The piano auction received a high bid of $98,888 at Charity Buzz!

Thank you to everyone who is sharing this Beatles Fairy Tale, all around the world.

Below you’ll find links to the broad scope of media coverage. But first, a bit of well deserved recognition. There aren’t enough words for all of us to adequately thank everyone who has been part of this epic adventure.

Thanks to the artist and her husband, Lori and Mike Gomez, for the restoration of the 1908 Kingsbury piano and Lori’s Beatles themed artwork, to New Orleans musician Barney Floyd for his work restoring the mechanics of the instrument, and to Ethel Knight, whose family heirloom became the canvas for this story.  Much appreciation to East St. Tammany Habitat for Humanity President and CEO Debbie Crouch, for her never ending faith in believing in what others said would be impossible and “whatever it takes” attitude, and to the Habitat Board of Directors for their support in this mission.

Our gratitude to East St. Tammany Habitat for Humanity staff for their invaluable assistance, especially ReStore Manager (and road trip warrior) Eric Jones, who remained calm and collected despite the anticipated ten hour, one way road trip turning into 30 hours of repeated breakdowns, and the additional three days as we awaited the repairs of the Habitat truck so we could return home. Your can-do spirit is amazing. Thanks, also, to Amy Kussmann for the heads up on Ringo’s concert dates. We’re incredibly grateful to everyone in the community for your support and encouragement throughout this journey, and to the media who have embraced this story and shared with their audiences, all of which have helped write the many chapters of this experience.

My personal thanks to the representatives of Sir Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr, Hard Rock Hotel and Casino Biloxi and KFC Yum Center in Louisville, KY, without whom none of this would have been possible. It was such a pleasure working with each of you. And last, but certainly not least, we extend a heartfelt thank you to Sir Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr for honoring the autograph requests, despite your policies to the contrary. You have given an entire community the gift of believing in fairy tales, and have provided a “Happily Ever After” beginning for a veteran and his or her family.

Other than the $3,000 artist compensation and the auction house fee, all proceeds from the auction are dedicated to the East St. Tammany Habitat for Humanity Veterans’ Build. With the auction results, East St. Tammany Habitat for Humanity will be able to build a new home as part of this initiative.

–Kim Bergeron

The Times Picayune: Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr-autographed Beatles piano raises more than $98,000 for veterans

picked up by

Beatles Radio

Bayou Buzz

Tuscaloosa News: Beatles Piano sells for nearly $100K

ABC News Radio: Beatles-Themed Piano Autographed by Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr Auctioned for Almost $100K

picked up by

92.7 FM, Norfolk, NE

96.6 JACK FM, Nashville, TN

KID X 101.5 FM, Rudioso, NM

KNEB 960, Nebraska Rural Radio Association

KVRN, Nebraska Rural Radio Association

KTIC, Nebraska Rural Radio Association

Columbus News Team, Columbus, NE

KVLC 101 FM, Las Cruces, NM

WFJA Classic Hits 105.5, Sanford, NC

106.5 The Train Classic Hits, Willmar, MN

100.9 BOB FM, Witchita Falls, TX

River Country 101.7 FM, Dixon, IL

WYBZ 107.3 FM, Zanesville, OH

KPVI Oldies 92.5, Ville Platte, LA

WIMZ Classic Rock 103.5, Nashville, TN

NOLA Defender: A Little Help from our friends/Beatles piano fetches $99K  for Habitat

picked up by

BeatlesNews8DaysAWeek

Paul on the Run

BeatlesDays: Beatles piano sells

Record Collector Magazine, newsletter

Examiner.com: Beatles news: Signed piano auction price zooms

shared by

BeatlesNewsToday

The Beatles News Reports Daily

NewsNow.com UK

TheBeatlesWebsite.com, April 10, 2015

AcrossTheUniverse.com – Beatles signed piano auction price zooms

Voice International News Stories, “Ultimate week’s highest Beatles tales”

Beatles News: How a signed Beatles piano made its connection (March 31, 2015)

World News Network.com: Your weekly Beatles news calendar

Examiner.com: Price of Piano signed by two Beatles up to 16K with nine days left to auction

Topix.com Price of Piano signed by two Beatles up to 16K

TheBeatlesWebsite.com: Price of Piano up (April 10, 2015)

ABC News Radio: Beatles themed piano signed by Paul McCartney & Ringo Starr

Music Universe: Custom painted piano autographed by Sir Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr up for bid

LAMP Newsletter, p 32-33

Tuscaloosa News – Tuscaloosa mechanic helps piano signed by Beatles reach destination

picked up by

Birmingham Observer

City News Line

European Car.EU

Habitat World/Habitat for Humanity International – One of a kind piano benefits Habitat

Charity Vault

Peace, Love and Hope for the Future. Slidell Magazine

Rare Signed Beatles Piano to benefit Habitat for Humanity, NBC33 Baton Rouge

picked up by

CNN News Wire and WTMA 1250

Fox8, High Point, NC

WGMB, Fox 44, Baton Rouge

The Glass Onion Beatles Journal

KABC 790, Los Angeles

KADN Fox 15, Lafayette, LA

News Radio 106.7, Atlanta, GA

The Baton Rouge Post

Helping to write a Beatles Fairy Tale, Franklin Favorite, Dec. 16, 2014

Diarios dos Beatles, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Beatles Fan Club NL, Netherlands

Surviving Beatles Sign Antique Piano to Help Raise Money to Aid Louisiana Veterans

ABC News Radio, Nov. 2014, and its affiliates:

KLOS 95.5, Los Angeles, CA

KOKZ 105.7, Waterloo, IA

The Loop 97.9, Chicago, IL

WHTT 104.1, Buffalo, NY

103.5 WGGR, Cincinnati, OH

The Eagle 99.3, Topeka, KS

96.1 Sox, York, PA

94 Rock, Norfolk, NE

Q106, West Lebanon, NH

Nash Icon 98.9, Worchester, MA

The Hawk 93.5, Columbus, NE

The Drive 99.7, Green Bay, WI

Columbus News Team, Columbus, NE

KVRN, Scottsbluff, NE

US92.7, Norfolk, NE

WFJA Classic Hits 105.5 Radio, Sanford, NC

KIXI 880 AM, Bellvue, WA

KQRS, Minneapolis, MN

KUGN, Eugene, OR

KTLO 97.9 FM, Mountain Home, AR

KVLC 101.1 FM, Las Cruces, NM

Radio Centro News

Beatles Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr sign piano for Slidell veterans’ project auction,

The Times Picayune, picked up by these publications/sites:

Paul on the Run, Nov. 2014

Free Republic, Nov. 14, 2014

BeatlesRadio.com, Nov. 14, 2014

Beatles Magazine, Nov. 14, 2014

Slidell Ladies meeting Beatles is pretty neat, Slidell Independent

A Starr Shines for Habitat Fundraiser, New Orleans Advocate

And the Peace Rocks we gave to Ringo, which he shared with fans around the world via Twitter. We didn’t see that one coming!