GaryOsberg.com

Good sad morning from Collegeville,  

 I am listening online to the last broadcast of Dale Connelly doing Radio Heartland.  In December of 2008 Dale and Jim Ed Poole did the final Morning Show live from The Fitzgerald Theater.  There was standing room only.  Fred Bursch and his wife Teri went dressed in black because they were in mourning for the “Morning Show”.  During the next pledge drive, one of the premiums was a cd of the performance.  It is one of my favorites.  

The very next morning “Radio Heartland” was launched on the internet and on HD radio in the Twin Cities.  Bursch Travel American Express has been the sponsor from the very beginning.  Every time someone goes online to www.radioheartland.org and hits the listen button, they hear a very short message acknowledging Bursch Travel as the sponsor.  In the month of April, the listen button was clicked on over 56,000 times.  When I called Fred to tell him that Dale was no longer going to do the 6 AM – 9 PM portion and that “Jasper” the computer was going to take over, Fred agreed to continue with his sponsorship.  Check them out at www.burschtravel.com  

A little while ago, Jim Ed Poole came on with Dale and it was very special.  Bart the Bear made a special trip down from the woods to offer to growl at whomever.  Dale declined the offer of assistance.  Very lucky for someone.  This has been a tough decision, but someday maybe Dale will reappear on the airwaves “somewhere over the rainbow”.   Eva Cassidy.  

The show this week is live from The Santa Barbara Bowl in Southern California.  Special guests include bluesman Elvin Bishop and fiddler extraordinaire Sara Watkins along with the Royal Academy of Radio Actors.  Enjoy the show.  

“The sense of humor is the oil of life’s engine.  Without it, the machinery creaks and groans.  No lot is so hard, no aspect of things is so grim, but it relaxes before a hearty laugh.”  G.S, Merriam