Hall of Presidents

George Washington (1789-1797)

George Washington served as the first president of the United States of America from 1789 to 1797. He left office prior to the creation of the Marine Band.

Image credit: Portrait of George Washington, Courtesy of the Library of Congress, Prints and Photographs Division

John Adams (1797-1801)

The United States Marine Band was established by an Act of Congress signed by President John Adams on July 11, 1798, and is the oldest continuously active professional musical organization in our country. The Marine Band is the only musical organization whose primary mission is to provide music for the President of the United States.

When the nation’s capital moved from Philadelphia to Washington, the Marine Band came with the president and made camp “on a hill overlooking the Potomac” near the present site of the Lincoln Memorial. The Marine Band presented its first public concert there on Aug. 21, 1800, beginning a tradition of summer concerts which continues to this day. President Adams invited the Marine Band to make its White House debut on New Year’s Day 1801, in the then-unfinished Executive Mansion.

Image credit: Portrait of John Adams, Courtesy of the Library of Congress, Prints and Photographs Division

Thomas Jefferson (1801-1809)

On March 4, 1801, the Marine Band performed for Thomas Jefferson’s inauguration and has performed for every presidential inauguration since that time. In Jefferson, the band found a visionary advocate and friend. An accomplished musician himself, Jefferson recognized the unique relationship between the band and the chief executive, and is credited with giving the band the title “The President’s Own.”

Image credit: Portrait of Thomas Jefferson, Courtesy of the Library of Congress, Prints and Photographs Division

James Madison (1809-1817)

In 1809, the Marine Band performed for James Madison’s presidential inaugural ball, the first ever held. The president, First Lady Dolley Madison, and their guests were serenaded with popular songs and dances of the period. Music became a vital element of the Madisons’ hospitality. The Marine Band played frequently at White House events including New Year’s Day in 1811, described by Catherine Mitchell: “When we reach’d the grand entrance the sound of sweet music entered our ears. ... Upon entering the spacious hall we beheld on one side a number of musicians playing enlivening airs for the entertainment of the company.”

Image credit: Portrait of James Madison, Courtesy of the Library of Congress, Prints and Photographs Division

James Monroe (1817-1825)

In 1817, James Monroe became the first president to take the oath of office and deliver the inaugural address to an assembled public crowd outdoors. The Marine Band was on hand to play for the newly-elected president and continues to play at every presidential inaugural ceremony.

Image credit: Portrait of James Monroe, Courtesy of the Library of Congress, Prints and Photographs Division

John Quincy Adams (1825-1829)

On Sept. 6, 1825, the Marine Band performed for a birthday celebration honoring the Marquis de Lafayette, a hero of the American War of Independence. President John Quincy Adams arose and proposed to him a toast in the White House. President Adams was responsible for another major change in White House social customs when he brought dancing to the White House on Dec. 15, 1828, to music performed by the Marine Band.

Image credit: The Marine Band performed at the ground-breaking ceremony for the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal on July 4, 1828, with President Adams in attendance. From the Historic Uniform Prints of “The President’s Own” United States Marine Band collection by Colonel Donna Neary, USMCR (Ret.)

Andrew Jackson (1829-1837)

President Andrew Jackson participated in the first inauguration held outdoors at the U.S. Capitol Building, for which the Marine Band performed. He also enjoyed hosting parties at the White House.

Image credit: Andrew Jackson taking the oath of office at the first inauguration held outdoors at the U.S. Capitol, March 4, 1829, Courtesy of the Library of Congress, Prints and Photographs Division


Crowd in front of the White House during President Jackson's first inaugural reception in 1829. Courtesy of the Library of Congress, Prints and Photographs Division

 

 

 

Martin Van Buren (1837-1841)

It was around the time of President Martin Van Buren’s administration that Marine Band concerts on the grounds of the U.S. Capitol began. These concerts continue today, taking place Wednesday evenings during the summer.

The blue dome seen on the print depicts how the U.S. Capitol building’s first dome actually looked. The original dome had a wooden interior faced with a copper exterior. The copper would have developed a pale, aqua-green patina, which is the “blue” in the View of the Capitol at Washington. The present dome of the Capitol was completed during the Civil War, and is cast iron.

