Got a spare $150,000? The iconic piano used by Derek & The Dominos, the Allman Brothers and Lynyrd Skynrd can be yours

22 Nov 2024, 02:32 · louder

By Fraser Lewry
( Classic Rock )
published 22 November 2024

The grand piano heard on the outro to Layla is being sold alongside more than 600 other lots from New York studio The Hit Factory

(Image credit: Eaton & Brennan Auctions)

The most famous piano in southern rock is being auctioned and is estimated to fetch $100,000-$150,000. It's being sold as part of an auction of more than 600 lots associated with The Hit Factory, the New York City studio where albums like Bruce Springsteen's Born In The USA, Meat Loaf's Bat Out Of Hell and John Lennon and Yoko Ono's Double Fantasy were recorded.

The Baldwin grand piano, which is almost 100 years old, can be heard on sessions for Derek & The Dominos' Layla, The Allman Brothers Band’s Eat a Peach and Lynyrd Skynyrd’s Street Survivors, as well as on songs by Aretha Franklin, the Bee Gees and Ray Charles.

"Keeping that piano was more than holding onto an instrument," says Danielle Germarno, daughter of the late producer Ed Germarno, who bought the studio in 1975. "It was preserving a tangible piece of music legacy, where each note, each scratch, each sign of wear holds stories of artists pouring their souls into the music."

The piano is accompanied by a framed display featuring the album cover, track sheets, session photographs and an original copy of the Layla album signed and inscribed by producer Tom Dowd. The successful bidder will also receive an RIAA Platinum sales award for Layla presented to Criteria Recording Studios, the Miami studio Ed Germano purchased in 1998.

Among the other lots up for grabs are RIAA sales awards for albums by Bob Dylan, Aerosmith, Kiss, Eric Clapton, David Bowie, Eagles, Fleetwood Mac, the Rolling Stones and U2.

The auction closes on December 4. Online bids can be placed now.

Classic Rock Newsletter

Contact me with news and offers from other Future brandsReceive email from us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsors

More about classic rock

Album review: Bryan Adams - Live At The Royal Albert Hall 2024

"An AC/Leppard mongrel that's 50% party soundtrack and 50% time travel": Crossbone Skully's Evil World Machine is gloriously daft, but it's also glorious
Latest

"A forest of invention and great songs": Joan Armatrading does serious harm to electric guitars on How Did This Happen And What Does It Now Mean
See more latest ►

Fraser Lewry

Online Editor at Louder/Classic Rock magazine since 2014. 38 years in music industry, online for 25. Also bylines for: Metal Hammer, Prog Magazine, The Word Magazine, The Guardian, The New Statesman, Saga, Music365. Former Head of Music at Xfm Radio, A&R at Fiction Records, early blogger, ex-roadie, published author. Once appeared in a Cure video dressed as a cowboy, and thinks any situation can be improved by the introduction of cats. Favourite Serbian trumpeter: Dejan Petrović.

"I love programming all of the pre-show house music": Listen to the audience playlist Mike Portnoy compiled for the Dream Theater tour

Green Day, The Prodigy, Misfits and more announced for Coachella 2025

"My idea was making The Wall, but with a better wardrobe and more glamourous": Miley Cyrus says her upcoming album was inspired by Pink Floyd

“You see this thing on people's faces, this awakening moment, when they're going, There's a possibility here.” David Gilmour recalls the exact moment Pink Floyd's Syd Barrett tribute Shine On You Crazy Diamond was born in a scuzzy London rehearsal room

Fred Durst having a conversation with a goblin is the most deranged non-interview of 2024

Coheed And Cambria announce third Vaxis album The Father Of Make Believe

Genesis announce 50th Anniversary Super Deluxe Edition of The Lamb Lies Down On Broadway

Listen to the stories of Ozzy, Sammy Hagar, Bruce Springsteen and more for FREE - score 3 free months of Amazon Music Unlimited now with Audible

“I was bleeding everywhere. It was wild!” Atreyu bassist has “a dent in my skull” after opening for Iron Maiden

"We’re so excited to show you what we’ve been working on." Horsegirl announce new album Phonetics On and On, share first single 2468, reveal US tour plans

More about classic rock

Album review: Bryan Adams - Live At The Royal Albert Hall 2024