PIANO GIRL SEES LIFE FROM THE OTHER SIDE OF THE PIANOEdited by Madelyn Miller, the TravelLady
Publishers Weekly, which gave Piano Girl a coveted “starred review,” had this to say: “Goldsby regales readers with stories from her 30 years as a cocktail lounge pianist in this vivacious memoir. Starting out in dreary roadhouse bars and motels during the 1970s, Goldsby eventually worked her way up to tonier venues: the Marriott Marquis and the Grand Hyatt in New York City, a posh resort in Haiti, castles in Europe. Along the way there were false starts-an audition for the circus, a few months singing in an ill-fated all-girl nightclub act, a stint as a piano-playing stripper. It's all the stuff of comedy for Goldsby, who has a wicked sense of humor and a keen eye for the absurd. Playing in a bar is great, she figures, because she can watch the never-ending show on the other side of the piano: the celebrities, nobodies, drunks, tipsy matrons, stalkers, music lovers and music haters, and a rogues' gallery of colorful misfits. She even finds humor in her replacement at the New York Marriott-a mannequin seated at a player-piano. She also has a touching affection for her assorted co-workers, who include a waiter who charms everyone with his "tragic optimism" after having been diagnosed with AIDS, a restroom attendant who sells designer dresses out of a toilet stall for the handicapped and a waitress whom Goldsby inspires to start her own career as a pianist. This is a bighearted, funny, truly eye-opening memoir.”
Because of the book’s success, Goldsby has been invited to appear at several prestigious locations over the past year. Recently, Piano Girl fan Henry Steinway presented a Piano Girl evening at the Steinway Hall Rotunda in Manhattan, where she entertained an invitation-only audience with stories from her book and a concert of her original solo piano music. She then flew to the Salt Lake City International Jazz Festival where she performed a similar program with the musical assistance of Utah piano celebrity Emilee Floor, at the five-star Grand America Hotel.
Goldsby says: “The last year has been a whirlwind for me. What a privilege it has been to meet people like Henry Steinway and Marian McPartland. I even got to meet Bill Clinton at the All Things Considered taping. What a thrill! And I am so touched by the many enthusiastic readers who have shown up at bookstore events. It’s extremely gratifying to know that my work is being appreciated by such a wide spectrum of readers. It also does my heart good to know that I’ve been able to shed a little light on the life of a non-celebrity working musician.”
Robin is hard at work on a new CD production, and a novel, both of which are expected to be released in 2007. “But I don’t think I’ll ever give up playing the piano in bars,” she says. “I can travel the world, remain anonymous, and observe the best and worst of human behavior. It’s a dream come true for a writer.” You can read more about Robin Goldsby, her book Piano Girl, and her two solo piano recordings Twilight and Somewhere in Time, by visiting her website: www.goldsby.de Madelyn Miller was lucky enough to hear Robin perform at the Salt Lake City Jazz Festival. Read about it here
Madelyn Miller is a food and travel writer who loves music festivals NOTEWORTHY FAVORITES OF MADELYN’SMadelyn’s favorite CD's Madelyn’s favorite Music Festivals HOT NIGHTS COOL JAZZ Montreal Jazz Festival BEST BOOK ABOUT MUSIC MOST DELICIOUS CD |
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Ever wonder what life looks like from the other side of the Steinway? Read Robin Meloy Goldsby's acclaimed book Piano Girl: A Memoir, and you'll experience the world from the unique vantage point of a cocktail pianist—you know, the tall blond in the strapless black cocktail dress, sitting at the piano in the corner of your favorite hotel bar.
Booksense, the respected organization of independent booksellers selected Piano Girl as one of the Best paperbacks of 2006. “"Piano Girl is outstanding! Goldsby's sense of rhythm in her writing is as elegant as her piano playing. I recommend women of all ages pack this one for the airplane trip or the beach! You will never listen to cocktail lounge piano players the same way again."
In the past year, Goldsby has appeared on All Things Considered, The Leonard Lopate Show, and, most recently, NPR’s Piano Jazz with Marian McPartland. Robin Goldsby’s appearance on the Piano Jazz show sparked an invitation for her to record one of her original holiday pieces—“Magic in the Night”—for the annual NPR Jazz Christmas with Marian McPartland and Friends CD. Robin can also be heard on the NPR Jazz Christmas Special broadcast, which will air in December world-wide.
On the European side of the Atlantic, Goldsby recently performed a sold-out concert at Schlosshotel Lerbach, a beautiful castle featuring a Michelin three-star restaurant, located in Bergisch Gladbach, Germany. The two-language evening included readings from Piano Girl, compositions and texts from Goldsby’s CD Twilight, and stories written by Goldsby specifically for the Advent season. The evening was crowned by a five-course gourmet dinner in candle light.