Image credit: View of the Capitol at Washington, Joseph C. Bentley after William H. Bartlett, 183; Courtesy of the U.S. Senate Collection

William Henry Harrison (1841)

After catching a cold that soon developed into pneumonia, President William Henry Harrison died shortly after his inauguration, making him the first president to die while in office. His funeral was patterned after British royal funerals, and the Marine Band performed dirges as his coffin traveled on a horse-drawn hearse enroute to Congressional Cemetery in southeast Washington, D.C.
    
Image Credit: Harrison Funeral Dirge, 1841, Courtesy of the Kiplinger Washington Collection

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

John Tyler (1841-1845)

Even though the musical selection “Hail to the Chief” had been performed in the presence of earlier presidents, it was not until the administration of President John Tyler that the piece became frequently used as a tribute to the president. First lady Julia Gardner Tyler, who earned herself the title “Mrs. Presidentress” because of her regal attitude, reportedly gave instructions to the Marine Band to play the song whenever the president made an official appearance. “Hail to the Chief” continues today as the official musical fanfare that announces the entrance of the president.

Around the time of President Tyler's administration, weekly public concerts on the White House grounds began, a tradition that continued on Saturdays from spring to fall until the administration of Herbert Hoover.

Image Credit: Sheet music for “Hail to the Chief” from Lady of the Lake, 1812 Courtesy of the Library of Congress, Music Division

 

 

 

 

 

Presidents James Polk, Zachary Taylor, Millard Fillmore and Franklin Pierce instituted White House Christmas traditions that continue to this day.

James Polk (1845-1849)

President James Polk held many holiday receptions during his administration including a New Year’s celebration boasting of 6,000 guests at the White House. A rather short and unassuming man, President Polk would often go unnoticed when entering a room and first lady Sarah Polk requested the Marine Band play “Hail to the Chief” so guests would notice the president’s arrival.

(Right: 1994 "Imperial Christmas" White House Christmas ornament by the White House Historical Association. The cameo at the center features an illustration of the President and Mrs. Polk on the South Lawn of the White House while they are serenaded by the United States Marine Band.)

Presidents James Polk, Zachary Taylor, Millard Fillmore and Franklin Pierce instituted White House Christmas traditions that continue to this day.

Zachary Taylor (1849-1850)

Zachary Taylor was the second president to die in office, and the Marine Band played a significant role in his funeral on July 13, 1850. Following a funeral service held in the East Room, the funeral procession including the Marine Band moved from the White House to Congressional Cemetery where the President was buried.

(Right: 1995 "A Patriotic Christmas" White House Christmas ornament by the White House Historical Association. The patriotic theme of this ornament is inspired by the ceremonies that President Taylor attending on the grounds of the Washington Monument on July 4, 1850.)

Presidents James Polk, Zachary Taylor, Millard Fillmore and Franklin Pierce instituted White House Christmas traditions that continue to this day.

Millard Fillmore (1850-1853)

Millard Fillmore took a keen interest in the band, no doubt influenced by his musically talented wife and daughter. During his presidency and under the leadership of 13th Director Raphael R. Triay, the band continued the tradition of recruiting young men as apprentice musicians. These “Music Boys” entered the band as fifers and drummers and were bound by a contract of indenture until they were twenty-one years old. They honed their musical skills under the strict supervision of the Drum Major while also receiving formal classroom schooling. Seventeenth Director John Philip Sousa first joined the Marine Band as an apprentice musician at the age of thirteen, and like some of his fellow “Music Boys,” he later joined the band as a full member upon the completion of his apprentice contract. 

(Right: 1996 "The Presidential Seal "White House Christmas ornament by the White House Historical Association. The earliest documented Presidential seal was sketched by President Fillmore and sent to Edward Stabler, a nationally renown seal engraver. The seal of the President of the United States is combined with an image of the North Portico of the White House.)

Presidents James Polk, Zachary Taylor, Millard Fillmore and Franklin Pierce instituted White House Christmas traditions that continue to this day.

Franklin Pierce (1853-1857)

Franklin Pierce, the 14th President of the United States, is credited with bringing the first Christmas tree to the White House. Today, an ensemble from the Marine Band is on hand every year to welcome the official Christmas tree’s arrival to the White House and the Marine Chamber Orchestra and Marine Chamber Ensembles perform for the many holiday receptions held at the Executive Mansion.

