There have been a lot of great stories told on the air these past few weeks. As a regular listener I found each one moving. Thank you John for these 25 years of sharing these 25 years of often rare versions of Dylan's music, and for sharing your listeners' stories this past month. And thank you Phoebe, for contributing your story here.
Phoebe Smith: First I would like to preface this, Ed, by thanking you for promoting John Bushey's 25th radio show anniversary. I was in the 8th grade when John Bushey and my father Moses Smith were talking about his radio show. John and my dad met because they both worked in ISD 709 the Duluth school system. We were all on a yellow school bus every morning for an American Indian summer science camp. John is an educator and was married at the time to the woman running the camp. My father worked in the Indian Education department. I was there because I was a mentor for the Native American summer science (NASS) camp students.
John asked my dad if he ever listened to Bob Dylan and my father answered not really. There was one song my father identified with and that was Hurricane. Dad became fascinated with John's stories about this new radio show he'd just begun doing. I listened to them talking about other music as well.
I started listening to the show during card games in 1991. I listened to Highway 61 Revisited online when I lived out of state.
I've been to a number of concerts over the years. My eldest child has gone to a few shows with me, too. My youngest isn't old enough to go yet.
I love the music and seemed to get it at a young age. It's hard to explain adequately how as a younger person I understood the complexity of the emotions expressed and experienced in the songs. As with any music it's about how you relate with it.
EN: You told a story of how Dylan's music got you through a rough patch in your life. Can you elaborate on this?
PS: I suspect that everyone has bad times and good. My story isn't much different but like I've said my life has naturally had music incorporated into it. I will give an example; there was a time when I had gotten into a disagreement with an ex boyfriend and was left 30 miles out of town. I walked to my former home in Missoula, Montana where I had been living at the time. It took what seemed like forever to get there and I sang most of Dylan's musical catalog as I walked. It's funny to look back on it now but I suppose that is one fine example. The music helped me keep up the pace as I walked.
PS: I have been listening since 1991 and glad that I found it. I would listen online when I was homesick, living or traveling elsewhere in the United States before I boomeranged home to Duluth. I am very thankful to have met John Bushey. I continue to listen to the show for all of the live Bob Dylan music. I am happy and honored to have witnessed all 25 years of KUMD's Highway 61 Revisited with your host John Bushey.
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Oh, and yes, we will be honoring Mr. Dylan, too, for his latest achievement, the Nobel Prize for Literature. Will you join us?
