What a beginning

Just saw this clip from a Johnny Carson show way back on December 19th, 1985.  Carson's invited guest, Horatio Gutierrez, had shut his hand in a car door and had, at the last minute, to withdraw from his appearance as a guest.  Carson explained the situation to the audience.  There was already a grand piano on the stage, ready and waiting.  Carson asked whether there was anyone in the audience who could play the piano and who would like to come up and perform.

David Tolley was in the audience, having arrived straight from the beach.  He raised his hand and came up to play.

Double click to enlarge.

Tolley was born and raised in Ohio, one of eight children raised by a single mother.  After his performance on the Tonight Show, he returned a number of times.  He went on to have a distinguished career in music, writing seven musicals, a dozen albums and winning nominations for two Grammys.  He performed for four presidents (Ford, Reagan, Bush, and Clinton) as well as foreign dignitaries.  He has written music for Steve Spielberg and composed works for Disneyland Paris and Disneyland Tokyo.  He is an associate professor of music at Delaware State University.  

His videos can be found on YouTube and recordings on Spotify.  

An amazing story.