Abell, piano seller to the stars, dies at 75

02/15/2006 3:35 AM, Reuters


David L. Abell, whose Beverly Boulevard piano store served for 40 years as a resource for motion picture, pop, rock and jazz performers, died February 11 of lung disease at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles. He was 75.

Instruments from David L. Abell Fine Pianos were sought by Frank Sinatra, Gene Kelly, Stevie Wonder, Jackson Browne, Elton John, Andre Previn, Emanuel Ax, Quincy Jones, George Shearing, Tony Bennett, Benny Carter, the Eagles, John Williams and Steven Spielberg as well as those who used the stages at the Hollywood Bowl, the Greek Theater and UCLA's Royce Hall. He was the first dealer in Los Angeles to feature Yamaha and Bosendorfer instruments.

Known in Los Angeles as "the best friend jazz has ever had," he was a longtime supporter of the UCLA jazz studies program and established a musical scholarship there last year in his name.

In 1995, he spearheaded a drive to replace the music department of Washington Preparatory High School, which had been destroyed by fire, and helped raise more than $250,000 to replace the losses.

Abell was president of the Los Angeles Jazz Society and then chairman emeritus. He led the creation of the Bill Green Mentor Scholarship Program, and he and his wife established a scholarship for piano students in the name of Duke Ellington.

Reuters/Hollywood Reporter