lists.oldradio.netNostalgic Rumblings | Ramblings of an Old Man on Old-Time and Contemporary Radio, Television, the Ar

Nostalgic Rumblings Ramblings of an Old Man on Old-Time and Contemporary Radio, Television, the Arts, and the News; includes OTR Podcast and XM Satellite Radio's The Bob Edwards Show Archives Skip to content ← Older posts Leon Fleisher, renowned Baltimore concert pianist, dies at 92 Posted on 8/5/2020 by Charlie Summers From The Baltimore Sun: Leon Fleisher, renowned Baltimore concert pianist, dies at 92 Leon Fleisher unquestionably had his challenges. On Friday, October 8th, 2004, at the end of the very first week of The Bob Edwards Show, Mr. Fleisher talked to Bob about how in 1965 his right hand betrayed him, later to be accurately diagnosed as focal dystonia. He was also promoting his then-new album, Two Hands, which was, “enthusiastically received,” according to the Washington Post. From the program introduction: Leon Fleisher has the distinction of being the only living pianist inducted into the Classical Music Hall of Fame. The former child prodigy made his concert debut at the age of eight. By nine, he’d travelled to Europe to study under Artur Schnabel. As a teenager, Fleisher was a featured performer on some of the most prestigious stages in the country. His legend continued to grow well into his thirties. Fleisher’s early 1960’s recordings with the Cleveland Orchestra of Beethoven’s five concertos are considered by some to be the greatest piano recordings of all time. At the peak of his fame, Leon Fleisher noticed a tightening in his right hand. That tightness eventually would become crippling, as his hand balled up into an involuntary fist. For the next forty years, he struggled with the cause and the cure for his injury, and his career as a pianist all but ended. He would go on to teach. His pupils included such future stars as Andre Watts and Lorin Hollander. At Baltimore’s Peabody Conservatory, students dubbed him .. the Obi-Wan Kenobi of the Keyboard… Fleisher says that – after years of misdiagnosis – doctors finally discovered that a condition called “dystonia” was the culprit. First you’ll hear Christopher Buckley talk with Bob about the St. Louis presidential debate (my lord, if we only knew then how much simpler a time it was!), then sports writer Tim Green on the NFL. The rest of the hour, though is dedicated to Leon Fleisher. Interview produced by Phil Harrell. This audio is from the DAT recorded in the studio so the quality is excellent, and I’ve included the obligatory scrip/roadmap for those interested in how things went in the studio that morning. The Bob Edwards Show Script for Friday, October 8th, 2004: Download The Bob Edwards Show for Friday, October 8th, 2004 [59:15m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download Posted in Bob Edwards Archives , Radio Today | Leave a comment Christo and Jeanne-Claude on The Bob Edwards Show Posted on 6/2/2020 by Charlie Summers From the New York Times: Christo, Artist Who Wrapped and Festooned on an Epic Scale, Dies at 84 In November of 2008, to celebrate their “Over The River, a Work in Progress,” Christo and Jeanne-Claude joined Bob for an entire show. From the introduction: …and an hour with Christo and Jeanne-Claude, the European artist couple born on the same day in 1935, who do nothing In a small unassuming way. They have wrapped Berlin’s Reichstag in fabric, draped a 24-mile curtain fence across California’s Marin and Sonoma Counties, and erected gates throughout Central Park in New York. Now they want to put massive panels of silvery fabric over the Arkansas River. That project is the subject of a new exhibit of photographs, collages, drawings and maps titled, “Christo and Jean-Claude: Over the River, a Work in Progress.” Produced by Taylor Barnes, obligatory script/roadmap included below. The Bob Edwards Show Script for Friday, November 14th, 2008: Download The Bob Edwards Show for Friday, November 14th, 2008 [59:15m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download Posted in Bob Edwards Archives , Radio Today | Leave a comment Al Gini and Eugene B. Bergmann on The Bob Edwards Show Posted on 5/16/2020 by Charlie Summers To celebrate the birthday of the host of this program, I am presenting here…a show I listened to a bit ago that was selected completely by random from the archives, originally airing Monday September 16, 2013. First up on the program, Al Gini shares his research on what attributes make for a good leader compiled in his book 10 Virtues of Outstanding Leadership. He also talks a bit about what doesn’t make a good leader, and has some eerily-prophetic comments about the current resident of the White House (check that out around 25:30). At the bottom of the hour, Bob is joined by Eugene B. Bergmann, whose segment made me think a lot about my friend Max Schmid from WBAI in New York. Bergmann talks about Jean Shepherd and tells Bob about his volume titled Shep’s Army: Bummers, Blisters, & Boondoggles. Both segments produced by Ariana Pekary. It was during the latter segment, toward the close, where Bob asks about Jean Shepherd, “What was it about his radio broadcasts that made his fans feel like he was a good friend?” That made me turn and stare at the speaker in my office, incredulous…my mind racing back across the decades to all of the times I was alone in a room, in a car, walking outside…with only Bob and his guest to keep me company. The intimacy of radio is inescapable, and the irony of the man who did this exact thing so often for so many of us asking this question stopped me in my tracks. Bob Edwards has been that friend to all of us for his entire career. And let me say, just between you and me, that if some day you are actually able to call that “voice in the box” friend, well, now there’s a gift. Happy Birthday, Bob! The Bob Edwards Show Script for Monday, September 16th, 2013: Download The Bob Edwards Show for Monday, September 16th, 2013 [59:30m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download Posted in Bob Edwards Archives , Radio Today | Leave a comment John Prine dies at 73 of coronavirus Posted on 4/7/2020 by Charlie Summers From the Washington Post: John Prine, Grammy-winning bard of ‘broken hearts and dirty windows,’ dies at 73 of coronavirus God. Damn. This. Thing. Aired April 26, 2005. Produced by Phil Harrell. Script/Roadmap included. The Bob Edwards Show Script for Tuesday, April 26th, 2005: Download The Bob Edwards Show for Tuesday, April 26th, 2005 [59:15m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download Posted in Bob Edwards Archives , Radio Today | Leave a comment Max von Sydow, Swedish star of Bergman films, ‘The Exorcist,’ dies at 90 Posted on 3/14/2020 by Charlie Summers From the L.A. Times: Max von Sydow, Swedish star of Bergman films, ‘The Exorcist,’ dies at 90 von Sydow appeared on The Bob Edwards Show in February 2012 when he was nominated for Best Supporting Actor for the film, Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close. But as always, the conversation was wide-ranging dealing with his entire career. From the introduction: And then we’ll hear from actor Max von Sydow who has has played his share of twisted clergymen—but kindly ones too—as well as Jesus AND the devil. von Sydow has been nominated for an Oscar for his role as The Renter in the film Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close. But he’s not loud at all in the movie. In fact, he never speaks a word. As always, the script/roadmap is included here as well. For a contemporaneous blog post about the von Sydow interview by producer Chad Campbell, see Bob Edwards Radio. The Bob Edwards Show Script for Thursday, February 16th, 2012: Download The Bob Edwards Show for Thursday, February 16th, 2012 [59:15m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download Posted in Bob Edwards Archives , Films and Video , Radio Today | Leave a comment Jim Lehrer, Longtime PBS News Anchor, Is Dead at 85 Posted on 3/3/2020 by Charlie Summers From the New York Times: Jim Lehrer, Longtime PBS News Anchor, Is Dead at 85 Yes, I know, I am terribly late at posting this; I have a lot of reasons, but no excuses. The first time Jim Lehrer visited The Bob Edwards Show, ...