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From a radio interview with Martin Block

March 1966

Q. You've appeared just about everywhere, including a White House performance. You know, I've often wondered, Julie, how do you get these invitations? I've never been invited.

A. Darned if I know. This is the one appearance that I made for President Kennedy. He, as I understand, had his choice or was asked to make a list of the people he would like to have perform and I was fortunate enough to be one of them.

Q. In other words, President Kennedy picked you.

A. Yes, I believe so and I must say, he had good judgment in more than one way. He was a marvelous man to perform for because he was most interested in music of all kinds.

Q. For some reason or other, I have the idea that these kinds of things at the White House would be rather stodgy or even the Press Ball would be rather stodgy, that everybody would be constricted and a little bit worried about who was listening and that they didn't make any mistakes. Did you find it that way?

A. I think we were all terribly nervous.

Q. You were?

A. More so. It was a pretty large audience as far as the personnel was concerned and I must admit that we all had a flutter or two.  But the people themselves were so nice that that was quickly forgotten and everybody relaxed and had a wonderful time.