MICK KAHLER'S WORLD

“When I listen to my records, they take me back to certain points in my life.” (Music fanatic ‘Shreevee’ in the movie “Diner”)

This music memory starts in 1997 with the release of a song titled “Three Chords and the Truth” which was written and sung by country star Sara Evans.  It was the title track from Evans’ debut album.  I first heard it not on country station US*99, where I was working as morning show producer, but on 93 FM WXRT.  The lyrics hit home for me and right after listening to that track just once, I knew I had to have it and drove out to Rolling Stone Records in Norridge to pick up the CD.

Sadly “Three Chords and the Truth” only reached number 44 on the Country Music charts and it never aired on US*99 which is a total travesty.  The title itself describes what country songs are all about; simple melodies and chords with true feelings conveying heartfelt messages.

The song’s story covers a woman driving on the road, alone and trying to sort out her feelings of an ended love affair when she hears a special song on the radio that makes her rethink things.  The best lines being in the chorus, “I don’t know why, I don’t know how, but with his song he turned my life and this old car around.  Just when I thought I was over you, he changed my mind with three chords on the truth.”

Now what music listener can’t identify with the power that a song can have on their feelings?   Their mood, outlook and yes, how they cope with relationships?  “Three Chords and the Truth” spells out the unstoppable power, be it a country song or any form of music can have on a person.  Add to this, Sara Evans has one of those distinctive voices that you recognize within the first few lyrics she sings.

I can’t count how many times I’ve listened to Sara’s song and just nodded in peaceful agreement of the story shared.  The realization that someone was able to reach another with words and music they could relate to.  It’s a relief to know another person was in the same quandary as me.

Sara Evans belting out her distinctive voice in concert.

In a strange twist, Sara Evans rarely performs “Three Chords” in concert.  She’s had hits like “Born to Fly”, “No Place that Far” and “Suds in the Bucket” and then adds in other tracks, including covers of songs from other artists.  I’m not sure why someone would exclude what I consider to be their very best song, (hit or not a hit) that captures the essence of country music, but Sara favors other tunes to perform.

In the early spring of 2001, US*99 and Maytag appliances presented a free concert at the Rosemont Theater starring Kenny Chesney whose career was starting to break bigger and better.  Kenny’s opening act was Sara Evans and we had her on US*99 as a phone-in guest a couple of days before the show.  I got morning host Big John Howell to ask Sara if she’d be singing “Three Chords” in her set (a song Howell admired as well).  She said no and they hadn’t played that track in some time.  John persisted and shared our belief in what a special song that one was.  Sara then replied she’d see what she could do.      

The night of the concert, Ms. Evans and her band performed a list of hits and covers and just as her set appeared to be done, Sara called out, “This one’s for you Big John” and they rolled into “Three Chords and the Truth.”  I sat in my seat, glowing over the fact that for at least one show, Sara Evans was singing her very best song.

Next month (April 10^th) Sara Evans opens her 2026 concert tour in Carterville, Illinois. She has newer material to perform, her past hits and if there’s any justice in the world, “Three Chords and the Truth” will be heard as well.

Give “Three Chords and the Truth” a listen and you’ll see and hear what I already know.

NEXT BLOG- Some odds and ends to note.

Last week I posted things I have never done and probably won’t ever.  This week it’s things I have done and might do some more.

I have:

**Served as an election judge. (everyone should do this at least once to understand and respect the voting process)

**Been to a Super Bowl.  (In 2000 down in Atlanta, a wild time for sure)

**D.J.’d countless dances including one for a crowd of over a thousand college kids.

**Held the infant baby of one of my students.

**Kissed famous women.   (Just ‘hello-goodbye’ smooches with Tanya Tucker, Wynonna Judd and former SNL star Nora Dunn)

**Sung karaoke.  (“Lawyers, Guns & Money” being my go-to tune)

I have:

**Shaken the hand of two sitting U.S. Presidents.  (Jimmy Carter and George H.W. Bush)

**Flown in a helicopter. (Twice, and that was enough)

** Won Elmhurst’s Name the Park contest in 1974 and “Pioneer Park” was the result.  (That park still thrives)

**Written loads of parody songs/music videos with my pal Al Flash for the Channel 9 Morning News.   (That will never stop)

**Worked for my childhood idol Larry Lujack and continued to be his friend until the day he died. (I still miss him)

**Delivered three eulogies.  (For my dad, mom and sister.  I’m the sole survivor)

**Given a woman the “It’s not you, it’s me” line.

Next Blog- MUSIC MEMORY #2.

