Article Music and Musical Performances in the White House Timeline
1790s Before the White House was completed in 1800, President George Washington and his wife Martha lived first in New York...
Music and the White House
On New Years Day in 1801, the first occupants of the White House, President John Adams and First Lady Dolley Madison, welcomed the recently-created United States Marine Band. Since then, the White House has been visited by numerous famous musicians and performers. Throughout American history, music has played an important role in the White House.
In this collection, delve into the history of music and the White House, including the many musical performances and celebrations on White House Grounds.
Click here to purchase Music at the White House: From the 18th to the 21st Centuries by Elise Kirk
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Article Presidents' Passion for Music
Abraham Lincoln could neither sing nor read music, but he loved music with a passion. He attended the opera at...
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Collection Music in the White House
Music is often called the universal language. It has been known to break down barriers and shape historic events in...
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Article The United States Marine Band: Music as Diplomacy
Music has been an essential part of life in the White House from the earliest days of our nation, not...
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Collection The Kennedys and the Arts
President John F. Kennedy and First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy’s advocacy for the arts endures as a vital part of th...
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Article John Quincy Adams and Music
Both John Quincy Adams and his wife, Louisa Catherine, were great devotees of music, and often sang ballads and arias...
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Article The Eisenhowers' Musical White House
While neither President nor Mrs. Eisenhower was especially knowledgeable in European classical music, they recognized the value of the music...
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Article Music in Lincoln's White House
Abraham Lincoln was one of America’s most unmusical presidents. He could neither play an instrument nor carry a tune, ye...
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Article Music & Dance at the White House
First Lady Dolley Madison is considered to have introduced social dancing to the White House–notably the Waltz, which critics at...
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Page African American Performers at the White House
Beginning with James Buchanan’s administration in the 1850s, black entertainers have held a prime spot among White House performers. Th...
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Podcast The President's Own - The Marine Band and the White House
From entertainment to diplomacy, music has played an important role in White House history. Stewart McLaurin talks to Colonel Jason...
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Article Importance of Music to President George Washington
Before the White House was completed in 1800, President George Washington and his wife Martha lived first in New York City,...
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Podcast U.S. Army Old Guard Fife and Drum Corps
The White House is a ceremonial stage upon which our nation welcomes our most important visitors, including foreign heads of...
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Podcast The White House Recording Library: The Forgotten Collection
A donation from the Recording Industry Association of America to the Nixon White House, the White House Recording Library was...
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