    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: George W. Bush (2001, Book II)]
    [December 2, 2001]
    [Pages 1466-1468]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    Remarks at the Kennedy Center Honors Reception
    December 2, 2001

        Well, thank you all very much. Good evening, and welcome to the
    White House. Laura and I are so pleased to have all of you here for this
    incredibly happy occasion. We especially welcome the honorees, your
    families, and your friends.
        Every year, the Kennedy Center honors artists like yourselves for
    lifetime contributions to the American culture. The recipients for 2001
    make quite a collection. [Laughter] As one newspaper put it in the
    headline, this year's honorees can carry a tune--and then there's
    Jack. [Laughter]

    [[Page 1467]]

    What the writer didn't know is that he actually plays the piano. But of
    course, that's not why he's here today. You're each here so that America
    can recognize your great gifts and the ways that you have used them.
        Van Cliburn was recently a guest at our
    ranch in Crawford, Texas, at a dinner for President Vladimir Putin of
    Russia. He's known many other leaders. In this house on December 1987,
    he played at a state dinner for the Gorbachevs and had the entire Soviet
    delegation singing ``Moscow Nights.'' [Laughter] Three decades earlier,
    Van visited the White House as a guest of
    President Eisenhower. He was 23 years old and winner of the Gold Medal
    at the Tchaikovsky Competition in Moscow. As a result, the whole world
    knew his name.
        Texas knew him even before, in a place
    called Kilgore. Harvey L. Cliburn, Jr., first touched the keys at the
    age of 3 and was playing in public at the age of 4. Even a prodigy needs
    an inspiration, and Van Cliburn's was his devoted and talented mother.
    She became his music teacher, the only one he knew until he went to
    Juilliard. She, herself, studied under Arthur Friedheim, who studied
    under Liszt, who studied under Czerny, who studied with Beethoven. Wilda
    B. Cliburn lived a good, long life, and in her son's own words, he said, ``Mother was always a fierce,
    wonderful, and loving critic.'' I know how you feel. [Laughter]
        He reached the summit early and stayed
    there. In his lifetime of talent and discipline, Van Cliburn has brought
    great beauty into the world, and the world is grateful.
        Great beauty has also been the gift of Julia Elizabeth Wells, whom
    we all know as Julie Andrews. The story is
    told of an important conference of world leaders some years ago. White
    House Chief of Staff Jim Baker came to the guesthouse where President
    Ronald Reagan was staying. He assumed the President had been up late,
    studying his briefing book, but then noticed the book hadn't been
    touched. And there was a good reason. The President said, ``Well, Jim,
    `The Sound of Music' was on last night.'' [Laughter]
        The face and voice of Julie Andrews has that effect on a lot of
    people. You're instantly captivated when you meet her and hear
    her. After seeing ``Mary Poppins,'' a reviewer
    put it this way: ``If she did nothing but stand there smiling for a few
    hours, she would cast her radiance everywhere. It would be enough, but
    how that girl can sing and dance. She glides off--it's more than you can
    bear. Julie, Julie, stay awhile.'' [Laughter]
        As a girl of 12, she was actually turned
    down in her first screen test. A talent scout declared her
    nonphotogenic. [Laughter] He was obviously applying standards unknown to
    the rest of mankind. [Laughter] Not only is Julie Andrews the living
    definition of photogenic, her range of talent extends from drama to
    musical to comedy to dance. And the range of her singing voice is four
    octaves, every note pure and powerful.
        We've all sung along with Julie Andrews,
    and we know she'll sing again. And while we wait, we will treasure the
    many films and recordings that capture the sound of Julie and bring
    happy memories to us all. They're the lasting achievements of the truly
    lovely and gracious lady we honor today.
        Luciano Pavarotti also achieved
    success at an early age, but in another profession. He was an insurance
    salesman. [Laughter] And people found him very persuasive. [Laughter] He
    had other plans, but his boss told him to stick with insurance. To
    Luciano this man actually said, and I quote, ``As a singer, you will
    undoubtedly die of starvation.'' [Laughter] Pavarotti later said that he
    got out of sales because all that talking was damaging his voice.
    [Laughter] That voice is now among the most familiar on the planet.
        He began in the chorus of his
    hometown, Modena, Italy, seated alongside the tenor he loved most, his
    dad, Fernando. He has commanded the stage before live audiences

