(Photo courtesy of Pegasus News)
While walking through Dallas' NorthPark Mall, a place of high fashion, modern art, and exquisite landscaping, Senior Photographer Art Meripol and I came upon a real surprise: John Lennon's Steinway upright, the one where his peace anthem "Imagine" came to life.
Dallas? A shopping mall? I know. Strange, huh?
It turns out the piano, bought in 2000 for more than $2 million, owes its Texas home to pop singer George Micheal and Kenny Goss, a gallery owner in Dallas. Michael bought the rock relic at a Sotheby auction, and kept the honey-colored and plain-looking instrument in his London home. But, in what George and Goss call the "Imagine Piano Peace Project," Lennon's piano has been touring the US for the past few years in promotion of the song's intent. Places include: the MLK Museum in Memphis; an Oklahoma City bombing memorial service; Virginia Tech's campus; a Texas prison on the eve of an execution; and post-Katrina New Orleans.
Today, the famous piano sits in the upstairs of NorthPark, an odd home for the piece of 20th century history. But, visible to any and all, which in my book is exactly how Lennon would want it. For a Youtube rendition of "Imagine" accompanied by the late musician's personal piano, click below. The gospel singer takes a few seconds to gather vocal steam, but the clip is quite beautiful.
