Note to the young lady in the bright yellow VW Beatle between Canton and Rock Valley Easter Sunday. That old guy in the big red Lincoln honking the horn at you was me. At first, Linda and I thought you were weaving all over the highway because you were drunk but after getting a closer look at a stop sign, we saw you holding the steering wheel in one hand and your I-pad in the other. I’m not sure if you could hear my horn blaring because you continued to wander from side to side causing our hearts to pound when it happened going UP a hill and we prayed there wasn’t an unsuspecting family in a car coming from the other direction whose lives were about to end thanks to your need to check Facebook or Twitter rather than pay attention to your driving. You finally turned off in Rock Valley, with I-pad still in hand, perhaps never realizing how fortunate you were for not killing yourself and others that day.
Speaking of getting hurt; you know how you’re always telling your kids and grandkids to “BE CAREFUL” because they need to understand that you feel their pain every bit as much as they do if they’re not. Well, our granddaughter, Zoey, had a momentary memory lapse recently and suffered a school playground accident resulting in a broken right arm. Fortunately, she’s left handed. “It doesn’t hurt much anymore..but it itches,” Zoey says. I think the pain is somewhat tempered by the fact she’s receiving celebrity status among her peers and relatives when she shows off her new pink cast. Where do I sign?
I saved a spot for you to sign right here, Grandpa.
I’ve been on the radio quite a bit in the last few weeks promoting the upcoming South Dakota Rock and Roll Music Association’s Hall of Fame induction ceremony and concert April 21st at the Ramkota Exhibit Hall. I was even back on Keloland TV last Saturday morning being interviewed by Perry Groten. It was my first real exposure to High Definition cameras and not a pretty picture. I had anticipated the need for putting on some make-up to at least try conceal the additional cracks and crevasses that have developed in the six plus years since retirement but all I had was an old compact of Max Factor Pan-cake applied with a wet sponge. It said “Tan No. 2” but it turned my mug more of an orange hue. Although Perry didn’t say anything I must have looked like a withered pumpkin when I showed up in the studio.
I wonder if pan cake make-up has a shelf life.
This last week I’ve been on the radio with Rick Knobe, Chad Mackenzie, Ben & Patty, Andy and Mel and Mark Tassler. But the most generous gentleman providing air time for the Hall of Fame is broadcasting legend, Grant Peterson of KBRK Radio in Brookings. I say legend because Grant has been on the air since 1959. He did a stint at WCCO in Minneapolis but most of his time has been in Brookings where he’s as well known as the campus Campanile. Every Friday afternoon in the weeks leading up to the event, Grant has Don Fritz and I on his “Great Afternoon Smorgasbord” program to talk about old time rock and roll and listeners seem to “eat it up” especially when pioneers of rock and roll call-in to chat.
Grant Peterson is the world ambassador for Lutefisk and dines on the lye-soaked cod whenever and whereever he finds it.
Grant Peterson represents the end of an era in radio. His laid back style probably appeals more to seasoned citizens but he makes no apologies about it nor of his Norwegian heritage. One of his longtime sponsors is a corset shop run by little old ladies..Millie and Tillie. He recites temperatures called-in from such odd places as Lutefisk Ridge. He sells his own commercials and ad libs them on the air sometimes going well over the allotted 30 or 60 seconds that most stations allow. He visits with many of his advertisers right on the phone..dialing them up on the air and chatting for several minutes about the product, of course, but also about the weather, the client’s family and plans for the weekend. It’s just fun old time radio that you don’t hear anymore. Grant Peterson’s Great Afternoon Smorgasbord can be heard weekdays from 3 to 5 on 1430 KBRK AM. It’s also streamed on his website, Grantsgas.com to be enjoyed by anybody with a computer anywhere in the world.
We’ll be chatting again this week even though this years Rock and Roll Hall of Fame ceremony and concert is SOLD OUT. I plan to spend more than a couple minutes thanking Grant and KBRK who played no small part in making that happen.
mange takk min gamle venn!
Grant with a couple of his adoring fans