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17 Aug 00 - 05:04 AM (#279450) Subject: American heros who played music From: Charcloth I have been wondering how many of American presidents & founding fathers played music. I have read Patrick Henry played the violin, Ben Franklin played the Harp, Abe Lincoln the harmonica, I read somewhere that Andy Jackson played the banjo. Mind you I can't verify any of this & was hoping other catters might know something of these & others. Oh yeah, I know G. Bush plays guitar & of course there's sax player in the whitehouse there has to be more. I can't help but wonder if there is a conection between great men & the Motzart effect |
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17 Aug 00 - 05:59 AM (#279462) Subject: RE: American heros who played music From: Shanti Among Thomas Jefferson's MANY other accomplishments, he played the violin very well and composed music for it. He was a Renaissance Man in every sense of the word. Harry Truman played the piano, as did his daughter. I think she played better than he did. Perhaps I shouldn't put his daughter's accomplishments in the past...I don't know if she's still alive or not. I'm sure a lot of the earlier leaders of the country played instruments or sang. After all, when they were growing up, that was the major form of entertainment. Musical ability or at least musical training was a sign of culture. |
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17 Aug 00 - 06:50 AM (#279471) Subject: RE: American heros who played music From: Naemanson I think Franklin Roosevelt played piano. |
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17 Aug 00 - 07:38 AM (#279486) Subject: RE: American heros who played music From: catspaw49 Don't forget that Franklin was also an inventor of the "Armonica" and considered it one of his better inventions. Went looking and found THIS WEBSITE for more info. Spaw |
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17 Aug 00 - 08:28 AM (#279493) Subject: RE: American heros who played music From: Whistle Stop I believe Nixon played piano as well (although nobody knows it, because Lauren Bacall didn't get her picture taken lounging on his piano). |
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17 Aug 00 - 08:35 AM (#279497) Subject: RE: American heros who played music From: catspaw49 Regarding Andrew Jackson.......His wife was reported to be an EXCELLENT bajoist and a guitar player as well. Their home, the "Hermitage" in Nashville has a guitar shaped driveway. Spaw |
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17 Aug 00 - 08:42 AM (#279501) Subject: RE: American heros who played music From: JedMarum thanks for the link, spaw - 'twas a very interesting sidetrack. |
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17 Aug 00 - 08:46 AM (#279504) Subject: RE: American heros who played music From: Brian Hoskin Hmmm . . define 'American hero'? I'm fascinated by the speed that this turned into a list of presidents. Brian |
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17 Aug 00 - 09:10 AM (#279525) Subject: RE: American heros who played music From: Charcloth I had thought that Jefferson played the violin, & I had forgotten about the aromonica. As A side Note I read a review on the fellow who's web site you posted, catspaw, He is supposed to have a very nice Christmas recording. In reguards to American Heros, I guess I'm mostly interested in Early American folks but anybody who would be listed in a high school history book would be of interst to me. Heck for that matter even noteable (no pun intended) persons though out world history would be of interest to me. (Especialy Scottish) |
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17 Aug 00 - 09:58 AM (#279554) Subject: RE: American heros who played music From: Kim C Supposedly Jefferson Davis played the fiddle. (now before anybody complains that Jeff Davis was a Confederate, let me remind you that before that he was the US Secretary of War, and a Mexican War hero.) Confederate General Jeb Stuart (who had also been in the regular army before the late unpleasantness)was reported to have been a very good singer. I don't know if he played an instrument but he always had musicians with him. His wife Flora Cooke Stuart (whose father was a Union general) played the guitar. |
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17 Aug 00 - 10:05 AM (#279562) Subject: RE: American heros who played music From: Mbo Kim, have you even seen the prewar picture of J.E.B. Stuart, clean shaven? I swear he looks exactly like Garth Brooks...it's spooky. |
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17 Aug 00 - 10:07 AM (#279565) Subject: RE: American heros who played music From: Kim C You think he looks like Garth in that picture? Hmmm..... I'll have to go look again. Although I think Don Henley bears an uncanny resemblance to US Grant. |
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17 Aug 00 - 10:23 AM (#279573) Subject: RE: American heros who played music From: Mbo Did I ever metion I look a bit like Ulric Dahlgren? --M |
