David Tolley’s life changed forever in a way he could never imagine. He studied the piano since he was just five years old, after his mother noticed he was talented. She arranged piano lessons for him in his hometown of Dublin, Ohio. One night, Tolley found himself in the right place at the right time and his life was never the same. Namely, Tolley was part of the audience of the Johnny Carson’s Tonight Show on December 19, 1985, when something unexpected occurred. Carson announced that one of the guests, classical pianist Horatio Gutierrez, was unable to perform that night because of a hand injury. He then asked if anyone from the audience knew how to play the piano. He picked one of the female contestants named Mary Joe and he then picked Tolley. Tolley performed Memories from the musical Cats and wowed everyone. His talent shone bright and the audience was in awe. The following day, Tolley’s phone wouldn’t stop ringing. He was showered with offers to perform at parties, events, and he was even offered to play roles in films.
Johnny Carson asked if anyone in the audience could play the piano. This man raised his hand, and his life was changed forever.