(Right: 1997 "The White House Grounds" White House Christmas ornament by the White House Historical Association. The design of the ornament is inspired by the renovations and redecoration of the White House in 1853 and 1854. The fancy gilt frame, based upon the elaborate gold-leafed frames of two huge mirrors Pierce hung in the state parlors, symbolizes the rich character of the new furnishings.)

James Buchanan (1857-1861)

During James Buchanan’s administration, outdoor Marine Band concerts continued to draw large crowds, while indoors, guests enjoyed listening to the band at weekly receptions.

Abraham Lincoln (1861-1865)

President Abraham Lincoln signed the first Act of Congress to recognize the Marine Band by law on July 25, 1861. Throughout his presidency, Lincoln enjoyed listening to the band perform. F. B. Carpenter, in his book, The Inner Life of Abraham Lincoln: Six Months at the White House, wrote, “One Saturday afternoon when the lawn in front of the White House was crowded with people listening to the weekly concert of the Marine Band, the president appeared upon the portico. Instantly there was a clapping of hands and clamor for a speech. Bowing his thanks, and excusing himself he stepped back into the retirement of the circular parlor, remarking to me, with a disappointed air, as he reclined upon the sofa, ‘I wish they would let me sit out there quietly, and enjoy the music.’ ”

The Marine Band accompanied President Lincoln when he traveled to Gettysburg, Pa., for the dedication of the National Cemetery on Nov. 19, 1863. The band also continued its essential role of rendering musical honors during Lincoln’s funeral after his assassination on April 14, 1865.

The Marine Band at Gettysburg standing outside the main gate of the National Cemetery, 1863, From the Historic Uniform Prints of “The President’s Own” United States Marine Band collection by Colonel Donna Neary, USMCR (Ret..

 

President Lincoln visits with Prince Napoleon and other guests during a Marine Band concert on the White House grounds, 1861, Courtesy of the White House Historical Association.

 

 

Funeral March dedicated to the memory of Abraham Lincoln by Bvt. Major General J. C. Barnard and played by the Marine Band at President Lincoln’s funeral, 1865, Courtesy of the American Memory Collection, Library of Congress.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Andrew Johnson (1865-1869)

White House receptions resumed as the nation rebuilt after the Civil War. The Marine Band leader noted in his memoirs that both President and Mrs. Andrew Johnson supported and helped the organization immeasurably. Scala said, “Every time the band played, Mrs. Johnson sent me a bouquet and in return I dedicated a march to her.”
   
Image credit: "Grounds of the White House, Washington on a Saturday afternoon in June.” Harper’s Weekly, July 4, 1868. Courtesy of the Library of Congress, Prints and Photographs Division (LC-USZ62-22082)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ulysses S. Grant (1869-1877)

During the administration of President Ulysses S. Grant, the Marine Band performed for the first official visit of a Head of State, King Kalakaua of Hawaii, on Dec. 12, 1874. Throughout President Grant’s tenure, the band performed for several other heads of state and continues to do so today. The reputation of the Marine Band as “The President’s Own” also became much more pronounced during Grant’s presidency. He requested the band to play “for all the galas, receptions, banquets, serenades, and holidays” which included the wedding of the Grants’ 18-year-old daughter Nellie to Algernon Sartoris on May 21, 1874.
   
Image credit: Visit of King Kalakaua, 1874, Courtesy of the White House Historical Association

 

 

Rutherford B. Hayes (1877-1881)

During the administration of Rutherford B. Hayes, the tradition of the annual Easter Egg Roll was moved from the grounds of the Capitol to the White House grounds, where it remains to this day. Starting in 1889, the music was provided by the Marine Band.

The Hayes administration marked the first time Marine Band musicians may have performed as an orchestra. The occasion was a dinner honoring the Grand Duke Alexis of Russia on April 19, 1877. One guest recalled, “dinner was announced; right off the grand Marine Band commenced to play the Russian March; stringed instruments, fifty of them, played all through dinner.”

