    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: WILLIAM J. CLINTON (1999, Book II)]
    [October 23, 1999]
    [Pages 1871-1872]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    Remarks at the VH1 Concert of the Century
    October 23, 1999

        The President. Well, I don't know how much longer we have on the
    commercial break, and I don't own this network, so I could really get
    the hook. [Laughter]
        But let me thank you and thank all the artists. And I've got all
    this stuff to say on the teleprompter at the end, but I just want to
    tell you why I did this. I still remember Miss Lucille Rutherford, who
    taught me to sing, and George Grey, who taught me to play the clarinet
    and the saxophone; my two junior high school band directors; and my
    wonderful high school band director, Virgil Spurlin. And I don't think I
    would have become President if it hadn't been for school music. And
    that's why I did this. And I thank you. Thank you.

    [At this point, the program continued.]

        The President. Thank you, Robert DeNiro,
    for the introduction, for your friendship, for your fabulous movies.
    [Laughter]
        Let me thank all of the wonderful performers who have graced this
    stage today; they have blessed our lives and all of America who has
    heard them. Let's give them all a big hand one more time. [Applause] We
    respect and honor them for their talents and their knowledge of music.
    But we also respect what they have given us tonight. I respect them so
    much, I left my saxophone up in the White House. [Laughter]
        But we have had another wonderful lesson this afternoon, thanks to
    the National Endowment for the Arts, which is supporting our country's
    living cultural heritage; and VH1, the Save The Music Foundation,
    preserving our musical traditions. The most important lesson we've had
    is that what we've seen in stunning brilliance tonight should at least
    be a possibility in the lives and the minds of all of our children.
        Music education is very important to me. When I was a young boy, as
    a school musician, I started at 9 with Ms. Lillian Rutherford and George
    Grey learning to sing and play. I learned that music was more than
    scales or keys or how to make sure I was always in tune. Music taught me
    how to mix practice and patience with creativity. Music taught me how to
    be both an individual performer and a good member of a team. It taught
    me how to work, always to bring mind and body and spirit together, and
    the beauty of music.
        And so for all my teachers, for the ones I mentioned, for my junior
    high school band directors, Carol Powell and Joel Duskin, for my
    wonderful friend Virgil Spurlin, who taught me in high school, some are
    still with me, some have gone on to their reward, I want to say again, I
    don't think I would be President if it hadn't been for school music.
        And I am very grateful to John Sykes, to VH1,
    to all the wonderful stars and performers who are here tonight, because
    they want to give all our young people that same opportunity to learn,
    to achieve, to express themselves, and to develop their math brain
    cells. [Laughter]
        This century has been called the American Century. It gave rise to
    democracy around the world. For the first time in history, more than
    half the world's people are living under governments of their own
    choosing. So we gave that to the world. But at the same time, we mustn't
    forget that America brought the world the rhythm of jazz, the
    consolation of country, the hard truth of the blues, the excitement of
    rock and roll. And the diversity of our music and our musicians--which
    we have seen tonight--mirrors the diversity of our people and reminds us
    of the greatest lesson we have always to teach and always to learn, that
    we are stronger when we're playing in harmony, based on our common
    humanity.
        A stunning example of that is the great American songwriter George
    Gershwin, a Jewish boy

    [[Page 1872]]

    from New York who wrote the magnificent black opera, ``Porgy and Bess.''
    He listened to others. And he once said, ``True music must repeat the
    thought and inspirations of the people and the time. My people are
    Americans, and my time is today.''
        Let us promise that we Americans will keep American music and the
    spirit it represents, inspiring our children and their children as we
    enter the new millennium.
        Thank you, and God bless you all.

    Note: The President spoke at approximately 5:30 p.m. in a tent on the
    South Lawn at the White House. In his remarks, he referred to John
    Sykes, president, VH1, who presented the President with a guitar signed
    by the artists who performed in the program entitled, ``Concert of the
    Century for VH1 Save The Music.'' The transcript released by the Office
    of the Press Secretary also included the remarks of the First Lady.