Father’s Day came up fast June 16th. My situation involved receiving a small package in the mail from my pops the other day, and inside the cardboard box was a small recyclable doggie-poo bag. Despite that informality, I found gold within this doggie bag – my dad’s radio on-air tapes from the 80’s! My family and myself hail from Sacramento and that’s where dad did radio when he was in his twenties. Quite a trip that we both got into radio at the same time in our lives at the same age. So as I listen to these old cassette tapes, everything about it a total blast from the past; the guy talking on air is my dad and he sounds just like I do now! I decided to take all of these old tapes and convert them to a digital format with my own introductions and commentary between them. The finished product for pops will be all of his analog air checks neatly compiled onto a CD with his own son’s radio voice talking about it! Better than a Hallmark card and golf balls…
Whether your paterfamilias devoted himself to an art, a tough career, a trade or just his family, make sure to recognize him for that. I’m sure he’ll appreciate it more than anything. And tell him you love him too-even if you do that already.
-J Dog; KZSC Jazz Music Director