Nearly a century after it was built, the Jesse French & Sons piano at Valley Memorial Baptist Church continues to treat the congregation's ears with its sweet sounds.
It's unusual to see a 95-year-old piano that's still in use, much less one that plays well, said Betty Payne, who was surprised at the age of the church's piano when she joined the congregation several months ago and became the church pianist.
Valley Memorial Baptist Church pianist Betty Payne plays the church's 95-year-old piano.Payne said the piano is likely among the oldest still in use in a church setting, according to the church's piano tuner.
The tuner told Marie Janeway, whose husband became pastor at Valley Memorial two years ago, that the piano was probably more than 100 years old, and after researching the piano's serial number, she discovered that it was originally built in 1923-1924.
The piano had belonged to Lookout Mountain couple Martha and Jimmy Lawson, and had sparked the interest of a man who grew up in the church, Michael Rector, now an associate professor of voice and director of choral activities at Northwestern State University, according to Janeway.
The piano had been rebuilt, Rector told Janeway, and he'd coordinated the church's purchase of the instrument 30-35 years ago.
"It's easily played; it has a nice tone," said Payne, who has tickled the ivories of many pianos over the years. The Tiftonia native started playing at age 4, becoming the church pianist at Lookout Valley Baptist at 10. She went on to teach music at Chattanooga's Lakeside and Westview Elementary schools for many years, and continues to teach piano out of her East Brainerd home. "It sounds great to be that old," she said of the Valley Memorial piano.
Email Emily Crisman at ecrisman@timesfreepress.com.
Valley Memorial Baptist Church's Jesse French & Sons piano is 95 years old and is believed to be among the oldest in the area still in use in a church setting.
Valley Memorial Baptist Church's Jesse French & Sons piano is 95 years old and is believed to be among the oldest in the area still in use in a church setting.