Star's piano is key player

Apr 5 2005 By The Evening Chronicle

Rock star Dave Stewart's piano has sold at auction for thousands of pounds.

Sunderland-born Stewart, whose piano featured on hundreds of pop records over the past two decades, fetched £3,600 when it was auctioned yesterday.

A note, signed by Eurythmics songwriter Stewart which accompanied the piano, read: "I have watched the Bechstein piano being played by so many legends from Bob Dylan, Paul McCartney, Bryan Ferry and of course Annie who played it all the time.

"The Eurythmics wrote many songs in the church and this Bechstein Grand Piano was often used in the songwriting process and appears on many of our albums."

Stewart first recorded at the Church Studios with Eurythmics co-founder Annie Lennox in 1982 and the piano remained there until last year, when the studios were sold to singer songwriter David Gray.

The piano was then moved to Stewart's home in Surrey where it was used on recordings with current singing sensations Gwen Stefani and Joss Stone.

Stewart has since sold his Surrey home to move to the US.

Yesterday's sale was at Bonham's, New Bond Street, London, and the price included buyer's premium.