Hapax Legomena

This is a looped & layered recording of Brian L. Frye laughing.

My media law student Zach Epperson invited me to appear on his WRFL 88.1 fm Lexington radio show, Campus Voices, and talk about the First Amendment and free speech on college campuses.

This is Wakey! Wakey! covering the Joei DBG song "Letters Home."

In this episode, Tasha Cotter discusses her epistolary novel "Us, In Pieces" (2019), which she co-authored with Christopher Green, and which is published by Shadelandhouse Modern Press. This interview was originally broadcast on 88.1 fm WRFL Lexington, on July 30, 2019.

The filmmaker and scholar Phil Solomon died on April 20, 2019. On several occasions, I had asked him to come on my weekly radio show to share and talk about some of his favorite music, but had never managed to make it happen. On April 23, I dedicated my radio show to his memory, and played songs I knew he liked, songs others suggested, and songs that made me think of him.

In 1977, the National Automobile Dealers Association, a trade group for car dealers, released this promotional 7" record, extolling "America's Fifth Freedom: Freedom of Mobility." As the sleeve observes: "Americans know about the 'four freedoms' - freedom of speech, freedom to worship, freedom from want and freedom from fear. But have you thought about what our life would be like without a fifth freedom - our freedom of mobility?" "As Americans, we have the freedom to go where we want, when we want and how we want." "That's pretty important, isn't it"?

This is a home recording of the song "Nailed to the Cross," performed by Lilli Keen (guitar and vocals), recorded by Rev. Frank H. Stamps, in Memphis, Tennessee, on December 15, 1963. Recording provided by Tim Stamps

"Here's a tape I recorded in 1975 from a Heathkit ham radio. A few minutes on a reel-to-reel tape." - Tim Stamps.

This LP was released in 1985 by the WWF and features most of the prominent professional wrestling stars and personalities of that era.

"This is small reel-to-reel tape my dad got from a radio station. He would get lots of tapes from radio stations and give them to me, then I would record over some of them, cut them up for tape-loops or whatever, but most of the time would leave the spots as-is. This is marked 'Marco' and 'demo,' most likely an astrologer sent this to radio stations for a series of these short 2-minute spots. This one is for December 25, 1972 - January 5, 1973." Via Tim Stamps

"Here's part of a tape from a French class at Somerset (KY) High School (1970s). There was a tape lab with several stations that had reel-to-reel tape recorders, connected to a master reel-to-reel tape player. A tape from a textbook company would be played on the main machine, which would feed to the recorders where students would sit with headphones and speak into a microphone. The voice would speak the French phrase, and students would repeat after, recording their voice onto a new reel-to-reel tape, which the teacher and student could review later. Somehow my sister, Kathie, was given the tape she had recorded (which I kept all these years), so her voice is heard here." Via Tim Stamps

A sermon delivered by Dr. Ian R. K. Paisley, protestant activist-preacher of the Free Presbyterians of Northern Ireland in about August 1967. Paisley is introduced by Rev. Billy James Hargis. Via Tim Stamps.

In 1988, Burger King released a series of flexi-discs featuring the main character from the popular television show ALF as a promotional gift. They were acetate records mounted on cardboard, and featured several different songs. This disc features the song "Melmac Rock," named after ALF's putative "home planet." It is a surprisingly catchy post-punk anthem.

In 1960, Kinney Shoes distributed copies of this acetate record on cardboard, encouraging customers to participate in its jingle contest for prizes.

An acetate recording in which Ellen Van Brimmer recommends bringing a case of Pepsi-Cola as a gift to the hostess of a Christmas party. Provided by Tim Stamps

An acetate recording of Vern Jassell singing "I Wish I Were Single Again" in 1941. Provided by Tim Stamps

Mrs. Atkinson & Mrs. Graner sing "Stille Nacht," probably on December 26, 1948. Provided by Tim Stamps

An acetate recording in which Mr. Atkinson (?) announces that Mrs. Atkinson and Mrs. Graner will sing "Silent Night, Holy Night," which they proceed to do, very poorly. Provided by Tim Stamps

An acetate recording of a young woman interviewing a number of other women and men, presumably of Polish descent. Provided by Tim Stamps

An acetate recording of a boy announcing "Captain Video and the Video Ranger!" and "Eat Post cereal, it's good for you!" Provided by Tim Stamps