Sixty-five years into this life, I realized there are some things I have yet to do and probably won’t ever.  We’ll see.   Here’s a quick list of some things I have never done:

I never have:

**Eaten at Chipotle.  (We have one in Elmhurst and I like Mexican food, just not interested in their offerings.)

**Seen any of the Harry Potter movies.  Not one.

**Gotten a tattoo or a body piercing.

**Paid a bill when it was past its due date.

**Caught a foul or homerun ball at an MLB game.

**Worn a pair of Birkenstock sandals or any of their footwear.

**Had a gin and tonic.  (Gin has too strong a smell & taste for me. Vodka and Lemonade or orange juice is more my speed.)

I never have:

**Found Kevin Hart to be funny. (In movies, stand-up or all the commercials he does. A poor man’s Eddie Murphy in my opinion)

**Done stand-up comedy at an ‘Open Mic’ night.  (But someday I’d like to.)

**Flashed the two fingered devil’s horns sign at a concert. (Not even at a hard rock show)

**Had a manicure or God forbid, a pedicure.  (Nobody’s coming near my feet!)

**Watched even one minute of the Kardashians TV shows.

**Had an inter-office romance.  (No fishing off the company pier, but I have dated within my professions)

**Had my name posted in the Jeffrey Epstein files. (I’m not a freak or pervert)

Next week’s blog- I’ll post a list of some things I HAVE done.

“When I listen to my records, they take me back to certain points in my life.” (Laurence ‘Shrevie’ Schreiber from the movie Diner.)

As anyone who knows me can attest, I love the Eagles.  Always have, always will.  They’re on my Mt. Rushmore of American rock bands along with Cheap Trick and R.E.M.  (I still need to determine a fourth band to put in that picture)

I first got into the Eagles in 1972 hearing their songs blasting out of my sister Maryanne’s stereo.  Mary was four years older than I. Her bedroom was next to mine and the 45 rpm singles and albums she bought and played were the best musical education I could ever ask for. 

The Eagles’ songs represent so many special memories for me.  One of them being the summer of 1975 when Mary drove me up for a day of fun at Bangs Lake in Wauconda in her ’73 Duster. We rocked out to a cassette of the Eagles’ “On the Border” album.  “Already Gone”, “James Dean”, “Best of My Love” and the title track never sounded better.

Years later, I saw three solo Don Henley concerts and he would favor the crowd with three or four Eagles hits.  Same for Glenn Frey when I saw a solo show he played in 1992.  Thanks to my work in radio, I got to spend some time with Frey twice that year and he was a total delight.   In 1995 I caught the Eagles at the United Center on their “Hell Freezes Over” tour.  It was a top notch concert and seeing the enjoyment from my pal Dana who I took to that show made it extra special. She too was a big Eagles fan.

The Eagles on their “Hell Freezes Over” tour in 1995.

My all-time favorite Eagles song has always been “One of These Nights.” Many years after determining that, I learned that was Frey’s favorite Eagles track as well.  The opening line hooks me in. “One of these nights, one of these crazy old nights, we’re gonna find out pretty mama, what turns on your lights.”  Also, the lyric of “Someone to be kind to in between the dark and the light” gets me to recall some special nights and mornings I’ve spent with the fairer sex.  The melody is hypnotic and those words are a magic spell of lust and potential seduction.

