Top 15 Greatest Rock Piano Players

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1. Elton John

Elton John is one of the most celebrated and well-known rock piano players of our time. His career has spanned five decades, during which he has released 30 studio albums, sold more than 300 million records worldwide, and amassed a huge global fan base.

Born in 1947 in England, John began playing piano at the age of four. By the age of 11, he had already composed his first song. He went on to study at the Royal Academy of Music, where he honed his skills as a pianist and composer.

John’s professional career began in the early 1970s, when he started collaborating with lyricist Bernie Taupin. The pair wrote some of John’s best-known songs, including “Rocket Man,” “Bennie and the Jets,” and “Candle in the Wind.” John’s flamboyant stage persona and theatrical performances also helped him stand out from other rock musicians of the time.

Throughout his career, John has continued to experiment with different musical styles, from pop to gospel to film scores. He has won five Grammy Awards, an Academy Award, a Golden Globe Award, and a Tony Award. In 2018, he was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.

2. Jerry Lee Lewis

Jerry Lee Lewis is one of the most iconic and influential rock ‘n’ roll pianists of all time. A pioneer of the genre, his style was characterized by a hard-driving, fast-paced approach that was often compared to the likes of Chuck Berry and Little Richard.

Lewis was born in Ferriday, Louisiana, in 1935. His father was a sharecropper and his mother was a schoolteacher. He began playing the piano at an early age, inspired by his cousin Jimmy Swaggart, who was a well-known evangelist at the time. Lewis quickly developed his own unique style, which incorporated elements of both gospel and blues.

In 1956, Lewis signed with Sun Records and recorded his first single, “Crazy Arms.” The song became a hit, reaching the top of the country charts. Lewis followed up with a string of successful singles, including “Great Balls of Fire” and “Whole Lot of Shakin’ Going On.” He quickly became one of the most popular performers in the world.

In 1957, Lewis married his 13-year-old cousin, Myra Gale Brown. The marriage caused a scandal, but Lewis continued to find success. His career was briefly derailed in 1958 when he was involved in a car accident that killed another man. Lewis was charged with manslaughter, but he was eventually cleared of all charges.

Despite the scandal and the car accident, Lewis’ career remained strong throughout the 1960s and 1970s. He continued to tour and record, and he even appeared in a few movies. In 1981, he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

Lewis is still active today, touring and recording occasionally. He remains one of the most popular and influential rock ‘n’ roll pianists of all time. Thanks for Jerry Lee Lewis, rock ‘n’ roll will never be the same!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F569_t2jCio

3. Billy Joel

Billy Joel is one of the most successful American rock musicians of all time. His career has spanned more than five decades, and he has sold over 150 million records worldwide. Joel is a versatile musician, who is just as comfortable playing the piano as he is singing and songwriting. He has had numerous hit songs, including “Piano Man,” “Uptown Girl,” and “We Didn’t Start the Fire.” Joel has won six Grammy Awards, including the prestigious Lifetime Achievement Award.

Joel was born in 1949 in Bronx, New York. His parents were Jewish immigrants from Austria and Poland. Joel began playing the piano at an early age, and by the time he was a teenager, he was already performing in local clubs. He dropped out of high school in 1967 to pursue a career in music. Joel’s first album, “Cold Spring Harbor,” was released in 1971. It was not a commercial success, but it did gain Joel some attention from record labels.

In 1972, Joel released his second album, “Piano Man.” The album was a huge hit, and the title track has become one of Joel’s most popular songs. “Piano Man” helped to establish Joel as a successful recording artist. He would go on to release a number of other successful albums throughout the 1970s and 1980s, including “The Stranger” (1977), “52nd Street” (1978), and “Glass Houses” (1980).

In the 1990s, Joel continued to enjoy success with his album “River of Dreams.” The album was nominated for a Grammy Award for Album of the Year. Joel has since retired from recording new music, but he continues to tour regularly. He is currently working on a Broadway musical based on his life and music.

4. Freddie Mercury

Freddie Mercury was a British singer, songwriter and record producer, known as the lead vocalist of the rock band Queen. He is considered one of the greatest rock piano players of all time.

