LDS choir broadcast approaching milestone

"Music and the Spoken Word" — already the world's longest-running continuous network radio broadcast — will reach yet another milestone at 9:30 a.m. Sunday when it airs its 4,000th consecutive program with the Mormon Tabernacle Choir.

The program will include a special recorded message from President Bush, and a 30-minute taped addition to the program, "A Legacy of Music Through 4,000 Broadcasts," will be narrated by longtime CBS newsman Charles Osgood.

Also participating in the special program will be Jerold Ottley, who served as the choir's music director for nearly 25 years. Current Tabernacle Choir director Craig Jessop will make brief comments after the landmark performance, as will choir President Mac Christensen.

"Four thousand broadcasts over a period of more than 75 years is a truly remarkable achievement and a notable affirmation of 'Music and the Spoken Word's' enduring quality and appeal across a wide spectrum of listeners and viewers," Christensen said.

Since its first broadcast almost 77 years ago, on July 15, 1929, the Mormon Tabernacle Choir program has been a broadcast fixture for U.S., Canadian and worldwide audiences.

In recent years, the choir has been joined by the Orchestra at Temple Square. "Music and the Spoken Word" features a variety of music — religious, patriotic, folk, show tunes and others — plus inspirational, spoken messages.

"Music and the Spoken Word" is produced and distributed by Salt Lake City-based Bonneville Communications, a division of Bonneville International. Bonneville is owned by Deseret Management Corp., a holding company for businesses affiliated with the LDS Church, including the Deseret Morning News.

The program airs each week on more than 2,000 radio and television stations and reaches millions of listeners and viewers each week.

Lloyd D. Newell has been the announcer for "Music the Spoken Word" since 1990. J. Spencer Kinard served as announcer from 1972-90, and Richard L. Evans was the original voice, from 1930-71.

Newell personally writes many of the inspirational messages used in the broadcasts but also relies on a few other writers.

To commemorate the 25th year of weekly "Music and the Spoken Word" broadcasts in 1954, Life magazine commented on the program's legacy with these words: "Those who know this program . . . need no arguments for listening to it. Millions have heard them, and more millions, we hope, will hear them in years to come. It is a national institution to be proud of."

"Music and the Spoken Word" was inducted into the National Association of Broadcasters Hall of Fame in 2004, joining the likes of Bob Hope, Benny Goodman and Bing Crosby.

"Music and the Spoken Word" is only the second radio program ever to be inducted into the Hall of Fame. The first was the Grand Ole Opry.

The Mormon Tabernacle Choir has received its own share of awards over the years. The 360 members of the choir represent men and women from many different backgrounds and professions and range in age from 25 to 60. They are all unpaid volunteers who practice and perform weekly.

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E-mail: lynn@desnews.com