Assuming he has his glasses

September 26, 2008 7:20 PM

Can Henry Kissinger play guitar?

I know, stupid question, but I get one a week. Can he? Does anyone know if he's ever taken lessons? Obviously he could pick one up and strum, but actual chords...?

posted by subbes to society & culture (6 comments total)

I vote no. He presided over Colbert's Decemberists guitar battle but didn't play - I don't think Colbert would have passed up the opportunity to have him play a bit.
posted by Solon and Thanks at 7:25 PM on September 26, 2008

There is this Monty Python song about him, but there is no guitar part. I think he play a horn.
posted by lee at 7:30 PM on September 26, 2008

not that i'm aware of, but lee atwater was an accomplished guitarist. like kissinger he was a notorious and often vilified high-level political operator. maybe someone's getting them mixed up?
posted by sergeant sandwich at 9:04 PM on September 26, 2008

Alan Greenspan was a semi-pro clarinetist and used to chill with Stan Getz. That's what comes to mind for me from the question.
posted by Jahaza at 10:38 PM on September 26, 2008

My uncle used to jam out with Kissinger and some other guys in his garage back in the day. Everyone wanted to play guitar, but since Henry owned the PA, he got to be lead singer/guitarist. According to my uncle, though, he couldn't play to save his life.
posted by buriednexttoyou at 8:51 AM on September 27, 2008

Your search - guitar - did not match any documents.

From Kissinger: A Biography by Walter Isaacson, 1992.

That said, apparently Russell Baker wrote a 1974 column musing about Kissinger being unable to play Beethoven's Moonlight Sonata on the bassoon (at the fictional request of a head of state), writing that the Secretary of State's aide insisted he could play seven other instruments including blues harmonica and the sacbut.
posted by dhartung at 2:14 PM on September 27, 2008