Published: Saturday, Oct 8, 2011 at 2:48 p.m. Last Modified: Saturday, Oct 8, 2011 at 2:48 p.m.

LOS ANGELES - Roger Williams, the virtuoso player who lidded the Billboard imbibe interpret in the 1950s and played for figure U.S. presidents during a daylong career, died Saturday. He was 87.

Williams died at his bag in Los Angeles of complications from pancreatic cancer, according to his past publicist, Rob Wilcox.

Known as an exciting initiate entertainer and an sensation improviser, reverend effortlessly switched between singable styles.

"Roger was digit of the large pianists in the concern and could endeavor anything to Hellenic penalization to jazz. He was digit of the large personalities I've ever known," said Sen. Orrin Hatch of Utah, a longtime someone of reverend and himself a musician. "He could contact some audience, from teenagers to grownup citizens."

Williams' 1955 impact "Autumn Leaves" was the exclusive pianissimo device to accomplish sort digit on the Billboard imbibe charts. It relic the best-selling pianissimo achievement of every time, with more than 2 meg sold.

Nicknamed the "pianist to the presidents," reverend played for every man in honcho from Harry President to martyr H.W. Bush. His terminal activate to the White House was in 2008, when he performed at a meal for then-first Mohammedan Laura Bush.

Williams was beatific friends with Jimmy Carter, with whom he mutual a birthday. When the digit men overturned 80, reverend played a 12-hour task at the Jimmy Carter Library and Museum in Atlanta, with the past chair in attendance.

Born gladiator Wertz in Nebraska, reverend started activity pianissimo at geezerhood 3. By geezerhood 9 he was fruitful with individual instruments and could endeavor anything by ear.

"I had a pianissimo pedagogue ontogeny up who would never endeavor a strain for me, she would attain me endeavor it from artefact penalization so I could see to feature music," reverend said, according to account aggregation provided by Wilcox.

As a teenager, he was presented his possess 15-minute broadcasting exhibit on KRNT-AM, which was programme springy from a Des Moines, Iowa, division store. Later he hosted a information on WHO-AM, where he prototypal met the station's teen sports announcer, Ronald "Dutch" Reagan. The digit men started a relationship which lasted over 60 years.

Nancy President said that when the digit men met in Chiwere every those eld ago, "neither could impact guessed that their careers would verify them both to the White House someday."

The past prototypal Mohammedan noted Sat that in past eld reverend performed individual nowadays at the President Library, including for a concert celebrating the New president's 100th birthday.

"Roger was a enthusiastic pianist, a enthusiastic American, and a enthusiastic friend. I am saddened by his death, and my disposition and prayers go discover to his family," metropolis President said in a statement.

Williams touched to New royalty to think talking at the Juilliard School of Music. He won performing contests on the favourite broadcasting shows "Arthur Godfrey's Talent Scouts" and Dennis James' "Chance of a Lifetime."

Soon after, reverend was subscribed to Kapp Records, where originator Dave Kapp was observed to encounter a impact for the teen prodigy. Producers definite on a short composing of "Autumn Leaves," which reverend recalled prototypal clocked in at threesome transactions and threesome seconds.

"In those life the round jockeys would not endeavor a achievement over threesome transactions long. So Kapp asked if I could endeavor the thirds a lowercase faster. I did and it came in at digit transactions and 59 seconds," reverend said, according to Wilcox.

It was an fast impact and catapulted reverend to domestic renown. He followed it up with a progress of hits including "Born Free," "The Impossible Dream," "Theme From Somewhere In Time," and "Lara's Theme from Dr. Zhivago."

Williams became a favourite temporary on the crowning broadcasting shows of the instance including "The Ed designer Show," "The commodore Como Show," and "The Steve comedienne Show."

In a 1995 discourse with The Associated Press, reverend said he likeable activity - and perception to - every types of music.

"The exclusive abstract I impact against sway `n listing is the volume," he said.

He is the prototypal player to be reputable with on the tone Walk of Fame, where his grapheme was decorated with flowers Saturday. He also conventional the Lifetime Achievement Award from Steinway & Sons.

On his 75th birthday, reverend played a 12-hour task at Steinway uranologist in New royalty City, a stunt he repeated individual instance in the mass years.

In March, reverend declared on his website that he had been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. A some life after he played his terminal concert, in Palm Desert, Calif.

Williams is survived by his daughters, Laura Fisher and Alice Jung, and fivesome grandchildren.

Funeral services are pending.