when he was only 14 years old. When he was in his late teens, he was a part of a group called The Hassels- who released two albums.

In 1970, after The Hassels broke up, Billy joined with the former drummer of the band, named Jon Small and they formed the duo Attila

By 1971 Billy was on his own again and he released an album called Cold Spring Harbor - whose name was taken from a small town in Long Isand.

Maybe the rest is history but, just in case - here are some more Billi Joel albums.

Streetlife Serenade - 1974
52nd Street - 1978
An Innocent Man 1983
and many more in between.

Franz was born on October 22, 1811, in Hungary. He was a composer and a great pianist who became one of the greatest musicians of the 19th Century and beyond. He wrote and composed pieces that were unlike anything written before.

Thanks to his style of playing and his unheard of style of composing, Franz Liszt is considered as the person who made piano playing what it is today. Franz Liszt works of musical art are among the greatest ever written and his genius set new standards for piano players throughout the world.

Mr. Liszt was not only a superstar in his own right, he helped many other musicians propel their (own) career to new heights by featuring their music at his concerts.

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Sir Elton John was born as Reginald Kenneth Dwight on March 25, 1947. His home town is Pinner, Middlesex, England.

In the 1970's Elton John was the number one star. He was the costume king who gave us a eye and and ear full of pure amazement. When Elton john gave a live performance you were given a show that was like no other in terms of costumes, piano playing magic and an array of songs that were at the top of the charts.

Sir Elton John's songwriting partner, Bernie Taupin gave us songs that have yet to be equaled by any other songwriting team. Sir Elton is the (2?) most flamboyant stage performer to date - his costumes, eye wear, piano playing style as well as other magical extra effects were second to none.

Sir Elton's career has been steady throughout the years with composing, voice overs and appearances.

Sergei was a born on April 1, 1873 in Semyonovo, Russia and he was a composer and pianist who was know by many different names - Sergey, Rachmaninov, Rakhamninov, Rakhmaninoff - but, when he performed in Amercia, he was known as Sergei Rachmaninoff.

His music gave him the distinction of being known as one of the greatist pianist of the 20th Century. His skills allowed him to play pieces that were considered too difficult for the average player and his extra large hands gave him the ability to reach opposing cords that made his style of piano playing like no one else.

His style of music was old fashioned romantic, which was a style that was most identified with the 19th Century and Sergio Rachmaninoff live his adult life in the 20th Century. His mother was also a piano player who encourage Sergei to take lessons of his own. This early encouragement may be the reason he used a style of music from the era of his childhood.

The works of Sergei Rachmaninoff has remained a favorite for decades even though some of his first attempts at composing - including, First Symphony - were not well liked by the critics. The harst critiques caused Sergei to lapse into a state of depression and for years he stopped playing and composing.

Thanks to Second Piano Concerto, which he wrote a few years later, he was once again a favorite and he went on to write and compose music that has been loved for generations.

Richard Wayne Penniman better known as Little Richard, was born on December 2, 1932 in Macon, Ga. He is known for his flambouyant style as well as his in your face attitude, that ends with a finger snap.

Richard began his legendary career in the mid 1940's and he has recorded more than 40 albums. His hits include (but are not limited to);

Tutti Frutti 1955
Long Tall Sally 1956
Good Golly Miss Molly 1958
Bama Lama Lama Loo 1964
Great Gosh A'Mighty 1986

He has said on many occassions that he is the one who invented rock and roll, because before him, most performers were stiff and hardly moved at all. That is why he claimed that is the one who invented rock and roll, because that is what he did on stage - he rocked and he rolled.

Mr. William John Evans was born on August 16, 1929 in Plainfield, New Jersey. He was a a jazz pianist who career lasted for more than 25 years. Bill Evans was as popular to other pianists as he was to his fans because of his style of playing.

He was a composer and arranger as well as a gifted piano plyer. He was a the peson behind the idea of the jazz trio - the piano player, a bass player and a drummer.

Bil Evans died on Septem 15, 1980 at the young age of 51.