update! new! Canadian content at the end!

Boston mayor Michelle Wu on piano

This is pretty amazing. Can you imagine the mayor of your town doing something like this?

that got me curious to find more examples of Politicians Playing Piano, so here we go.

Duchess of Cambridge Kate Middleton on piano

President Bill Clinton on the sax

US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice on piano

US President Richard Nixon on piano

He’s playing his own composition here!

US President Harry Truman on piano

Canada’s governor-general Ray Hnatyshyn (to come)

More to come as I find them. I’d really like to find a Canadian example - I know that former Governor General Ray Hnatyshyn played clarinet, and would occasionally sit in with the RCMP Band. (I did learn that he used to be part of something called the Intensely Vigorous College Nine at the University of Saskatchewan. That looks like fun.

(I have no idea if he’s in those photos.)

I like to think that when I’m Governor General, one of my aides will always carry a trombone and I’ll sit in with the Central Band of the Canadian Forces to play 2nd trombone on the anthem of Peru or whatever is going on today, and the crowd would chant “Hey, Governor-General Hayman! Play a solo!” and I would quitely decline and let the pros do it. Some day…

Canadian Content At Last

Friends passed along these links too.

Ontario Premier Bob Rae

Here’s Bob Rae playing piano and singing for the Queen on her 90th birthday. He’s a talented pianist and never passed up an opportunity like this. You’ll find lots more examples on Youtube.

Prime Minister Stephen Harper

Prime Minister Harper, just like Bob Rae, rarely missed an opportunity to perform. Here he is playing and singing With A Little Help From My Friendsat the National Arts Centre. And just like Bob Rae, you’ll find lots more examples. Here’s a whole Harper Sings playlist.