Linda Ronstadt's Yamaha Grand Piano, Originally Owned by Peter Asher....

Description

Linda Ronstadt's Yamaha Grand Piano, Originally Owned by Peter Asher. A beautiful black-wood Yamaha grand piano directly from Linda Ronstadt's home, which she purchased from her former manager, Peter Asher, 14 years ago. That gives this piano amazing double-provenance, having been owned and used by both a legendary singer and one of the music industry's most respected veterans (and former #1 hit-maker himself).

Linda Ronstadt is one of the singing icons of her generation, and is considered by many to be the best female voice of the rock era - although she succeeded in many musical genres. She's a Rock and Roll Hall of Famer and Kennedy Center Honoree, and 10-time Grammy winner in addition to being awarded a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award. She was awarded the National Medal of Arts and Humanities, and has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Ronstadt notched 21 Top 20 hits in her career, and with over 100 million records sold, is one of the world's all-time best-selling recording artists.

When Ronstadt wanted a grand piano for her first San Francisco residence in 2006, she turned to a trusted friend. "Peter had it in his office for years," Ronstadt tells Heritage, referring to Asher's office in West Hollywood very close to the famed Troubadour nightclub. "We would go over there and rehearse, and [musicians] would be there just hanging out.

"James Taylor and Joni Mitchell played on it. Peter eventually managed Randy Newman, and he played on it a lot. I remember Ray Charles played on it. Nelson Riddle played it, demonstrating some ideas for arrangements. There was so much talent [in Los Angeles] in the 70's, you just took it all for granted."

In his Letter of Provenance included in this sale, Asher writes for Heritage, "This beautiful Yamaha piano was 'the office piano' at my company Peter Asher Management. As such I not only used it myself but it was played by many of my clients at meetings, writing sessions, preparation for recording sessions, rehearsals and informal evening gatherings.

"I have specific memories of Joni playing us new songs, of Linda practicing for an upcoming session with her legendary accompanist Don Grolnick, Randy Newman rehearsing 'When She Loved Me' with Sarah McLachlan for the Oscars, James and I working together for the JT album and many other more casual moments involving other members of what might be called L.A.'s music royalty from that era. Many Grammy-winning recordings include this piano somewhere in their complex and undocumented provenance!"

In the 1960's, Mr. Asher was once part of the British-invasion singing duo Peter & Gordon, who scored Top 10 hits in America with "A World Without Love," "I Go to Pieces" and "Lady Godiva."

About the piano, Ronstadt also told Heritage, "Eric Kaz has played me songs on it," referring to the composer of her staple "Love Has No Pride." "J.D. Souther, Jackson Browne... all the Eagles probably played it at one time or another. You had to be invited to hang out in Peter's office, and the piano was the center of that. Everybody had a new song they were writing.

"Carole King played it. Elton John. Lee Sklar. Jimmy Webb played the piano a lot; I love his songs, they're amazing to sing."

The piano comes with a matching bench featuring a beautifully patterned cushion, a fabric picked out by Mr. Asher's wife Wendy. You can see it in our last three photos of the piano in Ms. Ronstadt's living room, complete with plants and framed photos of her parents as decoration (not included in the sale, of course).

Shipping arranged through a third party shipper from San Francisco.

COAs from Peter Asher and Heritage Auctions.

For a brief story on this piano sale and lovely photo of Linda at the piano, please see .

More Information: This Yamaha G2 baby grand piano measures 58" across at its widest point, 56" across the top of the keyboard from outside black-wood edge to edge, 66" from front to back, and 38" high. Its serial number is E2472423. The bench measures 30" wide by 14" deep, and stands 18 ½" tall.