Celebrate MPR's 30th Anniversary

MPR and Me: 3

I grew up in Iowa, went to the U of Iowa and become a fan of PHC in the early 80's. My first job out of grad school was for an East Coast Hospital in 1990. Wasn't around this time Garrison had his mid-life crisis and did that New York thing? It made me intensely homesick for the plains. I got a job back in South Dakota in 1993 and I remember sitting outside working outside listening to the radio and Prairie Home Companion came on. This cemented the deal for me. I was back home. (I'm not firm on the dates. I became sullen and disillusioned for awhile - I'm a fan forever now.) Oh, while I have you on the line, I really dig that cooking show on Saturdays.
Steven J. Simonin

Minnesota Public Radio is only a few years older than I am, so for a long time, I could not figure out why my parents wanted to listen to such boring music. In the past few years though I've figured it out and you'll rarely find my radio on anything besides the music or news stations.
The memory I would like to share regards A Prairie Home Companion. When I was 5, my family moved from Minneapolis to Alabama. It was nearly ten years before we moved back, but every Saturday night I heard that music and the deep voiced announcer saying, "From Minnesota Public Radio." It took some time for my appreciation of that to happen, but when it did, I knew that something good to listen to would follow that music and voice.
And that's true whether I hear that tag before PHC or Saint Paul Sunday or anything other program, it's going to be good.
Thank you for a lifetime of great listening!
Christine Seppanen, St. Paul, MN

Both of my children listened to the Morning Show & other MPR shows before they were born. About 2 weeks before my son was due, we were listening to an opera (sorry, don't remember which one.) The soprano hit a particularly dynamic high note, and the baby rolled and rolled around and gave several really good kicks. A critic! A few days later, we went into the clinic for an ultrasound. The doctor "bombarded" the child with sound waves, but there was no movement. The doctor was a little concerned, thinking perhaps there was something amiss with the fetus. I wasn't worried - after all, he'd kicked up quite a fuss about the opera only days before. Shortly thereafter, he was born, all ten pounds and five ounces of him. Who knows what effects good music has? Fortunately, it was a fast labor ... Thanks! Happy anniversary!
HVL

I have lots of memories of over 20 years of MPR listening. One of my favorites which I still retell was the "on-the-scene" report of the Humphrey Dome being inflated. The "report" depicted "fans" blowing up the soft top of the dome, leading us to believe they were large, blowing fans. The catch was that the "fans" were people--SPORTS-FANS--that were blowing air into hoses at synchronized times to lift the top. What a great gag.
Mike O'Neill

The other day I heard a request for a memory or story about MPR. So here's mine. When I was out in Middlebury, Vermont two years ago visiting my college son, I kept fiddling with the car radio looking for a classical music station. As I was driving back to the bed and breakfast one night, I found some wonderful piano music. Aha, I thought, I've finally found something out here in these mountains. Then the announcer mentioned the name of the piece and I was sure I knew who it was from the distinct accent. Sure enough, I'd found Stephanie Wendt from MPR a thousand miles or so from home! I always recognize her as she sounds exactly like a friend of mine from Stephen, MN. At any rate, it was a treat to hear MPR so far away.
Patricia Gunkelman
( and yes, I'm related to Gunkelman's in Minneapolis - I'm married to Tom's nephew.)

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