On January 15, 1987, on his last visit to UT as governor, Lamar Alexander presented a piano to the UT Band, played two numbers on it, and spoke briefly to the assembled audience. The piano was designed and built specifically for the 1982 World’s Fair through a cooperative effort of Kimball and Busendorffer piano companies. The piano figured in an audit that resulted in the termination of Band Director James R. Sparks when it was learned that Sparks had sold it. The piano was recovered.