The Libary of Congress
Featured Recording (4 DVDs)
In 2004, Bob Milne became the first ragtime piano player to be interviewed by the Library of Congress since the legendary "Jelly Roll Morton" was interviewed there in 1938.
This 4 DVD set contains three different interviews (spread over 3 days) plus a concert in the Coolidge Auditorium at the conclusion. These interviews were initiated by the Library to be available for future generations to study.
A photographic tour of the interviews is below.
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A Photographic Tour of the 2004 Interviews at the Library of Congress
Bob arrives at the Library of Congress in October, 2004
Bob is greeted by the Librarian of Congress, Dr. James Billington and wife Marjorie.
Following a tour of the Library, the first day of interviews begins. Bob is surprised to learn that the interviews are not about the history of ragtime as he expected, but rather about his own background and abilities.
On the 2nd day an interviewer wants to know about his "road stories." Some of them were uproarious.
The 3rd day consisted of questions about Bob's take on old recordings. Here he's listening to an Edison wax cylinder recording from the 1890s.
A sign leads people to the Friday night concert following the interviews.
Bob plays to a packed house in the Coolidge Auditorium.
At the conclusion Dr. Billington declares Bob a "National Treasure," and presents him with a copy of a Mozart score as a parting gift.
At the reception following the concert, Dr. Billington signs the score for Bob.
Bob & Linda turned down the five-star hotel they were offered and chose to park in the private parking lot at the Library all four days. They were informed that Dolly Parton had been recently interviewed, and that she parked her bus in the same location we chose. We figured if Dolly's bus was better than the five-star hotel, so was ours.
When the Friday night reception ended at 11:00 p.m., Bob & Linda addressed their commitment to playing in Port Dover, Ontario (Canada), the next evening. They drove the first 100 miles that night. The whole trip was over 450 miles. They arrived in time to meet friends for dinner before the concert.