[78-L] A BIT off topic but too good not to share - Holiday Music

[Steve Ramm]

Hi All: Okay, this is more about unusual holiday music than the old 78s and cylinders we collect but it's too good not to share. For the last 3 or four Christmas Eves, a DJ at the local public radio station WXPN - which produces "World Cafe" for NPR, which you might be aware of - has taken over the "airwaves" on the Day before Christmas to play a wide range of Christmas music that you won't hear anywhere else. He has since expanded it to 24 hours. I listen on my PC - and record some of it to play Christmas DAy. I also send notes to friends telling them to turn on their computers because the show is steamed on the web. So i decided to give you all a "heads up" so you can try to listen to at least some of this special program. (The music styles are all over the place and cover early as well as recent recordings. And he broadcasts the radio version of "It's a Wonderful Life" somewhere in the show.
 
The Dj is Robert Drake and today he sent out a summary of the show. So, I'll copy it here and let Robert give you the story himself. The url for the show is at the end of his message. ALL those around the world I've sent his to in the past thanked me. (Oh yes, the show runs midnight TUESDAY to Midnight Wednesday (EASTERN US TIME). So adjust that wherever you are located. 
 
Steve Ramm
 
 
  

      
THE NIGHT BEFORE ON XPNWednesday, December 24th24 nonstop hours on the 24th day of December 
For those unaware - it was 15 years ago when WXPN came to me, with those puppy-dog eyes, hoping that I'd fill in on December 24. Seems no one was available and it was the days before digital broadcast, where you could run special programming without assistance.So, I agreed - AS LONG AS they gave me complete freedom to spin an aural web of sounds of the season - direct from my collection of holiday tunes.What they didn't know was that I had already developed a fascination for Christmas songs. Not the burnt cookies anyone can hear up and down the dial in December. My collection was chock-full of unique nuggets - some not given the light of day for decades.So, they agreed to give me three hours and I delivered.The three hours went to four - which went to six. On my 13th anniversary of The Night Before on XPN, somewhat as a joke, I suggested 12 hours to celebrate the past 12 years! Management said 'okay' and the next thing you know I was on for 12 nonstop hours.Last year management asked what I planned to do to top my 12-hour marathon the previous year - - I said, how 'bout 24 hours?! After checking my pulse and temperature - just to be sure I wasn't babbling under some illness - they agreed.So, last year I was on the air for 24-nonstop hours. And this year I do it all again. 24 nonstop hours on the 24th day of December!Best of all, if you can't listen on the FM dial - you can listen live worldwide at 
http://xpn.org/listen-live 
 
 
 
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