Image credit: Title page of the 108-page, hand-tinted register: Record of the Social Events at the Executive Mansion during the Administration of President Hayes. Executed with pen and pencil by Mr. O.L. Pruden, Assistant Secretary to the President. Courtesy of the Rutherford B. Hayes Presidential Center, Fremont, Ohio

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

James Garfield (1881)

President James Garfield was in office for only six months before he was assassinated. His inauguration marked the first inaugural celebration for the Marine Band’s new leader—John Philip Sousa. Sousa, the legendary 17th Director of the Marine Band, brought the organization to an unprecedented level of excellence and international acclaim. Not only did Sousa write many of the best-known marches in the world; he was an innovative leader whose invaluable contributions to the Marine Band are still apparent to this day.
   
Image credit: Page 10 of President Garfield’s inaugural ball program, March 4, 1881, Courtesy of the Library of Congress, Manuscript Division, The Papers of William M. Evarts

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Chester A. Arthur (1881-1885)

During Chester Arthur’s administration, Director John Philip Sousa was asked by the president about the music that the Marine Band had played as he went into dinner. Sousa replied,

“‘Hail to the Chief,’ Mr. President.”
President Arthur continued, “Do you consider it a suitable air?”
Sousa replied, “No, sir. It was selected long ago on account of its name, and not on account of its character. It is a boat song, and lacks modern military character either for reception or a parade.”
President Arthur replied, “Then change it!”

Sousa complied, composing Presidential Polonaise for indoor affairs and “Semper Fidelis” for use outdoors. Sousa’s Presidential Polonaise was used for a time but never fully replaced “Hail to the Chief.” “Semper Fidelis” was dedicated "to the officers and men of the United States Marine Corps" and has become accepted as the official march of the Corps.

Image credit: Presidential Polonaise sheet music, courtesy USMB

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Grover Cleveland (1885-1889; 1893-1897)

Under the leadership of John Philip Sousa, “The President’s Own” performed for the wedding of President Grover Cleveland to Frances Folsom on June 2, 1886. Cleveland was the only chief executive to be married in the White House and to serve two terms not in consecutive order. President and Mrs. Cleveland particularly enjoyed music by German composer Richard Wagner. While performing Wagner selections during a band concert on the White House lawn, Sousa recalled that “the president stood up and held on to the window as though he were afraid it would get away from him. His pretty young wife sat down facing him, enthralled.” Quote from Cleveland Daily Telegraph, Nov. 10, 1886, as used in Elise K. Kirk’s book Music at the White House.
  
Image credit: Cleveland Wedding March, 1886, USMB photo

Benjamin Harrison (1889-1893)

The growing fame of the Marine Band prompted John Philip Sousa to formally request permission of President Benjamin Harrison to take the band on tour. When the president happily agreed, Sousa and the Marine Band embarked on their first national concert tour in April 1891.

In recognition of the Marine Band’s unique role as “The President’s Own,” Marine Band concert tours required White House approval until 1986 when that authority was delegated to the Secretary of Defense and ultimately to the Secretary of the Navy.

Marine Band tours now take place annually in October, when the band frequently performs to capacity crowds throughout the 48 contiguous states.

Image credit: John Philip Sousa at the White House, July 29, 1892, USMB archives

William McKinley (1897-1901)

In 1899, the Marine Band underwent its most comprehensive reorganization. President William McKinley signed an Act of Congress on March 3 that authorized a leader and a second leader, 30 first-class musicians, and 30 second-class musicians. This act nearly doubled the size of the band and increased their pay. Because of this Act, the band began to attract some of the finest musicians in the country.

Image credit: Marine Band musicians and Captain William H. Santelmann (10th person from the right on the balcony) pose for a photo at Marine Barracks Washington, 8th & I Streets, SE, April 1899, USMB photo

 

 

The Marine Band marches down Pennsylvania Avenue in Washington during President McKinley’s funeral procession in September 1901, USMB photo.

