"There is nothing in the world so much like prayer as music is." ~William P. Merrill
I rose even earlier than usual today, at 4:00 a.m. to be exact. Today was the final radio show for MPR's The Morning Show. For the past 25 years, I have listened to this show with its quirky characters, its creative dj's and eclectic music. It has been a staple of my morning in good times and in bad.Today I was able to witness the countless others who, like me, have started their morning with Tom Keith and Dale Connelly. As we stood in line at 5:00 a.m. to enter the Fitzgerald Theater, I greeted some friends but for the most part I did not know these people but felt tied to them in some unexplainable way.
Radio is a strange medium of communication. Relying only on sound, you are forced to imagine the stories you hear. In some way this allows you to become a more responsive participant than the more passive form of television. Radio artists are also required to be more descriptive in their language and sound effects than television or other visual media. My mother in particular talks about the power the radio had in her early life, of whole communities of people gathering around the radio to listen to the weekly serial much like many of us do now with A Prairie Home Companion. I still love listening to her talk about getting up very early to listen to Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip's wedding.
As I watched and listened this morning, I was also struck with the fact that radio allows for creative people who look like everyone else…ordinary, not particularly glamorous, which seems to be required in television. There is something wonderful about that. A person can get the idea that ,"Hey, I could do this, too!" given the right circumstances. I could sit down with another person I communicate well with and we could put together some of our favorites songs, create some characters and tell really great stories, and people would listen to us. Of course, I know it is more complicated and requires much more than I can imagine.But on first glance it seems possible.
Over the years these two radio artists have shaped the lives of their listeners by bringing new music, thoughtful music, music we might not have hard otherwise. They have kept a sense of humor and love for the state of Minnesota ever before them. They have laughed at themselves and always exhibited an air of humility that is rare in any media. And they have also helped their listeners when we needed it most as they exhibited on September 12, 2001.
I remember turning on the radio that morning as I always did. These two men must have stayed up half the night looking for just the right songs to hold up a fragile people. They chose music that comforted, that held a deep mercy, that allowed our tears to flow on the waves of note and chord. They did not try to use too many words knowing we had had enough words that would not compute. They gave a simple language to our confusion, our despair and held out hope like a gift-wrapped package. I imagined each listener reaching toward the radio to receive the offered present. It was at that moment that I realized their genius. In some ways, they had done what few ministers had been unable to do. They had quieted us to the point of prayer.
And so today I am thankful to have been with 'my people' as we celebrated these two wonderful, creative men. They have planted songs in us that will continue to keep us in good times and bad. It was good to see such love pouring out of ordinary people toward two of their own kind. I wish them God speed on their journey and thank them for the memories.