In the Van Zandt Community Hall, visitors are free to plonk away at an antique piano that is said to have been played by Bing Crosby and “the Rat Pack.”
“It is an older piano, and so it has a kind of timbre which is a little Western,” said Jeff Margolis, chair of the South Fork Valley Community Association.
Margolis said the piano came from a family in Acme around 2012. The instrument costs about $500 to move.
Once at the community hall, the piano was tuned by the late David Steege, a prolific area piano tuner who worked as a piano technician at Western Washington University for more than 30 years.
“As far as I’m concerned — and I’ve been involved in the music world for most of my life — it’s serious business to have that piano in the community hall,” Margolis said.
Although Margolis does not have proof of the piano’s previous notable players, the instrument has been loved by many hands since finding a new home at the hall. Community members are encouraged to play the piano on Third Thursdays, when a group gathers for an open mic and potluck.
“Anyone can come and play that piano and entertain,” Margolis said. “I’m the worst pianist on earth, but I have on occasion sat down at that piano and sang love songs.”
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Audra Anderson is CDN’s assistant editor; reach her at audraanderson@cascadiadaily.com; 360-922-3090 ext. 115.