 

The White House Historical Association used these two images in their 2010 White House Christmas Ornament, "The U.S. Marine Band." The ornament honors President William McKinley and celebrates the role of music in the traditions of the White House. The McKinley administration is remembered as a time when the nation moved beyond its continental boundaries to become an international power. The American people idolized McKinley during his presidency, so suddenly cut short by an assassin’s bullets six months into his second term. In celebration of the nation’s patriotic mood as the century turned, the illustrations commissioned for the President William McKinley White House ornament feature festive, colorful scenes from the annual Army Navy Reception at the White House in 1900. The front face of the Christmas ornament for 2010 depicts members of the United States Marine Band performing on the snow covered North Drive as arriving guests disembark from their carriages. The reverse side of the ornament shows the band playing for President and Mrs. McKinley and their party in the flag bedecked splendor of the East Room. It was in this High Victorian East Room that the McKinleys began the era of “musicales” (receptions with music as the leading feature) at the White House, a tradition that continues to this day. 

Theodore Roosevelt (1901-1909)

The Marine Band has always performed music to suit the tastes of each chief executive, their families, and guests. From the earliest days, the band’s repertoire has included popular and patriotic music as well as classical music from the orchestral repertoire. In many cases, the Marine Band performed selections from new operas at the White House either before or very soon after their American premières.

The tradition of musical firsts continued when President Theodore Roosevelt’s daughter Alice requested that the band perform Scott Joplin’s new “Maple Leaf Rag.” This youthful request for “jazz music” seemed controversial in its day, but the members of the Marine Band gladly complied. In 1906, the Marine Band provided a very different kind of music for Miss Roosevelt when it performed one of the biggest social events of the day—her White House wedding.

Image credit: Program of music performed in the White House for the wedding of Alice Roosevelt, Feb. 17, 1906, from Marine Band Library Archive

 

 

William Howard Taft (1909-1913)

William H. Santelmann led the Marine Band during William Taft’s presidency. Santelmann was Director from March 3, 1898, through May 1, 1927, making his tenure the longest in the U.S. Marine Band's history. Early in his Directorship, Santelmann created a full orchestra from within the band by requiring all new members, as well as all current members with less than nine years of service, to learn a stringed instrument in addition to their wind instrument. After four years of rehearsal, Santelmann was satisfied with the new ensemble and they began performing regularly at the White House in 1902.

Image credit: Marine Band Concert Poster, 1911, USMB photo

Woodrow Wilson (1913-1921)

During World War I, garden parties, musicales, State Dinners, and other social functions were suspended at the White House. In the 1920s, these events resumed along with outdoor Marine Band concerts on the South Lawn. Under President Woodrow Wilson’s administration, weekly orchestra concerts began at Marine Barracks Washington. Summer band concerts occurred weekly at both the Capitol and Sylvan Theater–as they do today–and the enactment of child labor laws ended the practice of enlisting Marine Band music apprentices.
   
Image credit: The Marine Band performing on the South Lawn at the White House. Saturday afternoon concerts began in the 1840s and continued into Herbert Hoover's administration in the 1930s.

 

 

 

 

Warren Harding (1921-1923)

The U.S. Marine Band at the White House, June 1921.
Having played in bands all his life, President Warren Harding brought to the White House a lifelong love of music. He told friends that he had, at one time or another, played every instrument in the band except the trombone and the E-flat cornet. Harding was known to occasionally join the Marine Band during its White House rehearsals.
   
Image credit: The U.S. Marine Band at the White House, June 1921, USMB photo

 

 

 

 

Calvin Coolidge (1923-1929)

When President Calvin Coolidge was unable to attend a special Marine Band concert in 1924, he sent flowers and a personal note that read in part:

"The Marine Band has earned for itself a unique place in the affections of the American people, and of all branches of the national defense service. It has not only made a nationally important contribution by popularizing the best music but by generosity and apparently untiring devotion to its art has won for itself a particularly high place in public regard."

Image credit: Marine Band National Tour program cover, 1927, USMB archives

 

 

 

 

 

 

Herbert Hoover (1929-1933)

John Philip Sousa directs the Marine Band in his new March, On March 3, 1931, President Herbert Hoover signed the bill making “The Star-Spangled Banner” the national anthem of The United States of America. Before its official designation, the Marine Band often played the popular tune at White House functions, public concerts, and military events.