Born in Zanzibar as Farrokh Bulsara to parents from India, Mercury spent most of his childhood in India and began taking piano lessons at the age of seven. When he was eighteen, he moved to England to study art before joining Queen in 1970. Mercury wrote numerous hits for Queen, including “Bohemian Rhapsody”, “Killer Queen”, “Somebody to Love”, and “We Are the Champions”. He also served as the band’s primary live entertainer, performing with flamboyant style and powerful vocal abilities. During his lifetime, Mercury released four solo albums and he collaborated with other artists on several occasions. He died in 1991 at the age of 45 due to bronchopneumonia brought on by AIDS.

Mercury was posthumously inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1992 and the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2001. In 2005, a poll organized by Blender and MTV ranked him as the greatest male singer of all time. In 2002, Mercury was placed at number 58 on the BBC’s list of the “100 Greatest Britons”. Rolling Stone ranked him 18th on its 2011 list of the “100 Greatest Singers of All Time”. Mercury is considered one of the most influential artists in the history of popular music.

5. Ray Charles

Ray Charles was an American singer-songwriter, musician, and composer. As a pianist, he played a central role in the development of soul music. He is often referred to as “The Genius.” His distinctive style blended gospel, blues, jazz, and country influences. He was a pioneer in the genre of rhythm and blues and is recognized as one of the most influential musicians of his generation

Born in Albany, Georgia, on September 23, 1930, Ray Charles Robinson was the son of Aretha Williams and Bailey Robinson. His father left the family when Ray was an infant and his mother died shortly thereafter. He was raised by his maternal grandparents until the age of five, when he went to live with his aunt Gertrude in Greenville, Florida. It was there that he first began to develop his interest and talent for music.

Charles began to lose his vision at the age of five or six and was completely blind by the age of seven. He enrolled in the Florida School for the Deaf and the Blind in St. Augustine where he learned to read and write Braille and studied musical theory, composition, and performance. He also developed his skills as a vocalist, learning to sing in a style that imitated the sound of gospel quartets.

In 1946, Charles left school and embarked on a career as a professional musician. He toured with various bands throughout the South before settling in Seattle in 1948. There he found work as a pianist and singer in clubs and bars. He also began to develop his own style, blending together the various genres of music he had been exposed to.

Charles achieved his first taste of success with the release of “Baby, Let Me Hold Your Hand” in 1951. The following year, he had his first hit with “I’ve Got a Woman.” These early recordings were made for the independent label Atlantic Records and established Charles as one of the leading artists in the rhythm and blues field.

Over the next few years, Charles continued to have hits with songs like “What’d I Say” (1959) and “Georgia on My Mind” (1960). He also began to experiment with other genres of music, including country (“I Can’t Stop Loving You” 1962) and jazz (“One Mint Julep” 1961).

In the 1960s, Charles became increasingly involved in the civil rights movement. He spoke out against segregation and racism and performed at several high-profile events, including the Selma to Montgomery marches in 1965. His song “Mississippi Goddam” (1964) was a direct response to the murder of civil rights activist Medgar Evers.

Throughout his career, Charles won multiple Grammy Awards and was inducted into both the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and the Rhythm and Blues Music Hall of Fame. He continued to perform and record until his death from liver disease on June 10, 2004.

6. Paul McCartney

Paul McCartney is arock piano player from England who has had an incredible career in music. He is best known as a member of the Beatles, but has also had a successful solo career. Paul McCartney was born on June 18, 1942, in Liverpool, England. His father, James McCartney, was a jazz pianist and his mother, Mary Patricia (née Mohin), was a former waitress. Paul McCartney grew up in a musical household and began playing the piano at an early age. He attended the Liverpool Institute for Boys, where he met John Lennon. The two became close friends and formed the Beatles in 1960.

Paul McCartney played a vital role in the success of the band, writing many of their biggest hits including “Yesterday,” “Let It Be,” and “Hey Jude.” The Beatles were one of the most popular bands of all time and their popularity only increased after they broke up in 1970. Paul McCartney continued to enjoy success with his solo career, releasing hits like “Maybe I’m Amazed” and “Band on the Run.” He has also been involved in a number of successful collaborations, most notably with Stevie Wonder on the song “Ebony and Ivory.”

