Musical U.S. Presidents

Subject: Musical U.S. Presidents
From: GUEST,JMRnKY
Date: 23 Oct 03 - 01:00 PM

Has anyone ever made a list of American presidents who played musical instruments? I know that Jefferson and Tyler played violins, Chester Arthur played a banjo, Reagen and Lincoln played harmonicas(maybe?), Franklin Roosevelt,Truman and Nixon played the piano. And Clinton played the saxophone. Does anyone know of more musical presidents.

Subject: RE: Musical U.S. Presidents
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 23 Oct 03 - 01:09 PM

I imagine Dubya might possibly be able to play a kazoo.

Subject: RE: Musical U.S. Presidents
From: Charcloth
Date: 23 Oct 03 - 01:11 PM

George Bush is guitar player
it was said Andy Jackson was banjo player

Subject: RE: Musical U.S. Presidents
From: Amos
Date: 23 Oct 03 - 01:27 PM

GWB a guitar player? He could have won Florida legitimately, if true!! Or perhaps he was a guitar-player the way he was a diplomat and a leader and a "uniter" and a fighter pilot... sort of wannabe???

A

Subject: RE: Musical U.S. Presidents
From: Wolfgang
Date: 23 Oct 03 - 01:32 PM

Most musical president

Wolfgang

Subject: RE: Musical U.S. Presidents
From: GUEST
Date: 23 Oct 03 - 01:52 PM

Willie "The Liar" Fitskelly played the skin flute.

Subject: RE: Musical U.S. Presidents
From: Charcloth
Date: 24 Oct 03 - 12:02 AM

I meant George Bush (Sr.)I don't know about our current Pres.

Subject: RE: Musical U.S. Presidents
From: LadyJean
Date: 24 Oct 03 - 12:10 AM

I don't know about musical presidents, but a friend of mine from West By God tells me West Virginian politicians are almost all musicians. I think it was Robert Byrd she claimed played a wicked mountain fiddle. Yet another reason to admire Robert Bird.

Subject: RE: Musical U.S. Presidents
From: Nancy King
Date: 24 Oct 03 - 12:33 AM

Senator Byrd does/did indeed play fiddle. He was really good, too. I'm pretty sure there's a record album out there somewhere, and I'd sure love to have it. At one point we tried to get him to come and play at the Washington Folk Festival (the point of which is that all the performers live in the Washington area), but it never happened. Apparently he gave up playing publicly when his son, who played with him, died.

Not a President, but definitely an influential politician!

Cheers, Nancy

Subject: RE: Musical U.S. Presidents
From: LadyJean
Date: 24 Oct 03 - 11:25 PM

THANKS! Byrd opposed the war in Iraq, which took guts.

Subject: RE: Musical U.S. Presidents
From: RangerSteve
Date: 25 Oct 03 - 05:48 AM

Byrd's album was issued by County Records, but it's out of print.

Subject: RE: Musical U.S. Presidents
From: GUEST,Pete Peterson
Date: 25 Oct 03 - 10:29 AM

I would be pretty amazed if Garfield hadn't played something-- one of my historical "what if"s is the effect of Garfield's assasination. He was brilliant, (one of his hobbies was geometry & he proved a couple theorems that got published) and got himself shot by a nut case and all we have is a good song ("My Name is Charles Guiteau" by Kelly Harrell in the Anthology)
I never heard before that Roosevelt had played the piano.