From Deseret News archives:
LDS choir broadcast approaching milestone
'Music and the Spoken Word' to air 4,000th program on Sunday
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.
"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.
E-mail: lynn@desnews.com
Comments
- 2A soccer all-state first team 10:11 p.m.
- Droid is cool computer in a phone 10:09 p.m.
- Jobless help extended 14 more weeks 10:08 p.m.
- Hotel rates may drop by 8.8% 10:08 p.m.
- Kraft's Cadbury bid starts tussle 10:07 p.m.
- Conference set for directors, officers 10:02 p.m.
- Seminar about body language 10:01 p.m.
- GMAC is failing Fed's stress test 9:55 p.m.
- Airlines boost on-time arrivals 9:55 p.m.
- Can't find hot toy? Blame economy 9:54 p.m.
- TCU showdown has big implications
- Seniors helped BYU regroup
- Lambert surprisingly tops news
- Hope for single moms
- Bystanders framed for child porn
- Korver and Miles to be evaluated
- Prep girls soccer MVPs named
- Utah Jazz Extra: Whose hot/not
- GOP blasts Matheson after vote
- Newhouse Hotel, an explosive end
- House passes health care bill
227 - TCU showdown has big implications
182 - Lobo suspended
182 - Cougars crush hapless Cowboys
154 - Utah Jazz fall apart against Kings
131 - TCU 4th in AP poll; U. 16th, Y. 22nd
115 - Thousands protest health bill
112 - RSL rallies to advance
103 - No 'backlash' for pioneers, gays analogy
96 - Utes pound winless Lobos
89
Meghan McCain, the daughter of former presidential candidate John...
Why do so many people live so close to refineries in Utah and elsewhere?
WOW people. come on. seriously. a win is a win. it doesnt matter how you get...
Want a great example of the disparity inherent in the BCS? It took...
Stats for the New York game: Kirilenko was 5-8 from behind the arc. That's...
Little Brothers and... | 7:53 p.m. Nov. 9, 2009 "BYU has done that [top 25...
The bad defense starts with the guards. How many rookie PGs have lit up the...
Mr. Miller and the band were not even planning on attending this event until...
Funny how men are called sexists, whiners, etc. when merely stating facts.
After wasting thousand of dollars on professional counseling for depression...
yes you can get a delay of game on defense.
will be all that Utah has to show for this season when all is said and done



You can be the first to comment on this story.