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17 Aug 00 - 10:24 AM (#279574) Subject: RE: American heros who played music From: L R Mole Mark Twain played piano (loudly and enthusiastically, though his wife might have wished for less of both qualities) and travelled with a Martin "2 1/2-7", a picture of which is over my desk. (The guitar, not Mr. Clemens, who is up on the same wall...) James Thurber loved to sing harmony, barbershop or some varient, especially "Bye, Bye, Blackbird", for some reason. Joshua L. Chamberlain, hero of Gettysburg, was a good double bass player. As observed, pre-radio, a good guest was expected to have a party piece, either a song, or a poem, or a memorized oration, to entertain the company with. |
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17 Aug 00 - 10:50 AM (#279585) Subject: RE: American heros who played music From: GUEST,Pete Peterson at work Mbo-- does that mean that you have only one leg? but comically folks, 150 years ago one was expected to be able to play an instrument fairly well and as I read about that time it seems almost everybody could do SOMETHING besides their chosen profession. James A. Garfield even proved some famous unsolved theorem in plane geometry having to do with angle trisection. (no, he didn't discover a construction for doing so but it was something else related to that) |
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17 Aug 00 - 10:55 AM (#279587) Subject: RE: American heros who played music From: catspaw49 Well Pete there was US Grant, already mentioned, who claimed he was tone deaf and only knew two songs: "One is Yankee Doodle and the other isn't." Spaw |
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17 Aug 00 - 11:06 AM (#279595) Subject: RE: American heros who played music From: Mbo As far as I know, Dahlren didn't lose a leg. Was it on one the Kill Cavalry raids? --M |
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17 Aug 00 - 01:16 PM (#279674) Subject: RE: American heros who played music From: Rick Fielding Well I'll leave it up to others as to how much of a "hero" he was, but Dick Nixon most certainly played the piano on The Grand Ole Opry. Roy Acuff stood next to him and positively beamed. Rick |
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17 Aug 00 - 01:22 PM (#279678) Subject: RE: American heros who played music From: Kim C Wasn't Dahlgren the one whose wooden leg was captured? |
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17 Aug 00 - 01:23 PM (#279679) Subject: RE: American heros who played music From: Whistle Stop Brian, I think the original question was specifically about Presidents and founding fathers. If we're just asking about "American heroes," it's an easy one to answer -- Duke Ellington, Louis Armstrong, Charles Ives, Robert Johnson, Benny Goodman, Thelonious Monk, John Coltrane, Woody Guthrie, Pete Seeger, Elvis Presley, Bob Dylan, Jimi Hendrix... (no intended slights here -- I could have gone on forever) |
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17 Aug 00 - 01:34 PM (#279685) Subject: RE: American heros who played music From: Mbo I think you people got the wrong Ulric Dahlgren! |
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17 Aug 00 - 01:40 PM (#279691) Subject: RE: American heros who played music From: Mbo Well dang it was him! Funny, I never heard anything about his leg before. |
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17 Aug 00 - 02:51 PM (#279720) Subject: RE: American heros who played music From: GUEST, Banjo Johnny Bill Clinton plays a mean "Night Train" on tenor. == Johnny |
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17 Aug 00 - 05:21 PM (#279792) Subject: RE: American heros who played music From: Kim C Maybe Dahlgren used his leg as a percussion instrument. Back to the original question, though.... I think this has already been said but back in those days, a lot of people played instruments because live music was one of the most prominent forms of entertainment. There was no recorded music, no TV, no radio, so people had to make their own. And since dancing was a major form of exercise and recreation, somebody had to play the tunes! and if there was nobody to play the tunes, well, that's where mouth music comes in (babayagawatermelon)... although I don't know how prominent that was in the Colonies. |
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17 Aug 00 - 09:12 PM (#279898) Subject: RE: American heros who played music From: Charcloth Ok the tally so far ( I hope more comes in) Bill Clinton--Sax George Bush--guitar Richard Nixon--piano F.D.Rosevelt (&his daughter) --piano Harry Truman--piano Abe Lincoln--harmonica Andy Jackson (& Spouse banjo,spouse also guitar) Thomas Jefferson --fiddle Patrick Henery--Fiddle Ben Franklin--harp & aromonica Jeff Davis--fiddle J.E.B. Stewart--singer ( wife guitar) Mark Twain--piano |
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17 Aug 00 - 09:41 PM (#279909) Subject: RE: American heros who played music From: catspaw49 Whoopi Goldberg plays Hammered Dulcimer. Spaw |
