Steinway & Sons, also known as Steinway ⁱ/ˈstaɪnweɪ/, is an American and German manufacturer of handmadepianos, and subcontracted pianos from suppliers sold under secondary names. Steinway was founded 1853 in Manhattan in New York City by German immigrant Heinrich Engelhard Steinweg (later Henry E. Steinway). The company's growth led to the opening of a factory and company town in what is now the Astoria section of Queens in New York City and a factory in Hamburg, Germany. Steinway is a prominent piano company, known for making pianos of high quality and for its influential inventions within the area of piano development. The company holds a royal warrant by appointment to Queen Elizabeth II.

Steinway pianos have been recognized with numerous awards. One of the first official recognitions was a gold medal won in 1855 at the American Institute Fair at the New York Crystal Palace just two years after the company's foundation. In 1855–62 Steinway pianos received 35 gold medals. Several awards and recognitions have followed, including 3 medals at the 1867 Exposition Universelle in Paris. Steinway has been granted around 130 patents in piano making, most of which have expired.

Sir Elton Hercules John, CBE (born Reginald Kenneth Dwight on 25 March 1947) is an English rock singer-songwriter, composer, pianist and occasional actor. He has worked with lyricist Bernie Taupin as his songwriter partner since 1967; they have collaborated on more than 30 albums to date.

In his four-decade career John has sold more than 250 million records, making him one of the most successful artists of all time. His single "Candle in the Wind 1997" has sold over 33 million copies worldwide, and is the best selling single in Billboard history. He has more than 50 Top 40 hits, including seven consecutive No. 1 US albums, 56 Top 40 singles, 16 Top 10, four No. 2 hits, and nine No. 1 hits. He has won six Grammy Awards, four Brit Awards, an Academy Award, a Golden Globe Award and a Tony Award. In 2004, Rolling Stone ranked him Number 49 on its list of the 100 greatest artists of all time.

John was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1994. Having been named a Commander of the Order of the British Empire in 1996, John received a knighthood from Queen Elizabeth II for "services to music and charitable services" in 1998.

Greg Phillinganes (born Gregory Arthur Phillinganes on May 12, 1956 in Detroit, Michigan) is an active session keyboardist in Los Angeles, California. He is a graduate of Cass Technical High School, Detroit Michigan.^{[citation needed]} Phillinganes was discovered by Stevie Wonder who heard a cassette of instrumental renditions of his own songs done by Phillinganes.^{[citation needed]} Wonder recruited Phillinganes for his Wonderlove band, where Phillinganes stayed from 1976 to 1981.

In 1981, he released his first solo album, Significant Gains. While the album itself was not very successful, he did manage to score a minor R&B hit with "Baby, I Do Love You." Three years later, he released his follow-up album Pulse, which featured another minor hit (and perhaps his best-known solo hit), a cover of Yellow Magic Orchestra's song "Behind the Mask" (with additional lyrics written by Michael Jackson). This single was much more successful on the Dance music charts. When he later joined Eric Clapton's backing band, Phillinganes would introduce the tune to Clapton, who covered it on his 1986 August album. Amidst his solo recordings and touring with Clapton throughout the 1980s, he became well known as a prominent session musician for a multitude of different artists, performing on many hit albums of the time. His session work has continued into the present.

Angelo Arciglione (born in Acri, 1982) is an Italian pianist.