GaryOsberg.com

My dad died thirteen years ago. We held a memorial service for him at Gethsemane Church in Upsala. Dad had prepared many funeral plans over the years, due in part to his decision to donate his body to the University of Minnesota Medical School. Also, in 1969 his doctors had told him that he had cancer and would probably only live another five years. He lived 36 years after the removal of his voice box. The soloist at the service asked if dad was a Elvis Presley fan, since all of the songs that he choose were on an Elvis album, Evening Prayer, He Touched Me, Amazing Grace and The Lord’s Prayer.

I was at home the Monday evening after the service when the phone rang. I answered it with a somewhat weary voice and the woman on the other end said: “We are looking for the family of Gary Osberg”. Expecting a sales pitch, I responded: “This is Gary!”. There was a long pause and I heard laughter in the background. I thought to myself, ‘I am not in the mood for this’. The lady came back on with: “This is the strangest phone call I have ever made. We have a floral arrangement for the funeral of Gary Osberg”. “IT WAS MY DAD THAT DIED! Where are you calling from?” The floral shop was in a city not even close to Upsala. She told me that she had checked with all of the funeral homes and churches in her area and had no luck. The flowers arrived on Wednesday and they were beautiful.

The show this week is a live broadcast from the beautiful Saenger Theatre in New Orleans, right on the edge of the Vieux Carre. Joining Chris is the great John Prine, who got his start writing songs while holding down a postal route in Illinois. Over his nearly 50-year career, he’s turned his incisive observations of American life into many of our most treasured songs. There will also be music from electric duo Sylvan Esso, comedy from Rory Scovel, and — after a triumphant appearance at the Fitzgerald Theater back in October — friends in the Preservation Hall Jazz Band will stop by for a song or two. Chris Thile’s Song of the Month series continues, with duet partner Gaby Moreno, Rich Dworsky on keys, guitarist Chris Eldridge, Alan Hampton on bass, drummer Ted Poor, and Gabe Witcher on fiddle. After a week spent looking for sun, will Tom Papa find it at the southern end of the Mississippi? Find out when he checks in from Out In America. Musician birthdays of course plus scripts and sound effects with the acting company, Serena Brook, Tim Russell, and Fred Newman. Tune in and laissez les bons temps rouler!

“I walked for miles at night along the beach, searching endlessly for someone wonderful who would step out of the darkness and change my life. It never crossed my mind that the person would be me.” Anna Quindlen