Piano Inspirations The mountaintop. The best there ever was. The greatest of all time. A supreme voice for all of human history. Aretha was raised in the church and in her music the church is always nearby. Gospel harmony is, to me, the most American harmony. It is a rich & verdant garden. Aretha’s piano playing absolutely levels me. Her swing, her harmony & her feel are divinely anointed. ‘Amazing Grace’ is my favorite record of all time. She didn’t alway play piano, but when she did, the pairing of her voice w/ the keys feels like we’ve arrived at the mountaintop. Thank you Aretha. We would be so much less rich were it not for you.