Path: bloom-picayune.mit.edu!snorkelwacker.mit.edu!americast.com!americast.com!americast-post Newsgroups: americast.twt.life From: americast-post@AmeriCast.Com Organization: American Cybercasting Approved: americast-post@AmeriCast.com Subject: MUSICAL CHIEF EXECUTIVES Date: Mon, 9 Nov 92 14:59:57 EST Message-ID: \SE D;LIFE \HD MUSICAL CHIEF EXECUTIVES \BY Laura Outerbridge \CR THE WASHINGTON TIMES When Bill Clinton and his saxophone check into the White House in January, he'll find himself in a virtual parlor symphony of past presidential musicians. Both Richard Nixon and Harry Truman were accomplished piano players, says music historian Elise Kirk. In a newly reissued book, "Musical Highlights from the White House" (Krieger Publishing), Ms. Kirk describes chronologically the musical events that have occurred over the years in the executive mansion, as well as the presidents' own instrumental abilities. "Few people realize there were so many presidents who liked music - some who played music and others who merely enjoyed it from a personal standpoint," Ms. Kirk says. "Truman could never pass a piano without sitting down and playing a few bars," she says. And "Nixon accompanied Pearl Bailey when she came to sing at the White House - they both joked about how she sang in one key and he played in another." As his presidency became consumed by the Watergate scandal, Mr. Nixon took to playing the piano late at night in the White House family quarters, Ms. Kirk writes. Other chief executives have used music as a form of release from the everyday stresses of the nation's top job. "We can laugh at Clinton for playing the sax," Ms. Kirk says, "but for the president of the United States it's a source of relaxation - he's not just getting up and showing off." John Quincy Adams blew his troubles away playing the flute, she says. Both Thomas Jefferson and Woodrow Wilson played the violin, and Franklin D. Roosevelt "was a very fine singer." Many presidents also were big fans of popular music - Chester Arthur plucked the banjo, for instance, while John Tyler and his 15 children formed a White House minstrel band, probably with banjo, bones, drums, guitar and country fiddle, Ms. Kirk says. According to the official lore of the U.S. Marine Band, Warren G. Harding was an enormous fan of band music. He told friends that he had at some point played every band instrument except the trombone and the E-flat cornet, and he occasionally played along during Marine Band rehearsals in the White House. More recently, President Reagan betrayed a little musical talent in the last days of his administration, recalls U.S. Marine Band conductor Col. John Bourgeois. "It was the day he was saying farewell to his staff, and I presented him with a Marine Band harmonica," Col. Bourgeois says. Mr. Reagan accepted the harmonica and played "Red River Valley," "which was rather poignant in a way." This article is copyright 1992 The Washington Times. Redistribution to other sites is not permitted except by arrangement with American Cybercasting Corporation. For more information, send-email to usa@AmeriCast.COM