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Signature Gallery
I’ve had the privilege of working for many interesting people including professional musicians, celebrities, etc., however I never thought to ask for any autographs.
Several years ago while servicing Holly Knight’s Steinway Grand Piano, Holly mentioned she had a new CD out listing many of the hit songs she’s written. Holly then offered to give me a copy and sign it to me for the many years of taking care of her piano.
Her kind gesture made me realize what a nice keepsake it was to have. Since that time, I have been collecting autographed mementos from some of my many talented clients.
To see Josh Groban playing our pianos; please scroll down.
Click each category to view my Celebrity Signatures
Celebrity Stories
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Here are a few photos from the shoot
Photos Copyright © GL Pianos
(Click photos to view) |
'Higher Window' music video - Josh Groban
Legendary music video director Wayne Isham shot this great video of Josh Groban in my
piano warehouse, on the back of an open bed truck and in an empty warehouse.
I supplied all the pianos for the video and even though the day was long
(from 6:00 am to 8:30 pm), it was a lot of fun! |
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Piano Video/Photo Shoot - Keith Emerson
(Click photo to view slideshow & read story) |
Artwork Copyright ©
ManInTheMountain.com |
‘Keith Emerson Band featuring Marc Bonilla’
I would like to thank Keith Emerson and Marc Bonilla for crediting me and my company GL Pianos on their CD ‘Keith Emerson Band featuring Marc Bonilla’ & accompanying DVD.
The album is excellent and the DVD (that comes with the import version) has interviews, behind the scenes, the burning of the piano, studio & concert footage, etc.
www.KeithEmerson.com |
www.MarcBonilla.com |
www.amazon.com
Here is the baby grand piano I sold to Rod Stewart as a surprise gift for his daughter in 2008.
He was very pleased with the personalized service I provided.
I also service Mr. Stewart's personal piano in his Beverly Hills home. A few months after purchasing the baby grand, Rod's assistant called and offered me compilmentary tickets to one of his rock shows.
Below are just a few of the many interesting people I’ve met.
Tim Allen: Through a recommendation, Mr. Allen visited my Piano Warehouse as he was looking for a good quality piano for his home (I remember him cracking jokes with me as I showed him different pianos). He chose a beautiful Kawai RX-1 that looked brand new and was just a few years old. At his request, I fitted a new QRS Petine player system on the piano (hence he says “it plays” on the DVD that he kindly signed for me). I also customized the player by moving the control box out of sight and turning it into a wireless system. Besides going to Tim’s home to tune the Kawai baby grand that I sold him, I also went to his offices several times where I had the privilege of being shown a few of his custom cars from his private collection.
Vanna White: Vanna (hostess of Wheel of Fortune), is one of my nicest celebrity clients. I have been servicing her grand piano for approx.15 years and Vanna always calls me herself to make the appointments.
Pierce Brosnan: For several years I tuned Mr. Brosnan’s piano in his Hollywood Hills home. He was always friendly and asked if I could give his son piano lessons.
Dennis Tito: Mr. Tito, founder of the Wilshire 5000 Index, was the gentleman who paid $20 million to be the world’s first space traveler in 2001. I found a Steinway B grand piano for his estate in Pacific Palisades.
Glen Ford: I worked on Mr. Fords Steinway baby grand at his home in Beverly Hills for ‘The Magic of Mozart Concerts’. He told me the story of how his piano was given to him by Judy Garland.
Henry Mancini: I tuned the pianos for Mr. Mancini and other musicians at CBS Studios, Evergreen-Radford Scoring Stage. On one occasion, I remember having to tune 2 old upright pianos (upright grands), slightly out of tune to each other to create a Honky-tonk piano sound for the movie soundtrack "Sunset" (this effect could have been accomplished with one piano however they wanted to use two).
Doc Severinsen: The original band leader from ‘The Tonight Show’. While tuning Mr. Severinsen’s piano at his home, I remember asking him if he wouldn’t mind playing his trumpet (from the other room), a bit quieter as I couldn’t hear to tune the piano. He of course understood being a professional musician.
Jon Brion: Jon Brion’s ‘Mini Piano’ is the smallest piano that I
have worked on.
(Click photo to view & read story)
Jamie Foxx: Mr. Foxx’s personal assistant Wendy called me (from a referral), to see if I could refinish his childhood piano; a 1952 Starck-ette Spinet. I let her know what I could do and how much I would charge. A few days after our initial conversation, Wendy called me again and said they would like me to do the work. I suggested that it would be best if I inspected the piano first before picking it up and made an appointment to see it at Mr. Foxx’s offices in West Hollywood. Upon inspection, I found the piano also needed major repair & restoration work.
As I knew Mr. Foxx was a very good pianist and would probably want to play the piano, I didn’t feel right just refinishing it. I then went ahead and made an itemized list outlining the problems the piano had and how I could repair them (if he wished).
Tracey Ullman: While working on Tracey’s Mason & Hamlin grand piano at her home, I remember Tracey bringing me ‘a cup of tea & biscuits’ which I thought was very nice and a very English thing to do.
Tommy Chong: Tommy & Shelby Chong are really great people. I’ve worked on their piano several times and was always a fan of
'Cheech & Chong'. Last time, while tuning their Yamaha C5 grand, Tommy told me a few stories of how he & Cheech first got together. Shelby & Tommy were also having a party/fundraiser at their home and invited my wife & I which we attended and had a good time.
Vin Scully: A legend in the world of baseball and the official
voice of the dodgers for over 60 years. Mr. Scully & his wife Sandra have been
my clients for approx. 20 years. Recently (2010), I gave their Kawai GS-70
semi-concert grand a full detailing at my workshop to bring it back to its
original gleaming condition. After delivering their piano back to them they were
thrilled and graciously invited me to join them for lunch.
By coincidence, their daughter and son-in-law also became my clients when they purchased a Yamaha Disklavier upright from me in 2009.
Alan White: Mr. White was in Los Angeles recording the ‘Yes’ album ‘Big Generator’. After I finished tuning the piano for him, he offered to play a few of the tracks (from the new album), in his home studio. I mentioned at the time that I was a ‘Yes’ fan and had many of their albums.
At the 2009 NAMM show (which GL Pianos is a member of), I saw Alan again and he signed the album ‘90125’ for me.
Ozzy Osbourne: I sold a piano to Mr. Osbourne’s live sound
engineer Greg Price and also sold a piano to his engineer Clay Janes - they were
both very impressed with my pianos. Greg mentioned that Ozzy was just gearing up
for the ‘Black Rain’ tour and invited me to a closed rehearsal at ‘Third Encore’
studios. It was a great experience and I met Ozzy, Sharon, Zakk Wylde, Adam
Wakeman (Rick Wakeman‘s son).
A few months later when Ozzy played at the Staples Center my wife & I attended the concert and Greg invited us to sit in where he was mixing the live show.
‘The Fabulous Baker Boys’: When I tuned and worked on the pianos for ‘The Fabulous Baker Boys’ movie, I met Michelle Pfeiffer, Jeff Bridges and Beau Bridges. As the brothers each played a piano at the same time (in the movie), I remember Beau was joking with me and asked which piano was the best so that he could play it rather than his brother Jeff.
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