Tuesday, April 29, 2008

And now, for the rest of the story

The legend of Paul Harvey.

I don't listen to the radio often, but when I do it is generally to our local AM. I like it because it is real. The information is that of the state/local area and if there is anything worth mentioning of world or national news you will get that as well. You can find the talk shows that sometimes provide some useful information via local farmer/city person opinion and I even occasionally listen to the talking heads of Rush and Ed Schultz,which in my opinion are 2 pathetic individuals, but that is not the point of this article.

I want to talk about Paul Harvey. If you haven't ever heard Paul Harvey's "The rest of the Story" you have missed out. The oddly punctuated voice of Paul Harvey on a warm fall day, driving the back roads of good old ND always seemed to make me feel connected with something from the past. A time when the rural areas and even the city folks relied more on the radio for entertainment than the TV.

Paul Harvey's stories created the pictures and scenes in perfect detail, held me in susupense and left me with a smile, especially if I wasn't able to guess who he was talking about by the end of the story.

Sadly, I think the voice of Paul Harvey Senior is gone from the radio. Currently, it is only to be herd as solicitation for any number of vitamin supplements, credit protection, superior sound systems, etc.

Is this the fate of a radio icon, it shouldn't be for someone as good as Paul Harvey. I wish he would leave with some dignity - now instead of a voice that I looked forward to hearing, I literally turn off, and I'm sure many others feel the same way.

Oh well, like all good things, I guess they eventually have to come to an end and my fall country days will have to be filled with something else.

In case you haven't ever heard Paul Harvey's "the rest of the story" here is an example - I just found this and read it, granted it would be much better in the spoken voice of Paul Harvey, but it will give you an idea of what I'm making such a big deal about.

This is possibly the best one that I'm aware of - "And now, the rest of the story"

1 comment:

matt iv said...

I remember listening to Paul Harvey when I was a kid riding around with my Dad. It reminds me of being with him and my brother heading somewhere out in the country.