Edward Kennedy "Duke" Ellington was an American jazz pianist, composer, and bandleader. He is regarded as one of the greatest jazz composers and a prolific performer of his time. Most of his musical works on instruments set standards for others, which were later adapted into songs. This renowned jazz musician exhibited his excellence in film scores and classical compositions too. Considered a very important personality in the history of jazz music, he liked to call his music ˜American Music' instead of jazz. A bandleader, pianist and a composer, Ellington was nicknamed ˜Duke' by his childhood friends for his gracious and well-mannered behavior. He was truly a genius in the sense of instrument combinations, arranging jazz and improvising music that made Ellington stand unique among other composers of his time. His reputation as a composer and bandleader is intact even after his death. He collaborated with many others and wrote more than one thousand compositions and many of his extant works became a standard in jazz music. Ellington and his orchestra saw a major career revival after an appearance at the Newport Jazz Festival, Rhode Island, in July 1956. He recorded for most American record companies of his time and performed in several films and composed several stage musicals. With his creative genius, Ellington elevated the perception of jazz to an art form on a par with other traditional musical genres.
Keyboardist, backing vocalist, and synthesizer player for the British metalcore band Bring Me The Horizon. He was nominated for Best Keyboardist in the 2013 Alternative Press readers poll.
Keyboard and synthesizer player for the metalcore band Motionless In White who released albums titled Creatures and Infamous.
South Korean pianist and composer known for his sold-out shows all across the globe. His biggest hits include songs like "Kiss the Rain" and "River Flows in You."
Antoine Dominique Domino Jr., popularly known as Fats Domino, was an American pianist, singer, and songwriter. A pioneering rock 'n' roll artist, his unique musical style has an immense impact on rock 'n' roll music in the 1950s. He became popular with his first release, ˜The Fat Man', and later earned widespread prominence with singles like ˜Ain't That a Shame' and ˜Blueberry Hill.' Born in a musical family, he learnt to play the piano at seven, and by the time he was ten, he had begun performing as a singer and pianist. He started playing the piano for bandleader Billy Diamond, who gave him the nickname ˜Fats'. After signing with Imperial Records, he released ˜The Fat Man', which he co-wrote with Dave Bartholomew. The single peaked at the second position on the R&B charts and created a record by becoming the first rock 'n' roll song to sell a million copies. He continued to churn out several hits with his distinctive style of piano playing and melodious voice. Despite his popularity, he faced racial discrimination on several occasions. After he started experiencing health problems in 1995, he stopped touring and attended local events only. Later on, he also stopped recording and preferred to live off the royalties from his earlier recordings.
Franz Liszt was a famous Hungarian composer and pianist. His virtuosic pianist skills were far more technically advanced than his contemporaries were. Apart from his talents as a piano artist, he was also a proficient composer, piano teacher, and conductor. His outstanding talents gave him the opportunity to become one of the most eminent members of the New German School or the Neudeutsche Schule. His father too was a musician who played several instruments and perhaps that's why many believe that music was embedded in his genes. Unlike many talented celebrities who bloomed late, Franz Joseph Liszt proved his mettle at a very young age and gained popularity across several parts of Europe. A string of setbacks following his father's death, in a way, distracted the Hungarian composer and the man almost died due to ill health. But the determined musician bounced back and continued pursuing music eventually. A concert of Niccolò Paganini inspired Franz Joseph Liszt greatly and he decided to leave no stone unturned to become a great musician. His works have said to have inspired several generations of music composers and he also enjoys a demigod status among many students of music even today.
Award-winning Chinese pianist who used his concerts to bridge international differences.
Scottish musician best known as the keyboardist for alternative rock band Snow Patrol. Simpson quit the band in 2013.
Canadian classical pianist best known for her mastery of Romantic-era composers. She is known as one of the foremost interpreters of Chopin and Liszt.
English musician who played keyboards and was a founding member of electronic rock band Depeche Mode.
American musician best known as the keyboardist for <a title='Marilyn Manson' href='/famous/marilyn-manson.htm'>Marilyn Manson</a> from 1989 until 2007. His stage name is a combination of singer <a title='Madonna' href='/famous/madonna.htm'>Madonna</a> and serial killer <a title='John Wayne Gacy' href='/famous/john-gacy.htm'>John Wayne Gacy</a>.
Jazz and fusion artist who composed many jazz standards. He helped establish the electric jazz fusion movement.
