Just in time for National Piano Month, we’re reprising the story of one of the most influential players in the Southern piano scene and his connection to downtown's Starr Piano Building — a historic site now entering a new chapter.

Nashville’s piano boom

Jesse French moved to Nashville from England with his family at age 10. He quickly developed a love for music and began playing piano for a small band, which led him to start the Jesse French Piano & Organ Company in the 1870s.

At the time, Nashville was a small town bustling with residents with an eye for glamor and music. Seen as a product for the middle class, pianos were extremely popular and highly desired.

The company expanded to St. Louis in 1887 and became one of the South’s largest piano retailers. In Nashville, it had stints on Church and Union streets before moving to its final location at what’s now 240 Rep. John Lewis Way N. The Queen Anne-style property now known as the Starr Piano Building housed around 200 instruments from notable makers.

French moved to St. Louis in 1897, and the Nashville building deed was transferred to his brother-in-law, Henry Gennett. From then until 1929, it was known as the Starr Piano Company. The building later housed shoe, clothing, and beauty stores, according to city records.

A view of the Starr Piano Building in 2023. | Photo by Bill Badzo via Flickr

Striking a new chord

After sitting vacant in recent years, Nashville developer Anderson Jarman paid $5 million for the Starr Piano Building in 2021. The Arcade-area property is now being converted into four vacation rental units, each featuring four bedrooms and four baths.

With renovations set to wrap up this fall, the historic four-story building hit the market last month for $17.6 million. According to the listing, each bedroom will feature a different design theme + the lobby will be decorated with local art.