Could Be A Spoonful of Diamond
Remember radio? My dad, who was born almost completely deaf and didn’t have a hearing aid till he was in his mid-20s, owned a McIntosh tuner that my mom listened to classical music on. I camped out in my bobbe and zeide’s (grandma and grandpa’s) room and played rock ‘n roll on my daddy’s Zenith Transoceanic. Songs like Love Child. Time of the Season. Proud Mary, which earned me a slug in the stomach from one of my first grade pals when I changed the lyrics to “Roland on the river.” Aunt Mary and Uncle Jerry bought me a battery powered transistor for my birthday, knowing how much of a radio lover I was. I didn’t understand how things worked yet, so when that little box of dreams stopped rockin’ the next day, I opened it up and attempted a repair. Yanked the wires and kissed her goodbye. That’s okay, I could still play the Zenith, which also had shortwave. Some of the stations sounded like the whomp whomp whomp of helicopter blades. I assumed I was pulling in Mars or Vietnam, but I really can’t say for sure.
I don’t listen to radio any more, not with Spotify and Apple Music and my own self-curated playlists. Radio doesn’t need me to survive. Which is kind of a shame. I hated the way Wolfman Jack talked over my favorite songs, but these days, I would love that kind of free for all. This past Friday night, Penny and I went down to the Treefort Music Hall to hear our favorite local bluegrass band, Tater Patch, play a benefit for Radio Boise. They were the opener for a lineup that included Buddy DeVore & The Faded Cowboys, Charlie & The Changelings, Eilen Jewell, and Curtis Stigers. I don’t expect you to know who any of these acts are, but when you look them up on Spotify, give a listen and let me know what you think. I’m already a fan.
And if you live here, like we do, Radio Boise is not only looking for listeners, they could also use highly motivated volunteers with all sorts of talents, like accounting or IT. I hate IT. I did it for 23 years, and I’m done. ITPTSD. I’m gunning for a storytelling spot, because if you think I’m handsome in person, you should see me on the radio.