Pianist Roger Williams (Louis Weertz) Passes Away at 87

Zsa Zsa Gabor (Associated Press Images)

Roger Williams, the virtuoso pianist who topped the Billboard pop chart in the 1950s and played for nine U.S. presidents during a long career, died Saturday. He was 87.

From BBC

Williams, the only performer to have a US number one with a piano solo, had been suffering from pancreatic cancer.

The musician was known as "the pianist to the presidents", having performed for US leaders from Harry Truman to George W Bush.

Ex-First Lady Nancy Regan called him "a great pianist and a great American".

Williams, who was the first pianist to be honoured with a star on Hollywood's Walk of Fame, was well known for playing 12-hour piano-playing marathons, including on his 75th birthday at New York's Steinway Hall.

Following his 1955 chart-topper, the popular musician also scored hits with piano renditions of the themes to Born Free and Dr Zhivago, and became a regular guest on TV programmes including The Ed Sullivan Show.