American blues keyboardist, songwriter, and producer, known for albums like 1966's Blowing My Mind and for his collaborations with artists like <a title='Bob Dylan' href='/famous/bob-dylan.htm'>Bob Dylan</a>.
Award-winning pianist who was named a 2014 National YoungArts Winner in the U.S. Other awards include first prize at the Juilliard Concerto Competition in 2014 and first prize at Kaufman Music Center International Youth Piano Competition in 2013. Her performances also extend to her YouTube channel, which has over 60,000 subscribers.
Liberace (full name - WÅ‚adziu Valentino Liberace) was an American pianist, entertainer and actor. He is best remembered for reinventing classical piano music and presenting them to his audiences through his larger than life concerts. Liberace's father was a French horn player who encouraged music at home. Liberace was a child prodigy and by the age of four, he could play almost any tune on the piano. When he embarked on his musical career he developed a trademark style of mixing classical piano tune with contemporary melody. The audience loved this innovation and his shows gradually became extremely popular. In addition, he presented the shows wearing exotic costumes like long heavy fur capes and building grand set-ups that included elaborate entrances and exits. His signature style was placing a candelabrum over his custom made piano. He even lived in a piano themed lavish home that reflected his flamboyant personality. For four decades he kept everyone entertained with his concerts and eventually became the highest paid musician in the world. He also created an impact on other great musicians like Elvis Presley, Elton John, et al.
American musician best known as the keyboardist for metal band Slipknot. Also known as "133" or "#5," he played alongside singer <a title='Corey Taylor' href='/famous/corey-taylor.htm'>Corey Taylor</a>, drummer <a title='Shawn Crahan' href='/famous/shawn-crahan.htm'>Shawn Crahan</a>, guitarists <a title='Mick Thomson' href='/famous/mick-thomson.htm'>Mick Thomson</a> and <a title='Jim Root' href='/famous/jim-root.htm'>Jim Root</a>, bassist <a title='Chris Fehn' href='/famous/chris-fehn.htm'>Chris Fehn</a> and DJ <a title='Sid Wilson' href='/famous/sid-wilson.htm'>Sid Wilson</a>.
Internationally known jazz artist and composer who performed and recorded with musicians like <a title='Arthur Blythe' href='/famous/arthur-blythe.htm'>Arthur Blythe</a>, <a title='Gary Bartz' href='/famous/gary-bartz.htm'>Gary Bartz</a>, and <a title='Kenny Barron' href='/famous/kenny-barron.htm'>Kenny Barron</a>.
Keyboardist, percussionist, guitarist, backing vocalist, and synthesizer player for the British rock band Bastille. The band was nominated for four Brit Awards in 2014.
Young pianist who first gained fame for appearing in season 9 of America's Got Talent, and making it to the quarterfinals. He later would win the Lifetime reality competition Child Genius, claiming the $100,000 college fund.
Keyboardist, rhythm guitarist, and backing vocalist for the electronic rock band AWOLNATION. The group is most well known for their triple platinum and Billboard charting single "Sail."
Keyboard player for the American rock band Portugal. The Man. who has also provided backing vocals and plays the guitar for the group.
Gained fame as a photographer and backup vocalist/keyboardist of the LA based band My Satellite in 2010. She later joined the bands Bullet Height, Losers and IAMX.
Diana Jean Krall is a Canadian jazz pianist and singer whose albums have sold over 15 million copies worldwide. She was ranked at the #2 spot on Billboard's list of jazz artists of the 2000-09 decade. Krall grew up in a musical household and started learning piano at the age of four. By the time she turned 15, she was playing jazz at a local restaurant. After completing her education at Berklee College of Music, she moved to Los Angeles to start her career as a jazz musician. She later returned to Canada and released her debut album, ˜Stepping Out', in 1993. In the ensuing years, she put out 13 more albums and won three Grammy awards and eight Juno awards. Her repertoire includes nine gold, three platinum, and seven multi-platinum albums. The talented artiste has also performed alongside the likes of Eliane Elias, Shirley Horn, and Nat King Cole. Particularly known for her contralto vocals, she is the only singer in the history of Jazz to have eight albums that have debuted at the top of the Billboard Jazz Albums. In 2003, she received an honorary PhD. (Fine Arts) from the University of Victoria.
Musician and educator whose training involved mentoring from notables such as Sergei Dorensky and <a title='Michel Dalberto' href='/famous/michel-dalberto.htm'>Michel Dalberto</a>.