The Wurlitzer electric piano, trademarked the "Electronic Piano" and referred to by musicians as the "Wurly," was one of a series of electromechanical stringless pianos manufactured and marketed by the Rudolph Wurlitzer Company of Corinth, Mississippi, U.S. and Tonawanda, New York. The earliest models were made in 1954 and the last model was made in 1984. Since then the Wurlitzer electric piano sound has been recreated on digital keyboards, and the vintage models are sought out by musicians and collectors. Prominent recordings featuring Wurlitzers include "Dancing in the Moonlight" by King Harvest, "Mercy, Mercy, Mercy" by Joe Zawinul, ""What'd I Say"" by Ray Charles, "I Heard It Through the Grapevine" by Marvin Gaye, "Queen of the Highway" and "Crawling King Snake" by The Doors, "You're My Best Friend" by Queen, "Miss You" by the Rolling Stones, and more recently "Two Weeks" by Grizzly Bear. Supertramp have used the Wurlitzer on several of their hits and the instrument provided their signature sound.
Read more about Wurlitzer Electric Piano: General Description, History, Variations, Sound, Maintenance Issues, Recent Users, Recorded Examples
Famous quotes containing the words electric and/or piano:
“A sociosphere of contact, control, persuasion and dissuasion, of exhibitions of inhibitions in massive or homeopathic doses...: this is obscenity. All structures turned inside out and exhibited, all operations rendered visible. In America this goes all the way from the bewildering network of aerial telephone and electric wires ... to the concrete multiplication of all the bodily functions in the home, the litany of ingredients on the tiniest can of food, the exhibition of income or IQ.”
—Jean Baudrillard (b. 1929)
“It is not always possible to predict the response of a doting Jewish mother. Witness the occasion on which the late piano virtuoso Oscar Levant telephoned his mother with some important news. He had proposed to his beloved and been accepted. Replied Mother Levant: “Good, Oscar, I’m happy to hear it. But did you practice today?””
—Liz Smith (20th century)