TAMPA, Fla. — Patients at Moffitt Cancer Center are getting an experience that’s usually reserved for presidents and world leaders. One of their volunteers once played music for presidents. Now, he’s playing for patients.

What You Need To Know

One of the volunteers at Moffitt Cancer Center, Bob Boguslaw, once played piano for presidents. Now, he’s playing for patients.

Bob Boguslaw is a now-retired member of the president’s own United States Marine Band

He said he played 22 years for a total of four presidents and countless world leaders

Boguslaw plays for patients once a week, starting his day in the main lobby, and then he gets to visit rooms and play the piano for people

Bob Boguslaw is a now-retired member of the president’s own United States Marine Band. He said he played 22 years for a total of four presidents and countless world leaders.

“Probably my second or third job with the Marine Band was in the private residence and George H.W. Bush, which is when I got the job in 1991, was hosting Mikhail Gorbachev,” he said.

He recently retired to the Tampa Bay area and wanted to volunteer. Boguslaw said cancer has directly impacted his own family, so when the opportunity came to play for patients at Moffitt Cancer Center, the choice was clear.

“It’s very gratifying to bring music to people that are in these challenged health situations. I find that as rewarding as any solo I’ve ever played or any CD that I’ve ever recorded on,” he said.

He talked more about his time playing at the White House. It’s an experience that sometimes seemed like the best soundtrack for his favorite movie.

“All four presidents that I played for, two Bushes, President Clinton and President Obama, were never anything but gracious and welcoming,” he said.

It’s an experience that sometimes seemed like the best soundtrack for his favorite movie.

“Stevie Wonder sat in with me and sang a song which was absolutely a career peak, but I think the most rewarding single event would have to be President Obama’s first inauguration,” he said. “I didn’t think President Obama would actually show up, but he loves jazz. But he showed up about 1:30 and tapped me on the shoulder and said, I didn’t know Marines played this kind of music. Because I was playing jazz, and I said, ‘Well we play whatever you want, Mr. President.’“

He plays for patients once a week, starting his day in the main lobby and then he gets to visit rooms and play the piano for people, just as impactful as a president.