Image is COPYRIGHT: Caroline Pratt, Elvis Presley Fans of Nashville
Elvis Presley's 24K gold piano will soon leave Nashville's Country Music Hall of Fame sometime after September 3rd. It will be a tragic loss for the museum.
Priscilla Presley gave the piano to Elvis at Christmas 1968 in honor of their first wedding anniversary which was May 8th. The piano is painted with 24K gold. Manufactured by Piano & Organ Company in 1928, the grand piano was originally white and was referred to as the “world's largest grand”. Its first owner was the Memphis Auditorium but it later got sold to the O.K. Houck Company, which owned it until 1955. The owner directly before the Presley's isn't clear. The piano stayed at Graceland until Elvis decided, in the early 70s, to give it to his Aunt Nash to use at her Church.
For 22 years the piano was leased to the Country Music Hall of Fame for $1 annually. Russ Kemppel, a business man from Ohio purchased the piano from Graceland for $2 million. Mr. Kemppel passed away January 2012, and now Mr. Kemppel's family is selling the piano to the highest bidder. Terri Fenn, a close friend to the family has tried her best to keep the piano in Nashville by reaching out to local Nashville private investors, music professionals and museums. Sadly, Ms. Fenn has not had any success in finding an interested associate. If Terri Fenn is unable to find a Nashville buyer, the piano will presumably go to a New York or California Auction company to be auctioned off.
Scott Ferrell, Kemppel Industries’ CEO and executor of the Mr. Kemppel's estate has given the Country Music Hall of Fame the required 90-day notice to end the lease.
Museum director of the Country Music Hall of Fame, Kyle Young has issued a statement:
"It is a marvelous piece of popular culture and our visitors enjoyed seeing it. We are grateful to the piano’s owners for loaning it to the museum for so many years. We will be sorry to see it go."
source: wikipedia.com & the Tennessean Newspaper
Priscilla Presley gave the piano to Elvis at Christmas 1968 in honor of their first wedding anniversary which was May 8th. The piano is painted with 24K gold. Manufactured by Piano & Organ Company in 1928, the grand piano was originally white and was referred to as the “world's largest grand”. Its first owner was the Memphis Auditorium but it later got sold to the O.K. Houck Company, which owned it until 1955. The owner directly before the Presley's isn't clear. The piano stayed at Graceland until Elvis decided, in the early 70s, to give it to his Aunt Nash to use at her Church.
For 22 years the piano was leased to the Country Music Hall of Fame for $1 annually. Russ Kemppel, a business man from Ohio purchased the piano from Graceland for $2 million. Mr. Kemppel passed away January 2012, and now Mr. Kemppel's family is selling the piano to the highest bidder. Terri Fenn, a close friend to the family has tried her best to keep the piano in Nashville by reaching out to local Nashville private investors, music professionals and museums. Sadly, Ms. Fenn has not had any success in finding an interested associate. If Terri Fenn is unable to find a Nashville buyer, the piano will presumably go to a New York or California Auction company to be auctioned off.
Scott Ferrell, Kemppel Industries’ CEO and executor of the Mr. Kemppel's estate has given the Country Music Hall of Fame the required 90-day notice to end the lease.
Museum director of the Country Music Hall of Fame, Kyle Young has issued a statement:
"It is a marvelous piece of popular culture and our visitors enjoyed seeing it. We are grateful to the piano’s owners for loaning it to the museum for so many years. We will be sorry to see it go."
source: wikipedia.com & the Tennessean Newspaper
NOTE from Elvis Presley Fans of Nashville, President Caroline Pratt:
"I have greatly admired Elvis' gold piano since first gazing upon it in 2002. Elvis' piano is beautiful, exquisite and such a delight to view! Having the piano on exhibit along with Elvis' white gold Cadillac truly made Elvis a visual part of the museum. Yes, Elvis has a plaque in the Hall of Fame, but the piano is so distinguished and spectacular! I have been a regular visitor to the Hall of Fame for years and I have spent countless Saturdays at the museum. When I bring friends and Elvis fans to the museum, I always show Elvis' piano off first! People are always amazed by the beauty of the piano. An inside source at the Hall of Fame informed me a few months back this would eventually happen, but I never contemplated it actually transpiring. The piano should not leave the Hall of Fame, and if it does it should remain in Nashville! Nashville loves Elvis, and yes we have other Elvis related sites, but visiting the Hall of Fame and not seeing the piano will be beyond bizarre. The arbitrary greed of people destroys so much! Losing Elvis' gold piano will indeed be a very tragic loss for the Country Music Hall of Fame and for the city of Nashville. I am absolutely devastated by this news."
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