Ringo Starr, one of the two surviving members of The Beatles, autographs an heirloom piano that was refurbished and turned into a work of art to raise money for veterans' homes. (Kim Bergeron for East St. Tammany Habitat for Humanity).
Posted on 11/14/2014 11:26:58 AM PST by BBell
Everybody loves the Beatles. That's the first thought that came to Slidell artist Lori Gomez's mind as she tried to come up with a theme to transform a century-old, donated piano into a work of art.
The piano would be auctioned to help raise money to build veterans' homes in east St Tammany Parish, and so Gomez set about refurbishing and then painting the colorful Beatles artwork onto it.
But two final touches have made the upright, antique piano more rare and valuable than anyone involved in the upcoming auction ever imagined: personal autographs by both Ringo Starr and Sir Paul McCartney, the only two surviving members of The Beatles.
"I had no idea it would turn into this," Gomez said.
In a tale of destiny, aided by a good deal of persistence, Kim Bergeron, an art auction committee member for the East St. Tammany Habitat for Humanity, sought to have the piano autographed in time for the organization's seventh annual "Home is Where Art Is" gala on Nov. 21. Proceeds from the piano's auction will go toward the non-profit's Veterans Build project. Proceeds from the gala will assist in Habitat's overall mission of providing affordable housing for deserving families.
Bergeron first reached out to McCartney, who performed in New Orleans Oct. 11. Then, after hearing from her friend Amy Kaussman that Starr had a tour stop at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Biloxi, Bergeron contacted his representatives on Oct. 17.
"Ours was the only autograph in Biloxi, and ours was the only autograph in Louisville. They do not sign autographs, so it's huge," Bergeron said. "This was persistence, and the story, the story behind the piano itself, the organization, the proceeds going to the veterans' build. It's the whole story. It really is a
(Excerpt) Read more at nola.com ...
I hope the piano can fetch a good price at auction. It's possible it may be worth enough to build 10 or more house.
Ringo Starr, one of the two surviving members of The Beatles, autographs an heirloom piano that was refurbished and turned into a work of art to raise money for veterans' homes. (Kim Bergeron for East St. Tammany Habitat for Humanity).
Yoko would like the auction to know she can make room in her tight schedule to sign it as well.
Not everybody.
Maybe she can sing for them. chortle.
If only Mark David Chapman had aimed a few feet to the right.
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