Happy Birthday Dad

My Dad just turned 65 yesterday. He's still a young pup I keep tellingl him!
Happy Birthday Dad! Wouldn't have gotten any where
NEAR my professional field if it weren't for Pop and my awesome broadcasting genes. I
pretty much grew up in a radio station thanks to him! In high school, I began spinning
records at 17 as they say because someone at the station he owned was sick and couldn't
come in. I had been hanging out at the station because it was a cool place for a teenager
to hang out of course! So a few staff members and the announcer who's shift was just
ending said, hey why don't YOU go on? I'm like HUH? NO WAY! But a few push this and
then that instructions and they were off and I was petrified doing best I could from having
observed the "DJ's" for years. Dad and Mom were driving to a supper club in Olivia, MN
and were very complementary when he returned. "Your going on the air!" is all I remember!
So that began my illustrious 21 year radio career. Now, I just fill in here and there on a
talk station locally here where my brother happens to be the General Manager and my younger
brother is his producer! My sister works at the Oldies station part time here after long career
in radio up in Devils Lake. Times have sure changed in
radio since those days back in high school. The big "window on Main" was a draw for any
fan who had a song to request, even the local law enforcement! I always remember them
scribbling down "Doobie Brothers" and holding it up to the window. Broadcasting parades by
just holding out a mic was a hoot. Putting on the Eagles "Long Run" Album version and dashing
to get my friend who didn't have a ride downtown is a favorite story from those days. I will
never forget the look on her face. She looked at the radio, then me, the radio, then me.
Dumbfounded. "But how...." "Never mind! Get in the car-fast!" We made it back in time too!
Her son is graduating from high school today! Time flies.
I'm happy to be self employed now doing professional
voice work. Finally reaching my goals of getting where I was at financially just doing this now.
Dad still wishes I was on the air more. But I'm living my dream Dad. Voicing national work
on Cable this fall. So glad you took me to Minneapolis all those hundreds of times to show
me there was a big, wide exciting world out there. And speaking of that, the Eagles-Steve
Miller Band-Pablo Cruise concert at Met Stadium outside in front of 64,000 fans at the age of
14 was by far one of the coolest things I'd ever imagined to do with my Dad! Still one of the best
concerts I've ever been too. But most of all thanks for these pipes---and getting me to where
I'm at now professionally. I couldn't have done it without you.