Image credit: John Philip Sousa directs the Marine Band in his new march, “Royal Welch Fusiliers,” for President Hoover and British Ambassador, Sir Ronald Lindsay, May 12, 1930. USMB photo

 

 

 

 

 

 

John Philip Sousa with President Hoover and the Marine Band at the White House at the dedication of the new march, “George Washington Bicentennial,” Nov. 20, 1930. USMB photo

 

 

 

 

 

Franklin D. Roosevelt (1933-1945)

The Marine Band performed for all four inaugurations of Franklin Roosevelt in 1933, 1937, 1941, and 1945. Due to the president’s illness, the 1945 ceremonies were held on the White House portico, and records show that the ceremony took only 14 minutes.

Dr. Elise Kirk, author of Music at the White House, notes, “Perhaps the real ‘unsung hero’ of the FDR White House was the ubiquitous Marine Band. It played for every important State Dinner, reception, birthday, debut, anniversary, and holiday celebration at the White House and for numerous ceremonies within the capital and beyond.” The Marine Band performed a special concert at the White House for President Roosevelt and Winston Churchill, who was in the capital for a war conference. Despite a pouring rain, FDR and Churchill sat outdoors through the concert, and Churchill sang “The Battle Hymn of the Republic” along with the band.

Image credit: President Roosevelt and the Marine Band at the dedication of the Thomas Jefferson Memorial in Washington, D.C. April 13, 1945, courtesy of the Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library and Museum, Hyde Park, N.Y.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Harry Truman (1945-1953)

President Harry Truman's love of music is well documented. He played the piano and took a special interest in the music selected by Marine Band Director Major William F. Santelmann for performance at the Executive Mansion. At a ceremony on May 9, 1951, in the White House’s Fish Room for the observance of National Music Week, President Truman remarked, “I hope I will always have an appreciation of music, and that you will continue what you are doing to educate our people to love good music. … Whenever we have a banquet here, this gentleman, Major Santelmann, usually plays the music, and he knows what I like and he plays it for me, and I think everybody there enjoys it and that it contributes to the musical education of a great many of the people for whom you have played.”

Image credit: President Truman with Colonel William F. Santelmann (right) and Lieutenant Colonel Albert Schoepper, 1952, courtesy of the National Park Service, White House Liaison’s Office.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Dwight D. Eisenhower (1953-1961)

President and Mrs. Dwight Eisenhower brought many choral and instrumental groups to the White House, and the Marine Band often was the featured entertainment. President Eisenhower also initiated the concept of roving musicians during dinner, which became known as the strolling strings. The Marine Strolling Strings Ensemble consists of 12 to 15 string players from the Marine Chamber Orchestra supplemented by guitar and accordion. The group frequently performs among the guests during the dessert course at state and social dinners at the Executive Mansion. They play light classics, Broadway and popular music and often tailor the program to honor the president’s special guests.

The Marine Band performed at the inauguration of President Eisenhower on Jan. 21, 1957 on the east front of the U.S. Capitol.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

John F. Kennedy (1961-1963)

President John F. Kennedy’s personal affection for the Marine Band was expressed when he remarked, “The Marine Band is the only force that cannot be transferred from the Washington area without my express permission and, let it be hereby announced that we, the Marine Band and I, intend to hold the White House against all odds.” Because of its unique relationship with the first family, Mrs. Kennedy requested the Marine Band lead the president’s funeral procession through Washington.

Image credit: The Marine Band leads the funeral procession for President Kennedy, Nov. 25, 1963, courtesy of the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library.

 

Mrs. Kennedy singing along with members of the Marine Band at a farewell reception for White House Social Secretary Letitia Baldrige, May 29, 1963.

 

John F. Kennedy, Jr. plays with Marine Band Assistant Director Captain Dale Harpham at John, Jr.'s birthday celebration, Dec. 5, 1963.




All images courtesy of the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library

 

Lyndon B. Johnson (1963-1969)

Under President Lyndon B. Johnson’s leadership, the Marine Band frequently provided the accompaniment for famous entertainers performing at the White House. Reflecting on her years in the White House, Lady Byrd Johnson wrote, “The band of the presidents was never less than totally professional, and always gave more than a full measure of time and talent to perfect their performances. Lyndon and I were deeply proud to present them as a national showcase to visitors from home and abroad.”

Image credit: “The President’s Own” U.S. Marine Band serenades President Johnson and family from the White House grounds on his last day in office, Jan. 19, 1969. Courtesy of the Lyndon Baines Johnson Library and Museum, Austin, Texas.

