American pianist Roger Williams, who had a huge hit with the tune Autumn Leaves in the 1950s and played for a succession of US Presidents, has died aged 87, his family said.

His 1958 version of Autumn Leaves was the only instrumental ever to reach number one on the Billboard pop charts. He also had a hit with Born Free, the soundtrack of the movie of that name.

Born Louis Wertz in Omaha, Nebraska, he started playing piano at the age of three, studied jazz at the famous Julliard School of Music in New York, and served in the US Navy during World War II.

His big break came with his second album, which contained his version of Autumn Leaves and sold two million copies. It remains the best selling piano record of all time.

He had met a sports announcer, Ronald Dutch Reagan, when playing a show in Des Moines, Iowa, and the two developed a friendship which lasted six decades including when his friend made it to the White House.

The late US President’s widow Nancy was among the first to pay tribute to Williams, who died on Saturday at his home in Encino, California of complications from pancreatic cancer.

“Roger Williams was called the “pianist to the Presidents” for having performed for nine Administrations, and Ronnie and I were especially pleased to welcome him to the White House,” she said.