– FDR Lights The National Christmas Tree – Dec. 24, 1935 – Gordon Skene Sound Collection – FDR lights the National Christmas Tree, on Christmas Eve 1935. A national ritual since 1923, it was President Roosevelt’s third Christmas celebration in the White House. The country was slowly digging out from
The Meters this morning – diving into a big vat of Funk at The Kingfish Lounge in Baton Rouge on October 1, 1976. From their website for a bit of history: In their 25-year history, The Meters have grooved their way around the globe. They have toured with such talents
Father’s day came on the 19th in 1955. Aside from that, 1955 was another time and, for all intents and purposes another planet compared to the one we’re on now. In keeping with my earlier post from last night featuring This Is Nora Drake and the atmosphere of Cold War
Coffee? – NPR – All Things Considered – May 26, 1997 – Gordon Skene Sound Collection – This day in 1997 was officially Memorial Day. And so May 26th was given over, mostly in the U.S. to observance of that day. And even though the news was made up primarily
– Martin Luther King – A Christmas Sermon on peace – 1967- With so much madness sweeping over the world this week, perhaps the words of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King hold just as much, if not more, meaning and relevance than they did 56 years ago. Here is his
– Los Lobos Christmas Party – December 24, 1992 – NPR – Gordon Skene Sound Collection – Los Lobos Christmas Party at Capitol Records, 1992. A star-studded affair, featuring L.A.’s own and some of the best and brightest dropping by for some tunes and Christmas cheer. Recorded by National Public
– Jack Benny Christmas – December 20, 1953 – CBS Radio – It wouldn’t be Christmas without at least one appearance from the legendary Jack Benny. Most people know Benny via his TV series that ran from the 1950’s well into the 1960’s. But he was also a fixture in
– NBC Radio – Conversation: Christmas 1956 – Gordon Skene Sound Collection – Christmas Eve 1956. Certainly a different time – different sets of values, different communication skills, different world all together. But then, as now, the times were nervous and uncertain. The Cold War cast a shadow over everything,
– NBC Radio: Voices And Events – News for Week of November 28, 1950 – Gordon Skene Sound Collection – No picnic, this week in November of 1950. Starting off with an out-of-control bus on a mountain road in Colorado to a much hoped-for “Final Push” in the Korean War,
– NPR Special Program – Island of Dreams – Coney Island – Nov. 1979 – Gordon Skene Sound Collection – Iconic place, Coney Island. Long history. A place where seemingly half the world showed up on a Summer weekend to get away from the other half. A place that was