 

 

Richard Nixon (1969-1974)

President Richard Nixon brought Marine Band musicians with him for two important visits abroad. In 1970, he took the Marine Chamber Orchestra to the former Yugoslavia to provide music during a dinner for President Josip Broz Tito. In 1974, a string ensemble accompanied the president to the former Soviet Union. President Nixon said of the band, “During my years of service as vice president and president, I have never failed to be proud of this splendid musical organization. Foreign visitors have often remarked to me that they felt it was the finest organization of its kind in the world. Thomas Jefferson is remembered for the Declaration of Independence and his other contributions. One of his least known and most delightful legacies is ‘The President’s Own’ Band.”

Image credit: Marine Chamber Orchestra performing for “Evenings at the White House,” 1973, Courtesy of the Richard M. Nixon Presidential Library.

 

 

 

 

 

Gerald R. Ford (1974-1977)

During Gerald Ford’s administration, the Marine Band performed for many White House events, including the visit of Queen Elizabeth II during the nation’s bicentennial celebration in 1976. President Ford recalled memories of the Marine Band during his 28 years of public service in Washington, writing, “the excellence of their performance makes them a welcome and important part of State functions. The Marine Band deserves every recognition and accolade they receive.”

Image Credit: President Ford and Queen Elizabeth II dance to the music of the Marine Dance Band in the State Dining Room, following a State Dinner on July 7, 1976. Also dancing are First Lady Betty Ford with Prince Phillip, and Vice President Nelson Rockefeller and Mrs. “Happy” Rockefeller.



President Ford takes the microphone during a dance with first lady Betty Ford in after-dinner dancing at a State Dinner. Aug. 3, 1976.

Following dinner, President and Mrs. Ford encounter the Marine Band in the Grand Entrance Hall. President Ford had arranged a surprise party for her to celebrate the end of their administration. The White House staff and their wives emerged from behind the darkened columns, the band began to play, and all danced to “Thanks for the Memories.” Jan. 18, 1977.

All images courtesy of the Gerald Ford Presidential Library & Museum, Ann Arbor, Michigan

James Carter (1977-1981)

President Jimmy Carter, an admirer of classical music, had Marine Band musicians perform for a variety of events, including a special South Lawn performance of music by composer Marvin Hamlisch. Following this performance, President Carter told the audience, “The only problem is that Mr. Hamlisch wants to take my Marine Band back with him. He can’t have them!”

Image credit: President Carter listens to Marine Band harpist Gunnery Sergeant James Pinkerton with Japanese Prime Minister Takeo Fukuda, March 21, 1977, courtesy of the Jimmy Carter Presidential Library and Museum.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ronald Reagan (1981-1989)

In remarks recorded for a radio broadcast celebrating the Marine Band’s birthday and 185 years of White House musical support, President Ronald Reagan spoke about the history and traditions of the Marine Band:

We can only imagine the scene in the White House 185 years ago today when Marine Band musicians gathered to serenade President John Adams and his guests. Our nation had not yet marked its 25th birthday, but already an American identity had begun to emerge–one founded and steeped in the ideals of our forefathers. And those ideals found voice in the stirring music of the Marine Band.

One of my most vivid memories about the band is from my second inaugural ceremony. The bitterly cold weather forced us to move the ceremonies indoors to the Rotunda of the Capitol. Hearing the music of the Marine Band in that great symbol of our democracy gave new meaning to words I had chosen for my inaugural address. I closed my address by recalling echoes of our past–from winters at Valley Forge, through the struggles of the Civil War, the calls of fighters at the Alamo to the song of an American settler echoing into the distance as he pushed west to claim this new land. I called this the American sound, our heritage and our song. For 185 years the White House has been filled with our most American of sounds, the music of the United States Marine Band. Congratulations to you, I am proud to call you “The President’s Own.”

Image credit: On Jan. 18, 1989, two days before President Reagan left office, Director Colonel John Bourgeois presented him with a Hohner Marine Band harmonica as a gift from the Marine Band, USMB photo.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

George H. W. Bush (1989-1993)

During President George H. W. Bush’s administration, the Marine Band led returning Marine Corps veterans of Operation Desert Storm in the National Victory Parade in New York City. The Marine Band also joined President Bush at the groundbreaking ceremony for the Korean War Memorial. Remembering such events, the president later wrote of the Marine Band, “Your music inspired me and often made me shed a tear of gratitude for those who serve our nation in uniform.”

