Few people can say no to Mick Jagger - and Barack Obama proved no exception.

When Jagger held out a mic to Obama, the US president was soon singing the blues with the Rolling Stones frontman and US music legends BB King and Buddy Guy.

In a black suit and scarlet shirt, Jagger, 68, rocked the East Room of the US presidential mansion at the "Red, White and Blues" event on Tuesday night, singing I Can't Turn You Loose.

Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama smiled and got their groove on without even leaving home.

The Associated Press reported that Obama's surprise performance came at the end of the playlist when the blues ensemble was singing Sweet Home Chicago , the blues anthem of Obama's home town.

Buddy Guy prodded the president, saying he had heard that Obama sang part of an Al Green tune recently, adding: "You gotta keep it up."

Then Jagger handed over the mic, and Obama obliged.

"Come on, baby don't you want to go" Obama sang twice, handing the mic to BB King momentarily, and then taking it back to tack on Sweet Home Chicago .

Obama remarked that as president "some nights when you want to go out and just take a walk, clear your head, or jump into a car just to take a drive, you can't do it. Secret Service won't let you. And that's frustrating.

"But then there are other nights where BB King and Mick Jagger come over to your house to play for a concert. So I guess things even out a little bit," he joked.

Jagger also let loose Commit a Crimewith fellow British rocker Jeff Beck.

"We met everyone who was recording here. I was remembering how generous they were to us. They must have thought that we were from Mars or something," Jagger joked.

"They were very generous and passed all the tips."

Obama said the blues remained a popular and powerful genre.

"As we celebrate black history month, the blues reminds us we've been through tougher times before."