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17 Aug 00 - 10:14 PM (#279935) Subject: RE: American heros who played music From: Nathan in Texas I've heard that Davy Crockett played "The Girl I Left Behind" during the last hours of the seige of the Alamo(though I'm not sure how this fact came to be known). |
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17 Aug 00 - 10:29 PM (#279947) Subject: RE: American heros who played music From: Lepus Rex Seriously? Whoopi Goldberg plays hammered dulcimer?! ---Lepus Rex |
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17 Aug 00 - 10:48 PM (#279966) Subject: RE: American heros who played music From: catspaw49 Yep....not a joke Lepus....its true. Spaw |
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17 Aug 00 - 11:02 PM (#279974) Subject: RE: American heros who played music From: Abby Sale Real heroes? How about On 9/24/1992/ Gamble Rogers (posthumously) received the Carnegie Medal for heroism. He drowned 10/10/1991, (age 54) while trying to rescue a Canadian tourist from a heavy surf at Flagler Beach State Park, Florida. The Park was renamed by the Florida Legislature in his honor. "He left this world holding out his hand." |
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17 Aug 00 - 11:06 PM (#279981) Subject: RE: American heros who played music From: DonMeixner Stormin' Norman Schwartskopf (sp?) plays Autoharp. |
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17 Aug 00 - 11:08 PM (#279982) Subject: RE: American heros who played music From: Mbo New York Yankee Bernie Williams plays Classical guitar. |
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17 Aug 00 - 11:25 PM (#280006) Subject: RE: American heros who played music From: Lepus Rex For awhile, on ads for the Gap, I think, didn't they have non-musical celebrities playing instruments? I remember William H. Macy playing harmonica, but that's about it... Wait, they aren't heroes. Damn. Spaw (if I may call you that), cool, 'bout Whoopi. For some reason, that's an instrument I have trouble picturing her playing. That and the zurna. Is she any good? ---Lepus Rex |
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18 Aug 00 - 12:49 AM (#280062) Subject: RE: American heros who played music From: Charcloth I think that is fantastic that Whoopi plays hammer dulcimer I know she is a great singer but I am totaly surprised about the hammer dulcimer. Is it true she also plays the piano? |
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18 Aug 00 - 12:59 AM (#280071) Subject: RE: American heros who played music From: GUEST, Banjo Johnny So does everyone think you have to play instruments to be a musician? What about singers? Doesn't singing count? What about writers & composers?? This prejudice towards instrumentalists is the cancer that is destroying our once great nation. == Banjo Johnny |
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18 Aug 00 - 05:39 PM (#280451) Subject: RE: American heros who played music From: Kim C Lucy Liu of Ally McBeal (I really hate that show, btw)plays the accordion. Seriously. Former TN Governor and one-time Presidential hopeful Lamar Alexander is a splendid piano player. |
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18 Aug 00 - 08:14 PM (#280508) Subject: RE: American heros who played music From: Bud Savoie Actually, Bill Clinton USED to play the sax, but then he became heavily involved with his whoremonica. |
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18 Aug 00 - 08:17 PM (#280509) Subject: RE: American heros who played music From: Bud Savoie Davy Crockett was a fiddler and composed a tune he called Col. Crockett's March. It is still played under a variety of names. |
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18 Aug 00 - 09:10 PM (#280537) Subject: RE: American heros who played music From: GUEST,m l mack Someone asked if Whoopie Goldberd plays piano. Study the musician's pectures on the Carla Bley "Liberation Music Orchestra" albums. The piano player looks EXACTLY like Whoopie. I can't remember the name, but I've always thought it was her. |
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18 Aug 00 - 09:13 PM (#280538) Subject: RE: American heros who played music From: GUEST, Banjo Johnny I am surprised to learn Whoopie Goldberg is considered an American hero. == Johnny in OKC |
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18 Aug 00 - 10:28 PM (#280555) Subject: RE: American heros who played music From: Charcloth Anybody know where I can get the tune Col. Crockets march? |
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18 Aug 00 - 11:28 PM (#280589) Subject: RE: American heros who played music From: winniemih The story circulating at the Puget Sound Guitar Workshop this summer was that after his inaugeration speech, thomas Jefferson stepped down from the podium and played "Over the Waterfall" on his fiddle. Too bad he didn't set a precident for the president! |
