[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 35, Number 43 (Monday, November 1, 1999)]
[Pages 2139-2140]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
Remarks at VH1's 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 De Niro, 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.

[[Page 2140]]

    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 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.