14. President John Tyler grew up with a passion for music rather than politics and was known to entertain guests at the White House.
John Tyler remains one of the lesser-known Presidents of the United States. The 10th man to hold the office, his Presidency was largely unremarkable – but perhaps there’s a good reason for this. After all, as a young man, Tyler never had a keen passion for politics. Rather, it was something he fell into after following his father’s strict orders and studying law. Instead of legal affairs or politics, Tyler had a genuine passion for music, and above all for the violin. He learned the instrument from an early age and, according to some, could even have made it as a concert-level performer had his father not seen music as a frivolous hobby.
Though he never played in front of a packed concert hall, Tyler nevertheless managed to make full use of his special talent throughout his life. While President, he would regularly play for visiting dignitaries, with his wife Julia accompanying him on guitar. Even when he retired from politics, Tyler kept playing his beloved violin. He lived out in years in the Virginia countryside, with his wife and music for company, until his death at the age of 71 in 1862.