12-Hour Recital Is Music to Ears of Pianist’s Fans

In his flowered shirt and tan slacks, pianist Roger Williams made it look so easy. He tickled the old Steinway one-handed, switched tunes in midchord and took requests from the more than 800 people who showed up Tuesday to watch him perform for more than 12 hours at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library near Simi Valley.

“I want two things standing by,” said Williams, 76, who is donating his piano to the museum. “A wheelchair and a hearse.”

The marathon was Williams’ extended goodbye to a piano that helped produce 115 albums, 18 of them gold or platinum, since 1955. He also hoped to break his world record of 12 hours on the keyboard by at least a few minutes. And he wanted to raise awareness about the need for music education in public schools.

Williams, who says he knows 10,000 songs by heart, has performed for eight U.S. presidents, including Reagan.

“When he became governor, I played for him, and played again for him when he became president,” said Williams, taking a brief rest in his trailer. “I had a real connection with him and wanted this piano to become part of the museum. I only use it to record on. It’s a gorgeous instrument.”

He said former First Lady Nancy Reagan’s favorite song request was “Our Love Is Here to Stay.”

The performance began at 11 a.m. and was scheduled to end sometime after 11 p.m. The gray-haired, trim Williams said he was up to the task.

“I jog five times a week, and I hate every step of it except the last one,” he said. “I was a boxer in the Navy, and I still punch the bag.”

The Encino musician, whose hits include “Born Free,” “The Impossible Dream,” “Autumn Leaves” and “Lara’s Theme” from “Dr. Zhivago,” lamented the dearth of music education in schools. In his day, he said, students listened to recordings of the New York Philharmonic in class. Sure, some put their heads down and slept, he admitted, but they were exposed to classical music nonetheless.

“I get so mad at parents,” he said. “They take their kids to sporting events but never to concerts.”

One-Handed Gershwin

Inside the auditorium, he leaned back and grinned at the rapt audience before playing some Gershwin one-handed. The crowd gave him a standing ovation.

The requests poured in: “Stardust,” “Born Free,” “Danny Boy,” “Chariots of Fire,” “It Had to Be You,” “Unchained Melody.”

Did he fear a Dr. Dre or Eminem rap request?

“I just say, ‘Hey man, I don’t know that one,’ ” Williams said with a shrug.

The piano is a Steinway Model D worth about $90,000, said Kyle Kirkland, chairman of Steinway Musical Instruments in Los Angeles. Williams has two others.

“It’s a magnificent gift to the library to have the piano he recorded his million-selling songs on,” said library director Duke Blackwood.

Winston Wutkee, 65, a geology and mineralogy instructor from Camarillo, stopped by between classes to hear Williams.

“I’ve been a fan since 1950, and I’m well aware of all his music,” said Wutkee, who teaches at the College of the Canyons in Santa Clarita. “He’s arguably the best pianist the U.S. has produced.”

Seth Smith of Westlake Village brought an old Williams album titled “Yellow Bird” and had the performer sign it.

“I’ve always been a big fan,” said the 85-year-old physician.

Another man leaned over and marveled at the autographed album.

“That’s going to be worth a lot of money someday,” he whispered.