    [[Page 1468]]

    in the hundreds of thousands, leaving his listeners in a state of awe.
    The largesse of his voice and personality have drawn millions into the
    universe of classical music.
        In a career routinely compared to that of the great Caruso, Luciano
    Pavarotti has gained the acclaim and
    affection of the American people. There's no one quite like him. And
    we'll all remember the day we were in the presence of Maestro Pavarotti.
        Our fourth honoree is also worthy of the title ``maestro.'' To look
    at him, you wouldn't know it, but Quincy Jones
    is in his sixth decade in the music industry. This one man has done so
    much, his career defies any attempt at summary. But everyone knows that
    if something has the name ``Quincy Jones'' on it, it is going to be
    good.
        Among his many talents is that rare ability to bring out the best in
    others. Dizzy Gillespie said, ``People go to Quincy Jones because he knows what he's doing. He knows the sound
    you've got in you, and he's got the know-how to get it out.''
        The man his friends call ``Q'' was born Quincy Delight Jones,
    Jr., on the south side of Chicago. He made his
    own way in the world with few advantages beyond his own talent,
    ambition, and class. Starting out in the band of Lionel Hampton, he
    would eventually win the Grammy 26 times--so far. [Laughter] Quincy
    Jones has already received more nominations for the Grammy than any
    other artist. He produced one of the best selling singles of all time
    and the best selling album of all time.
        All the hardship he knew early on has
    turned to good and creative purposes. His successful life is testimony
    to faith in himself, faith in America, and faith in our Creator. ``You
    can study orchestration,'' he said. ``You can study harmony and theory
    and everything else, but melodies come straight from God.''
        For all your marvelous work, America thanks you, Q, and so does W. [Laughter]
        Jack Nicholson once described himself as
    the kind of guy who just wants to blend in. [Laughter] Well, we always
    don't get what we wish for. [Laughter] If there is one thing the man
    can't do, it's disappear into the background.
        He was not trained as an actor, but he
    had a feeling it was his calling. As Jack had explained, he became
    interested in the craft when he noticed all the girls he liked were
    doing plays. [Laughter] Before long, he was working in a studio, sorting
    the mail. He was on the big screen at age 21 playing a variety of teens
    and drifters, perfect preparation for the film that made him a star,
    ``Easy Rider.'' We all remember his other great pictures: ``Five Easy
    Pieces,'' ``One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest,'' ``Chinatown,'' ``The
    Shining,'' ``A Few Good Men,'' ``As Good As It Gets.''
        Everyone has a favorite scene and a favorite line delivered by
    Jack as only he can do it. Give him a scene
    in a diner where he just wants a piece of toast--[laughter]--and he'll
    make film history. [Laughter] His characters leave mixed emotions,
    always something to draw you in, always something to put you off.
    America cannot resist the mystery, the hint of menace, and of course,
    that killer smile. He doesn't rehearse, and
    he makes it look easy.
        His 11 Oscar nominations put him in a class with Katharine Hepburn,
    Sir Laurence Olivier. He's one of the handful of actors to win the Oscar
    three times. We pay him tribute today because
    John Joseph Nicholson is one of the true greats of this or any other
    generation of actors.
        I hope each of our honorees will enjoy the evening ahead. Perhaps
    it's a nice change that none of you will be called on to perform. This
    is an evening for appreciation, for looking back at all you've achieved,
    and for the part you continue to play in our national life.
        Congratulations, and thank you very much.

    Note: The President spoke at 5:30 p.m. in the East Room at the White
    House. In his remarks, he referred to former President Mikhail Gorbachev
    of Russia.