Biography

Seventeen-year-old Chad Merkley has lived in Washington state his entire life. Chad is an only child. Chad has played the piano for nine years. He loves to play and finds it a way of relaxing and expressing himself. He is currently composing several of his own songs for publishing.

He has started a piano performing business called “Chad Merkley Pianist Extraordinaire” where he plays the piano for parties, events etc. Chad made his first CD at twelve called “Inspired" and made up of some of his own songs and some classical favorites. His latest CD “By Firelight” also features his own songs as well as some contemporary favorites.

He is currently performing at the Mill Creek Country Club in Mill Creek WA every Friday night from 6-9 PM.

When he is not on the piano at the club he is on the tennis courts 4 days a week. He plays in tennis tournaments at the Champs level.

Chad not only loves playing the piano he is a gifted writer as well. He is WA State's youngest published author for his book “Too Many Me’s”. Chad won the Steck-Vaughn Publish-A-Book Contest in 1998 out of 8000 entries nationwide. He named the main character in the book after his grandfather “Albert” Bud Armistead who was dying of cancer at the time and has since passed. His book was professionally illustrated, published and distributed world wide. This all happened when he was 8-years old.

Because of this accomplishment he has had all kinds of exciting opportunities. Chad has appeared on the Rosie O’Donnell Show, Evening Magazine and various news shows, been honored in Olympia by Governor Locke, and was a VIP guest of Al Gore at the White House.

Chad is currently in the 12th grade and an all “A” honor roll student at his school. His favorite subjects are creative writing, computer and drama. He has saved all of his royalties from his book and is saving the income he generates from his piano business “Chad Merkley Pianist Extraordinaire” for college.

Chad absolutely loves to write, play the piano, act, and play tennis. His hopes and dreams for the future are to first of all get a good education, then write a best selling novel, have it made into a movie with him acting in a major role in the movie, and compose and play the Theme Song for the movie. If he could win the U.S. Open in his spare time that would be great too. Chad has already realized his dream to become a published author so he knows if you work hard, believe in yourself and follow your dreams, dreams can come true.