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19 Aug 00 - 12:42 AM (#280628) Subject: RE: American heros who played music From: Peter Kasin Fear not, Banjo Johnny - 1928 Democratic Presidential nominee Al Smith was a singer on the vaudeville circuit before he went into politics. |
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19 Aug 00 - 02:30 AM (#280659) Subject: RE: American heros who played music From: GUEST, Banjo Johnny Nice going, Chanteyranger! == Johnny |
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19 Aug 00 - 09:48 AM (#280726) Subject: RE: American heros who played music From: Charcloth Maybe I am dfferent but I always concidered singers as musicians I also think dancers are too, look at river dance, if a purcusionist is a musician then so is a dancer I had heard that Squire Boone ( Danniel's brother) Played fiddle And I can't remember his name but one of the men of the Louis & Clark Expedition played the fiddle for them |
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19 Aug 00 - 10:28 AM (#280735) Subject: RE: American heros who played music From: Art Thieme Bud Savoi, "whore Monica" is a great pun. I love it. Thanks. I'll use it (and probably take credit for it) ;-) Art |
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19 Aug 00 - 12:39 PM (#280781) Subject: RE: American heros who played music From: GUEST,Jim Dixon Jimmie Davis (I have also seen his name spelled "Jimmy") governor of Louisiana (1944-48 and 1960-64), is a country musician and songwriter. Some songs I have found attributed to him are "You Are My Sunshine," "It Makes No Difference Now," "Nobody's Darlin' But Mine," and "Come Home, Come Home, It's Suppertime." He is apparently still living, at age 100. See these web sites: http://www.peermusic.com/peerjimmie.html http://www.bear-family.de/tabel1/backor/internat/d/davis_jimmie/jimmie_davis.htm http://www.state.la.us/osr/other/mjf99-44.htm http://www.etrs.net/jdtribut.htm |
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19 Aug 00 - 12:42 PM (#280785) Subject: RE: American heros who played music From: Peter T. For Civil War buffs, I suppose among the most famous musical moments is the playing of "Kathleen Mavourneen" by Almira Hancock at the final farewell evening in California before her husband Winfield Scott Hancock and his bosom friend Lewis Armistead went into their separate armies (only to meet again at Gettysburg where Armistead fell at the high water mark of the Confederacy, and willed his bible to Almira). I have no idea if it is a true story, but it is a classic tearjerker.... yours, Peter T. |
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19 Aug 00 - 02:25 PM (#280811) Subject: RE: American heros who played music From: Bud Savoie The alternate name for "Col. Crockett's March" is "The Route", and it can be found in David Brody's The Fiddler's Fakebook, published by Oak. You can hear it on the Hammons Collection CD, and the enclosed booklet provides the notes. I believe another name for it is "Jenny on the Railroad." A great tune, one of those hypnotic ones like "Muddy Roads." |
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19 Aug 00 - 08:03 PM (#280922) Subject: RE: American heros who played music From: GUEST Whoopi Goldberg got her hammered dulcimer at the Folkcraft Instruments shop in Kent, Connecticut (now closed). Rob Brereton, hot modern mountain dulcimer player, managed the shop at the time and sold it to her. He told me, later, that she confessed that she kept it in the bathroom of her house in Kent. Seems reasonable, to me. I keep a variety of books in mine. No sense in wasting time (that's a pun for Catspaw). Sandy (bringing you all the important news) |
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19 Aug 00 - 08:35 PM (#280926) Subject: RE: American heros who played music From: catspaw49 Thanks Sandy.....Glad to have some backup on the story because it does sound odd. I had heard about the bathroom too and I think she mentioned it in a magazine article, but I looked today and couldn't find it. She also had a rack thing that set above the tub at an angle and I thought several times about taking a plywood prototype that I have and mounting it on a sliding rack above the tub....I mean, what a way to practice!!! Spaw |
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19 Aug 00 - 10:03 PM (#280960) Subject: RE: American heros who played music From: Charcloth Thanks Bud I will have to work on "the Route" & have to let my audiance know Crockett wrote it |
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20 Aug 00 - 01:07 AM (#281040) Subject: RE: American heros who played music From: Timehiker Texas legend has it that the tune Crocket played during the seige of the Alamo was "Will You Come to the Bower". There were survivors of that battle, women and slaves, so news of what happened inside was known. Sam Houston had his fifer play the tune at the Battle of San Jacinto. I believe that the fiddler for the Lewis and Clark expedition was York, Lewis' slave. Take care Timehiker |