Karen is married to Luke Cook and is a proud mother of two wonderful children, Jonathan and Emma. She graduated from Gateway College of Evangelism with her Bachelors in Christian Education and from McNeese State University with her Bachelors in Music Education. She was the music teacher at Tupelo Christian Academy, grades K-12, and toured with the Tupelo Children’s Mansion during her tenure there for seven years. She has taught piano, bass, guitar, drums, elementary music, junior and senior high school choir and band. She currently is the full time music minister at FUPC of DeRidder.

Karen Cook

“Piano Made Simple has been an instrumental part of my musical journey. The unique approach of focusing on concepts rather than songs set it apart, allowing me to apply flexibly to any piece. This method has transformed my playing and instilled confidence and a sense of freedom to ‘play’ with music. It is a gateway to continuous musical exploration, ensuring that boredom never finds a place. Thanks to this approach, my musical journey has been both enjoyable and ever-evolving, with endless opportunities to explore and enhance my skills."

Madeline Cox

Student/Teacher

“Piano Made Simple has enhanced my piano skills in every aspect. Taking a deep dive into the theory behind the chords has provided the fundamental building blocks to help me feel more confident in my piano skills. Complex concepts are broken down into simple, easy to understand ideas that can be translated across songs with ease."

Megan Barnet

Student

“Music theory can sometimes be a difficult subject, but this book really does make it easy to understand. This method has helped me progress by teaching me concepts instead of just songs. I recommend this for both teachers and students.”

Jamiee Mullens

Student

“Over FaceTime, I spent time learning how to play progressions, as well as learning techniques to make my playing fuller and more polished. I feel like I accomplished a goal that I had for many years in a short amount of time.”

Tessa Rejouis

Student

"This is *exactly* what I've been needing for years, but didn't know how to find. I have very basic piano knowledge from 30 years ago but wanted to grow my understanding of chords and music in general for songwriting. I'm being confirmed in somethings that I had intuitively had figured out and having things clarified that had confused me. It is laid out very simply. No extra stories or chatter, just lots of clear language and simple charts. I'm so thankful for this book!"

Amazon Customer

“Karen Cook has created a delightful new twist on an old idea! She breaks down playing the piano by ear by concept in a concise manner that anyone can follow. The book is a wonderful foundation for beginners as well as a tool for those who want to advance their skills. In addition, piano players can use this book as a guide when teaching others. You will not be disappointed”

Amazon Customer

“The title is appropriate, simple, easy to understand, without complications. What is necessary to be able to learn, and those who already know to polish our skills. ”

Amazon Customer