[78-L] Who was the first . . .

[Stewart, Joseph R]

Probably the first person who made 78s that I can remember meeting--AND
recording with (albeit not a MUSIC recording, but an interview!)--was
Dame Eva Turner (born 10 March, 1892), when as a young pup broadcaster I
interviewed her in September 1978. Two of her voice students (one at the
Royal Academy of Music in London, the other from her days at U. of
Oklahoma in the 1950s) were on the voice faculty of then-Southwest
Missouri State University [now Missouri State], and she came here to do
master classes and a lecture as a favor to them.  She was in the States
for the opening night at the Met earlier that month.  Actually, in the
end SHE kinda interviewed ME, testing my knowledge of opera and great
singers of the past... both of which were relatively half-vast for a
22-year-old Missouri kid.  The robust 86-year-old then marched
downstairs to the station manager's office and declared in her most
stentorian voice, "You should keep this young man--he's VERY
knowledgeable!"  30+ years later, I'm still here.... (so's he, for that
matter!) 
Randy Stewart, Arts Producer
KSMU
Springfield MO