In a city where seemingly every businessman and merchant professes to have some sort of link to Hollywood's elite, David L. Abell really did.
For more than 40 years, Abell sold pianos from his showroom on Beverly Boulevard to a veritable who's who of A-list film and music figures. The list was endless and transcended at least two generations.
The clientele spanned musical styles and eras. From old Hollywood, there was Tony Bennett, Benny Carter, Quincy Jones, Gene Kelly, George Shearing and Frank Sinatra. Representing rock and soul were Jackson Browne, Elton John, Stevie Wonder and members of the Eagles and the Moody Blues. From the classical world, Emanuel Ax, Andre Previn and John Williams bought from Abell.
Abell, the piano dealer to the stars, died of lung disease Saturday at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, according to his family. He was 75.
An astute businessman with an excellent musical ear, Abell is credited with being the first Bosendorfer and Yamaha dealer in the area. And if a piano was needed for an event at the Greek Theatre, Hollywood Bowl or Royce Hall, it generally came from Abell's store.
A native of Los Angeles, he was the son of immigrants from Lithuania and Russia who owned a leading auction house in the city. Abell graduated from Los Angeles High School and UCLA. He served in the Army during the Korean War.
He opened his piano business in 1954 on Beverly Boulevard, and it became the boutique location among the Hollywood set for its custom designs and specialized service.
In addition to surviving economic ups and downs, the business also came back from a fire that destroyed the store on Sept. 30, 1990, the day of his daughter Jami's wedding. Abell rebuilt the business almost immediately.
When he sold the business to Keyboard Concepts in 1999, Abell recalled special moments in the store.
"John Williams came in one day and spontaneously played the Prokofiev Third Sonata, and it was one of the greatest performances I've ever heard," Abell told writer Don Heckman for an article in The Times. "If I had heard it in concert, I would have been standing in my chair and cheering."
Another special moment was provided by Rock Hudson, who came in and played the "Pathetique" sonata, Abell recalled.
Beyond his musical acumen, the self-effacing Abell's efforts to support music programs in Southern California were well-known and highly regarded.
