Who is Walt Wagner?
Walt Wagner (born 1943) is an American pianist, composer, and arranger based in Seattle, Washington. He is most recently known as the longtime pianist for Seattle restaurant Canlis. Wagner began on piano at age six, and took formal lessons in classical music while playing rock and roll on the side. Before he was born, his father had been a dance band leader. He played in a Seattle group called The Rebels, which later became The Exotics. The group was picked up by local radio station KJR, which resulted in bookings in dance halls throughout Washington state. Around 1960, The Exotics recorded a single for Jerden Records and opened in concert for Jerry Lee Lewis. In the 1960s, Wagner continued performing in Seattle-area restaurants, took college courses, and worked odd jobs, including at an A&W Restaurant, as a forklift operator for the Seattle shipyard, and at Boeing. Throughout the 1970s, Wagner played in Sun Valley, Idaho, especially during ski season, and toured internationally as the...
