The band that went down with the Titanic

No need to panic

They are perhaps one of the most famous bands in the world, a string octet that serenaded the first-class passengers at dinner.

However, the night that the Titanic sank, these eight musicians are credited with keeping the mood light and passengers calm. As the Titanic dropped lower and lower in the frigid water, they played light ragtime and gave the impression to the passengers on deck that all was under control - and that there was no need to panic.

Many of the survivors expressed their gratitude to the band for helping to maintain decorum during the disorganized evacuation to the lifeboats -- which left 1,500 people aboard with only the hope that rescuers would arrive before the Titanic slipped beneath the waves.