Paul McCartney is widely considered to be one of the greatest rock piano players of all time. His unique style and ability to write catchy melodies have made him one of the most popular and successful musicians of all time.

7. Stevie Wonder

Stevie Wonder is a musical genius and one of the most successful artists of all time. Though he was born blind, he didn’t let that stop him from becoming a legendary musician. He started playing piano when he was just four years old and by the time he was in his teens, he was already signed to Motown Records. He released his first album, “The Jazz Soul of Little Stevie,” when he was only 12 years old.

Wonder went on to have an incredible career, releasing hit after hit. Some of his most well-known songs include “Signed, Sealed, Delivered I’m Yours,” “Superstition,” and “Isn’t She Lovely.” He has won 25 Grammy Awards, making him one of the most awarded artists in history. He was also inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and the Songwriters Hall of Fame. In 2014, he was given a Lifetime Achievement Award by the Grammy Awards.

Wonder is still making music today and is as popular as ever. He continues to tour and perform to sold-out crowds all over the world. His fans adore him and his music has inspired generations. Stevie Wonder is truly a musical legend.

8. Billy Preston

Billy Preston was a rock piano player who is considered one of the greatest ever. He played with some of the biggest names in rock music, and his style was unique and influential. He died tragically young, but his legacy lives on through his music.

Born in Houston, Texas, in 1946, Billy Preston began playing piano at a young age. His family moved to Los Angeles when he was 10 years old, and it was there that he began his professional career. He worked as a session musician for a number of years, playing on recordings by artists such as Jerry Lee Lewis, Sam Cooke, and The Beatles. In 1969, he joined the band The Rolling Stones on their US tour, and he also played with them on their album Let it Bleed.

Preston’s solo career began to take off in the early 1970s, with the release of his album That’s the Way God Planned It. The title track was a huge hit, and Preston became known for his energetic live performances. He went on to release a number of successful albums, including 1974’s The Kids & Me and 1976’s I Wrote a Simple Song.

Tragically, Billy Preston died in 2006 at the age of 59. However, his music continues to be loved by fans all over the world.

9. Rick Wakeman

Rick Wakeman is an English keyboardist, songwriter, television and radio presenter, author, and actor. He is best known for being a member of the progressive rock band Yes. Over his career, Wakeman has played over 100 different keyboards and synthesizers and composed several solo albums, including The Six Wives of Henry VIII and Journey to the Centre of the Earth. His musical style covers a wide range of genres, including pop, rock, blues, jazz, classical, and electronic music

Wakeman began playing piano at the age of five and later took up the organ. He started his musical career in 1963 as a session musician for David Bowie and Peter Frampton. He joined Yes in 1971 and played on their albums Fragile and Close to the Edge. He left the band in 1974, but rejoined in 1976 and played on Going for the One. He continued to record with Yes throughout the 1970s and 1980s, including on such albums as Tormato, Drama, and 90125. In 1989, he left Yes again to pursue a solo career

Wakeman has released over 50 solo albums, including The Six Wives of Henry VIII (1973), Journey to the Centre of the Earth (1974), No Earthly Connection (1976), White Rock (1977), Criminal Record (1977), Out There (1990), Return to the Centre of the Earth (1999), Live at Cadogan Hall (2010) and Piano Portraits (2017). He has been a member of the supergroup GTR, with Steve Howe and Steve Hackett of Genesis, and played on their only album, 1986’s When the Heart Rules the Mind. He has also played with Black Sabbath, David Bowie, Elton John, Cat Stevens, and Al Stewart

Wakeman has appeared as a guest on several television shows, including Breakfast Time and The Goodies. In 1985 he starred in the Granada Television series Rick Wakeman’s Criminal Record. He was a host of his own show on BBC radio station Radio 2 called Rick Wakeman’s Sunday Service (later renamed Rick Wakeman’s Bank Holiday Bonanza) from 1988 to 1992

In 2017, a documentary about Wakeman’s life and career, Rick Wakeman: Grumpy Old Picture Show, was released. The following year, he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of Yes

He has been married three times and has five children. In January 2020, it was announced that Wakeman had been diagnosed with prostate cancer. He is currently undergoing treatment and is expected to make a full recovery.