An acetate recording of a skit in which a police officer stops a motorist for running a stop sign. The motorist's wife pleads for mercy, and the police office lets them go. The man playing the police officer has a strong Irish accent. Provided by Tim Stamps

In the winter of 1956-57, Jerry Stamps made an audio recording of three television programs broadcast by WFBC-TV, Channel 4, Greenville, South Carolina, between about 12:50 pm and 1:35pm in the afternoon. The first program is "This is the Life" (produced by the Lutheran Church and synod). The second is "This is the Answer" (Baptist). The third of "Dr. Christian." The third program also contains a commercial for an antiseptic. Provided by Tim Stamps

A Crosley Home Recording acetate disc of Ellen Van Brimmer singing Christmas carols. Provided by Tim Stamps

Test record provided by Electronics World, formerly Radio & TV News.

Two spooky tracks of alphorn music from the album The Kindli Presents Swiss Folklore Music (~1960?). Both feature Joe Schmid on alphorn performing songs composed by Jo Juli, with yodeling in the background.

Direct Distributor Success Stories: Olaf and Alice Tuhkahnen, Ruby Direct Distributors, Minnesota Fred and Jan Sanborn, Diamond Direct Distributors, California Paul and Anita Lee, Emerald Direct Distributors, Delaware

Opening - Sung by the Sanborn Singers Direct Distributor Success Stories: Vince and Alice Gaffey, Diamond Direct Distributors, Illinois Larry and Janice Culkins, Emerald Direct Distributors, N.C.

Gerald Jaggers, a student in Dr. Sutherland's English 6 Public Speaking class at the University of Kentucky, discusses unions, the unique characteristics of different United States cities, and why he thinks Gandhi was a dictator and FDR is almost a dictator in 1938. Acetate record via Tim Stamps.

Jean Cummings, a student in Dr. Sutherland's English 6 Public Speaking class at the University of Kentucky, describes the history of the University of Kentucky's Guignol Theater in 1939. Acetate record via Tim Stamps.

Charles A. Moore, a student in Dr. Sutherland's English 6 Public Speaking class at the University of Kentucky, explains why he prefers women to wear short dresses in 1939. Acetate record via Tim Stamps.

Elizabeth Farrar, a student in Dr. Sutherland's English 6 Public Speaking class at the University of Kentucky, describes television in 1939. Acetate record via Tim Stamps.

Joe Hodges, a student in Dr. Sutherland's English 6 Public Speaking class at the University of Kentucky, describes coal mining in 1939. Acetate record via Tim Stamps.

This is a complimentary 45rpm single distributed by Bergeron Plymouth in New Orleans, Louisiana. It features "Trosclair" (J.B. Kling Jr.), "The Voice of Bergeron Plymouth, reciting a "Cajun" interpretation of Clement Moore's popular Christmas poem "A Visit from St. Nicholas." The flip side includes five commercials for Bergeron Plymouth. The "announcer" is Bill Stanley of WDSU, New Orleans.

An August 10, 1989 interview in which the artist Stuart A. Sherman (November 9, 1945 – September, 14 2001) remembers the actor, director, and playwright Charles Braun Ludlam (April 12, 1943 – May 28, 1987).

Thomas Bryant, Jr., a student in Dr. Sutherland's English 6 Public Speaking class at the University of Kentucky, describes the hemp industry in Kentucky as it existed in 1938. Acetate record via Tim Stamps.

Robert B. Rudd graduated from Hamilton College in 1909, and became an English professor at Dartmouth College. This record was recorded in 1966 by James L. Hildebrand. You can hear the ice clinking in Rudd's glass as he reads & reminisces. The Pasture (Robert Frost) Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening The Prodigal Son (Rudyard Kipling) The Oxen (Thomas Hardy) The Donkey (Gilbert Keith Chesterton) Journey of the Magi (T.S. Eliot) The Magi (William Butler Yeats) "Hey Nonni No!" (Anonymous) English 9: Lecture on Chekhov (Rudd) Kubla Khan (Coleridge) Musee des Beaux Arts (W.H. Auden) So We'll Go No More A-Roving (Byron) Memorabilia (Robert Browning) They Are Not Long (Ernest Dowsen) Tarantella (Hilare Belloc) Sagesse (Paul Verlaine) Love Poem (John Frederick Nims) The Lucy Poems I (Wordsworth) To Lucasta, Going to the Wars (Lovelace) The Good-Morrow (John Donne) Heart, We Will Forget Him! (Dickenson)