Dueling Pianos History

We often get asked at our shows about where Dueling Pianos came from, and its history.

Certainly, one of the most important chapters took place in Texas, beginning in 1986. A club called Alley Cats opened in Dallas, seeking to emulate the success of Pat O'Brien's in New Orleans, where two piano players sat across from each other playing copper-topped pianos and fielding audience requests.

At Alley Cats, though, they re-tooled the show to feature more current rock n roll music, and interspersed the songs with interactive bits and comedy, giving birth to the modern incarnation of "Dueling Pianos".

Here is a video from 1989, with players Jon Glazer and Dave Mathews amping up the crowd with a performance of DUELING BANJOS.

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