10. Ray Manzarek

Ray Manzarek was a rock piano player who is best known for being a founding member of the Doors. He was born in Chicago, Illinois, on February 12, 1939. Manzarek’s father was an electrician and his mother was a schoolteacher. He began playing the piano at an early age and took up the instrument seriously after hearing Jerry Lee Lewis play on the radio.

Manzarek studied economics at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), where he met Jim Morrison, with whom he formed the Doors. The band became one of the most popular and influential rock groups of the 1960s and 1970s. They released eight albums between 1967 and 1971, including their self-titled debut album , The Doors, which contained the hit singles “Light My Fire” and “Break On Through (To the Other Side).” The band broke up in 1971 after Morrison’s death.

Manzarek continued to perform and record as a solo artist and with various other musicians. He released 12 solo albums between 1974 and 2013. His final album, The Whole Thing Started with Rock & Roll Now It’s Out of Control, was released posthumously in 2014. Manzarek died at the age of 74 on May 20, 2013, from bile duct cancer.

11. David Bryan

David Bryan is an American rock musician and songwriter, best known as the keyboardist and one of the founding members of the rock band Bon Jovi. He has also co-written several songs for the band, including hits such as “Livin’ on a Prayer” and “Bad Medicine”.

Bryan was born in Perth Amboy, New Jersey. His father, John Bongiovi Sr., was a barber who owned his own shop. He is of Italian descent and has an older sister named Maureen. Bryan grew up in Edison, New Jersey and attended Catholic school before transferring to Sayreville War Memorial High School.

He began playing piano at an early age, taking lessons from Joe Monte and later studying with Hank Lane. He was a member of the school choir and orchestra, and performed in local theatre productions.

Bryan graduated from high school in 1980 and then attended Rutgers University. He dropped out after one semester, but continued to take courses in music theory and composition.

In 1982, he formed the band Bon Jovi with lead singer Jon Bon Jovi and guitarist Richie Sambora. The band’s first album, “Bon Jovi”, was released in 1984 and their second album, “7800 Fahrenheit”, came out in 1985.

The band’s third album, “Slippery When Wet”, was released in 1986 and featured the hit singles “Livin’ on a Prayer” and “Wanted Dead or Alive”. The album was a huge success, selling over 28 million copies worldwide.

Bryan has continued to tour and record with Bon Jovi for over three decades. He has also appeared on several solo albums by Jon Bon Jovi and Richie Sambora. In addition to his work with Bon Jovi, Bryan has also produced and composed music for film and television. He won an Emmy Award in 2013 for his work on the TV series “Smash”.

Bryan is married to April McLean and they have two daughters together, Ella Rose and Gabriella Lucia.

12. John Lennon

John Lennon was born in 1940 in Liverpool, England. His father, Alfred, was a merchant seaman who was rarely home, and his mother, Julia, was a homemaker. John had an older sister named Mimi. When he was five years old, his parents divorced and he went to live with Mimi. His early years were marked by extreme poverty and insecurity. He dropped out of high school at age 16 and started working as a messenger for British Railways.

In 1957, Lennon met Paul McCartney at a church event. The two soon became friends and formed a musical partnership that would last for over 20 years. In 1960, they formed the Beatles, which quickly became one of the most popular bands in history. Lennon was the primary songwriter for the group, penning such classics as “Help!”, “Yesterday”, and “Imagine”.

The Beatles dissolved in 1970, and Lennon embarked on a solo career. He released several successful albums, including “John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band” and “Double Fantasy”. In 1980, he was shot and killed by a deranged fan in New York City. He was just 40 years old.

Lennon was one of the most influential musicians of his generation. His songs continue to be popular today, and his life story has been recounted in numerous books and films. He remains an icon of the rock ‘n’ roll era.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v27CEFE02Hs

13. Mike Shinoda

As a rock piano player, Mike Shinoda has had a long and successful career. He was born in Agoura Hills, California, and started playing the piano when he was just six years old.

