Roger Williams, Pianist to Presidents, Dies at 87

Pianist Roger Williams, who played for nine presidents starting with Harry Truman, died Saturday at his Encino home of complications from pancreatic cancer, according to the City News Service. He was 87.

Known for his 1958 hit "Autumn Leaves,'' the song was the only instrumental to ever reach No. 1 on the Billboard pop charts. In 1966, he had another hit with "Born Free,'' the soundtrack to the movie of same name.

Patch spoke with his former publicist, Rob Wilcox, who recalled his time working with the star.

"Roger was an extraordinary pianist, composer and performer," said Wilcox, "but equally he was an extraordinary human being."

"It was such an honor to know him for over 20 years, and he had such joy for life and for playing the piano. There was nothing he loved more," he said.

He also recalled Williams' eightieth birthday party in Atlanta.

"He performed a 12 hour piano marathon at the Jimmy Carter Library," Wilcox said. "The President and Mrs. Carter were there because Roger and President Carter were born on the same day in the same year," he said. "I remember the President and Mrs. Carter getting up and dancing in front of the piano while Roger was playing. It was a moment I’ll never forget."

Born Louis Wertz in Omaha, Neb., Williams started playing piano at age 3. He eventually studied jazz at the Julliard School of Music in New York City before embarking on a concert career.

By 9, he was said to have been able to play any piece upon one listening.

"I had a piano teacher growing up who would never play a song for me,'' he once said. "She would make me play it from sheet music so I could learn to read music.''

Williams was the first pianist to be honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. He also received the Lifetime Achievement Award from Steinway & Sons.

Williams is survived by his daughters, Laura Fisher and Alice Jung, and five grandchildren. His son Jim died in 2004. He and his first wife, Joy, divorced in the mid 1970s. He and second wife Louise DeCarlo divorced in 1985.

Funeral arrangements are pending. Williams will be buried in a custom-designed tomb at the Crystal Cathedral in Garden Grove, California, . 

–City News Service contributed to this report.