THE OLD PHILCO RADIO

DRIVING ALONG IN THE MIDDLE OF A FOGGY NIGHT ON THE WAY TO A CITY A HUNDRED MILES AHEAD I HAPPENED TO BE SEARCHING FOR A RADIO STATION TO KEEP ME COMPANY. IT WAS'NT LONG UNTIL I CAME UPON WSM IN NASHVILLE. ALL OF A SUDDEN THE DJ'S CONVERSATION CONCERNING THE EARLY STARS OF THE GRAND OLE OPRY BROUGHT ME FACE TO FACE WITH MEMORIES COVERED IN COBWEBS. IT WAS THE EARLY FIFTIES AND ON SATURDAY NIGHT I WOULD LAY ON THE BIG GRAY RUG IN THE LIVING ROOM AND LISTEN TO THE GRAND OLE OPRY ON THE RADIO WITH MY MOM AND DAD. THE SHOW WAS FILLED WITH STARS LIKE HANK WILLIAMS, PATSY CLINE, JIMMY DICKENS, THE CARTER FAMILY, ERNEST TUBB AND MANY OTHERS. DADDY LIKED BLUEGRASS MUSIC, YODELING AND HE "PLAYED AT PLAYING" THE BANJO. OUR RADIO WAS A PHILCO CONSOLE COMPLETE WITH A 78 TURNTABLE, FM, AM AND SHORTWAVE. DADDY LOVED TO TURN THE DIALS AND PICK UP STATIONS IN MOSCOW, ENGLAND AND ALL OVER THE WORLD. I LOVED THAT RADIO, TOO BECAUSE IT GAVE ME THE MEANS TO PRETEND TO BE A DJ AND PLAY 78 RPM RECORDS FOR HOURS AT A TIME WHEN NOBODY WAS AROUND. A FEW YEARS LATER I BECAME A DJ FOR REAL. THEN IN 1953 OR 4 WE GOT OUR FIRST TELEVISION SET AND THE RADIO WENT SILENT. ED SULLIVAN, I LOVE LUCY, MILTON BERLE AND MANY OTHERS TOOK CENTER STAGE AT OUR HOUSE. EVEN LATER LAWRENCE WELK, ORAL ROBERTS AND WRESTLING SHOWS GOT DAD'S FULL ATTENTION. HE DIED IN THE SEVENTIES AND MOM IN 2004. WHEN WE HAD THE ESTATE SALE FOR THE CONTENTS OF MY PARENT'S HOUSE THAT RADIO WAS STARING ME IN THE FACE LIKE AN ORPHAN SEARCHING FOR A HOME. SOMEONE CAME ALONG AND JUST HAD TO HAVE IT AND I SAY YES. I KNOW THEY TELEVISE THE GRAND OLE OPRY ON SATURDAY NIGHT, BUT SOMEHOW IT WOULD BE KINDA SPECIAL TO LAY ON MY PARENT'S RUG, TUNE IN WSM AND HEAR THE GRAND OLE OPRY JUST ONE MORE TIME ON THAT OLD PHILCO RADIO.