Shinoda’s parents were supportive of his musical ambitions, and he began taking formal lessons when he was eight. He quickly developed a love for rock music, and by the time he was a teenager, he was already proficient on the keyboard and had begun writing his own songs.

Shinoda attended college at the University of California, Los Angeles, where he studied communications. While he was there, he met future Linkin Park bandmates Brad Delson and Rob Bourdon. The three formed a band called Xero, which would later evolve into Linkin Park.
He has been with Linkin Park since the band’s inception, and he has played a pivotal role in their success. In addition to his work as a keyboardist and songwriter, Shinoda is also the band’s lead rapper and one of their primary vocalists.

Linkin Park has released seven studio albums, all of which have been hugely successful. The band has sold over 100 million records worldwide, and they have won numerous awards, including two Grammy Awards.

Outside of Linkin Park, Shinoda has also pursued a solo career. He released his debut album, Post Traumatic, in 2018. The album was well-received by critics and fans alike, and it debuted at number three on the Billboard 200 chart.

Shinoda is currently working on new music for both his solo project and Linkin Park. He is also continue to tour extensively, bringing his unique brand of rock to fans all over the world.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=reLYKavdiRo

14. Ben Folds

Ben Folds is one of the most popular rock piano players in recent years. He first gained recognition as the frontman of the band Ben Folds Five, who had hits like “Brick” and “Song for the Dumped.” After the band broke up, he embarked on a successful solo career, releasing albums like “Sunny 16” and “Supersunnyspeedgraphic, the LP.” He has also worked with a number of other artists, including William Shatner and Weird Al Yankovic.

Folds was born in North Carolina in 1966. When he was nine years old, he started taking piano lessons. He continued to play throughout high school and even played in some local bands. After graduation, he enrolled in the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. However, he dropped out after just one semester and moved to Nashville to pursue a career in music.

In Nashville, Folds met bassist Robert Sledge and drummer Darren Jessee, with whom he formed Ben Folds Five. The band released their self-titled debut album in 1995, and it was an instant success. Their follow-up album, “Whatever and Ever Amen,” was even more successful, spawning the hit single “Brick.” The band broke up in 2000, but not before releasing one more album, “The Unauthorized Biography of Reinhold Messner.”

After the break-up of Ben Folds Five, Folds embarked on a solo career. His first album, “Rockin’ the Suburbs,” was released in 2001 and was a huge success. It featured the hit single “Annie Waits.” He followed it up with the albums “Sunny 16” and “Supersunnyspeedgraphic, the LP.” In recent years, he has also released a number of live albums and compilations.

In addition to his work as a solo artist, Folds has also collaborated with a number of other artists. He has worked with William Shatner on two albums, 2004’s “Has Been” and 2011’s “Seeking Major Tom.” He has also collaborated with Weird Al Yankovic on a number of songs, including “Angry White Boy Polka” and “Foil.”

15. Little Richard

Little Richard was one of the most prominent and influential rock piano players of the 20th century. He was known for his flamboyant stage presence and his powerful, energetic style of piano playing. His music had a profound influence on the development of rock and roll, and he is considered one of its pioneers.

Little Richard began his career in the early 1950s, performing rhythm and blues in clubs and bars in his hometown of Macon, Georgia. He soon caught the attention of record label executives, who signed him to a recording contract. His first single, “Tutti Frutti”, was a massive hit, and helped launch his career into the stratosphere.

Over the next few years, Little Richard would go on to release a string of hits, including “Long Tall Sally”, “Rip It Up”, and “Good Golly Miss Molly”. He also began to experiment with his image and stage show, wearing outrageous costumes and makeup, and incorporating elements of gospel music into his performances.

In 1957, Little Richard abruptly retired from the music business, citing religious reasons. He returned to performing in the 1960s but was unable to recapture the commercial success he had achieved in his early career. He continued to perform and record sporadically throughout the rest of his life and was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1986.

Little Richard passed away on May 9th, 2020 at the age of 87.

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