Drake Riley
2,200 plays
24,053 views
24,053 views
I am a classical pianist disguised as a "cocktail" pianist. I have been playing the bar, restaurant and private-party scene for over 30 years. But, my heart and soul is in the "classics": Beethoven, Chopin, Liszt, Tchaikovsky, Grieg, Rachmaninoff, Prokofiev...and, more recently, opera: Donizetti, Verdi, Puccini. It is all great for listening. My audiences in the bars love hearing a little Verdi while sipping on a beer!Have you performed in front of an audience?I have been playing at the Clarion Townhouse Hotel in Columbia, South Carolina since 1981. I have played for some celebrity guests at the hotel such as Pete Townsend, Rick James, Marcus Roberts, Chris Zorich, Tony Rice, the late-great coach Frank McGuire, The Three Mo' Tenors. But, my most special moments are playing for the "regulars" who come in week after week and never seem to get tired of me (although I get tired of myself at times!).
Your musical influences
Composers: Beethoven, Chopin, Liszt
Pianists: Josef Hofmann, Igace Paderewski, Horowitz, Van Cliburn, Artur Rubinstein
2,200 plays
24,053 views
24,053 views
Admin
Drake
@drakethepianoman