Image credit: President and First Lady Barbara Bush dancing to the music of the Marine Band, 1991, courtesy of the George H. W. Bush Presidential Library and Museum.

President Bush receives a birthday surprise while listening to the Marine Band, June 12, 1989, courtesy of the George H. W. Bush Presidential Library and Museum.

 

 

William J. Clinton (1993-2001)

President Bill Clinton’s association with the Marine Band began while he was Governor of Arkansas. An avid saxophonist, he sat in for several selections with the Marine dance band at the 1991 Governor’s Dinner at the White House. The Clintons’ close relationship with the band continued through his eight years as president. For the band’s 200th birthday on July 11, 1998, the President and First Lady Hillary Rodham Clinton hosted a command performance and reception at the White House. They also were the guests of honor with daughter Chelsea at the band’s gala bicentennial concert at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts.

President Clinton has said, “When I have to leave this job, I’ll miss a lot of things about Washington and the White House—a few things I won’t. But I’ll really miss the Marine Band. It’s a great honor to be around them every day... For more than 200 years the Marine Band has set a standard of musical excellence that has enriched the White House and our entire nation. They have been ‘The President’s Own,’ and for me it has been a special honor and a treat. They have stirred the spirits of more people than President Adams could ever have imagined when he signed the bill creating the Marine Band."

Image credit: The Marine Chamber Orchestra performs for a White House reception, July 23, 1997, conducted by then-Assistant Director Captain Michael J. Colburn, USMB photo.

 
Twenty-sixth Director of “The President’s Own” Timothy W. Foley was the first Marine Band Director to be promoted by the President of the United States. He was promoted to colonel in an Oval Office ceremony performed by President Bill Clinton on June 8, 1999, courtesy of the William J. Clinton Presidential Library.

 

George W. Bush (2001-2009)

As President George W. Bush took his second oath of office on Jan. 20, 2005, the Marine Band made its 52nd inaugural appearance, proudly continuing its mission of providing music for the President of the United States. The Marine Band has marked many important occasions throughout President Bush’s tenure, including the first anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. A Marine Band vocalist performed “The Star-Spangled Banner” to open a service at the Pentagon attended by President Bush and Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld. Later that day, Director Colonel Timothy W. Foley led “The President’s Own” in a performance at the former site of the World Trade Center towers in New York. President Bush has said, “This great Marine Band is ‘The President’s Own,’ but it’s also our nation’s treasure.”

First Lady Laura Bush also commented, “The United States Marine Band, ‘The President’s Own,’ has been at the side of our Chief Executive throughout American history. In times of triumph, at moments of tragedy, and on days of celebration, the Marine Band has filled this house with music that always hit the right note.”

Image credit : The Marine Chamber Orchestra performs for the State Dinner in honor of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II and His Royal Highness Prince Philip, The Duke of Edinburgh, May 7, 2007, courtesy of the George W. Bush Presidential Library and Museum.

 

 

Barack Obama (2009-2017)

Barack Obama’s 2009 inauguration took place before a crowd of nearly two million people, which extended down the National Mall and past the Washington Monument. The Marine Band took its place at the base of the Presidential Podium and performed such pieces as Washington’s Grand March from 1784 and President Lincoln’s Inaugural March (The Union March) from 1861, as well as marches by John Philip Sousa. Guest artists included Yo Yo Ma, Itzhak Perlman, Anthony McGill, and Gabriela Montero who performed “Simple Gifts” arranged by legendary composer John Williams. For Obama’s second inauguration in 2013, the Marine Band performed then-Marine Band arranger Staff Sgt. Ryan Nowlin’s arrangement of “My Country ‘Tis of Thee” for Kelly Clarkson.

 

President Barack Obama gives a thumbs up to members of "The President's Own" United States Marine Band in the Grand Foyer of the White House before he and First Lady Michelle Obama greet President Felipe Calderon of Mexico and his wife Mrs. Margarita Zavala for the State Dinner, May 19, 2010.