The Kilgore Native, and Only Musician, to Ever Get a Ticket Tape Parade in New York

(Kilgore, Texas) - East Texas has a history that many natives don't even know about. From celebrities to athletes to musicians, there are many famous names to come out of our area. There are several world records and "first evers" to come from our neck of the woods, too.

The world's largest peanut butter and jelly sandwich was made in Grand Saline. The world's largest motorcycle parade was held in Paris. The only musician to receive a ticker tape parade in New York was for Kilgore native Van Cliburn.

Kilgore Native Van Cliburn

Harvey Lavan “Van” Cliburn, Jr., or Van Cliburn, made his home in Kilgore with his mother and father, Rildia Bee and Harvey Lavan Cliburn, Sr. (texasstandard.org). Van's mother, a great pianist herself, could see the talent he had. At the age of 3, he was playing Chopin by ear.

His parents built him a practice studio at their home. Van would spend three to fours a day honing his craft. Upon graduating high school at 17, he moved to New York and enrolled in Juilliard.

Van Cliburn Goes International

In 1958, Van entered the Moscow International Tchaikovsky Piano Competition. A year earlier was when Russia launched Sputnik, making them the first country to have a satellite in space. It was also the height of the Cold War, making Cliburn's victory at the competition a huge win for the United States.

Upon his return home, Van Cliburn received a ticker tape parade down Broadway in New York. To this day, he is the only musician to have received the honor.

The May 19, 1958 cover of Time magazine called Van Cliburn "The Texan Who Conquered Russia."

Van Cliburn's Place in History

Van Cliburn passed away at his home in Forth Worth in 2013, according to the New York Times. Of all the musicians that could have received the honor of a New York ticker tape parade, a Texan, an East Texan, is the only one to have had the confetti rained upon them.

READ MORE: Tyler Christmas Parade has Moved to a New Location for 2025

READ MORE: H-E-B Continues its Takeover of Dallas - Fort Worth. What About East Texas?