My second favorite Eagles track is their cover of the Steve Young tune “Seven Bridges Road.”  Of course, the band’s harmonies on that song are incredible.  But “Seven Bridges” also takes me back to talent shows I took part in at the school where I teach.  Fellow teacher Charlie Harris and I did duets two years in a row.  He played the guitar and we covered “Already Gone” one year and R.E.M.’s “The One I Love” the next year.  But before we did each of those songs, we opened acapella with the first verse of “Seven Bridges Road.”  Charlie and I did that singing in perfect tone and in sync. 

Charlie Harris passed away a couple years ago, but I’ll never forget the fun we had as fellow teachers and performing those tunes.

Before his passing ten years ago, Glenn Frey put the Eagles legacy best. He said people did things to Eagles music.  They drove across country on fandangos, met or broke up with boyfriends, girlfriends and experienced life to a soundtrack of Eagles songs. That’s what I too can say about the Eagles and for that, I’m forever grateful.

NEXT BLOG– When I know, you’ll know.

The up and down year of 2025 is almost over.  I hope yours was a good one.  For me, let’s just say I survived it and am grateful for that.  Here are the highlights.

HEALTH-**I fully recovered from the detached retina surgery of my right eye that happened on 12/23/24.  Dr. Aaron Weinberg who is my surgeon and retina specialist has been nothing short of incredible!  I was off 6 weeks on disability pay then 2 months later had a procedure done that greatly reduces my left eye’s retina from being detached.

**In mid-February I got my first ever case of COVID.  Three days later I was fine.

** In early-March it was a kidney stone that sidelined me.  Oy! I expelled it a month later and have been all good since.

** My arthritic knees went through a series of gel injections this fall and they’ve been a relief.  However, I need to lose a lot of weight before having knee replacement surgery. 

SCHOOL-** The 24-25 school year was a challenge with nine different high school students on my caseload being sent to other schools due to off their chain behaviors and problems.  Due to a staffing need, I was relocated to teaching middle school kids which was familiar territory since my first five years at this school were spent teaching middle schoolers. That’s fine by me.  I like high school kids but fretting over their daily drug use, vaping and cell-phone smuggling make for major headaches.

HOME-**I got a new central air conditioning unit installed and it worked perfectly throughout our hot summer.  The rest of my nearly one hundred-year-old house remains in good shape.

SUMMER- ** The summer swim season was a great one and a huge relief after such a hard school year.

** The WLS AM 890 Reunion in late July was a big highlight too!

IN MEMORY OF… **In 2025, I attended the last rites/services of five people I knew.  Sadly, two of the departed took their own lives at ages 61 and 36. 

MOVIES & MORE.**It was a horribly weak year at the movie theaters.  I loved the Springsteen film “Deliver Me from Nowhere.’  That one was so compelling, I enjoyed it twice.   For a truly frightening movie, “A House of Dynamite” was fantastic.  This nuclear scare film was in theaters and then ran on Netflix and it’s intense.

** More better features in film and documentaries were found on Netflix and HBO.  The Charlie Sheen docu and the one on Billy Joel being two great ones and the one titled “John Candy- I Like Me: was top notch too. Theeight part Ed Gein mini-series was wild. And the seven-part HBO’s FBI drama “Task” starring Mark Ruffalo, had me eagerly waiting for each new episode on Sunday nights.   Someday, Ruffalo is going to win some serious acting awards.

** The WGN Morning News kept up with playing the music video parodies created by me and Al Flash.  That side hobby remains one of my favorite things to do.

**RAISED ON THE RADIO UPDATE- My media memoir has been through its final edit and now I need to find the right people to help me self-publish it on Amazon. To put it bluntly, the missile is in the silo and it just needs to be launched.

!! Like I said, 2025 was survived.  Still here, happy to be healthy and better for overcoming what I faced while fully aware that tens of millions of other folks had a much worse year than mine.  Here’s to wishing for good things in the New Year for all of us.

Happy New Year!   

Mick Out

 I look to self-publish my media memoir “Raised on the Radio” in 2026. During the holidays this excerpt seems fitting.

Christmas time at age seven is when I saw TV commercials advertising the ‘Say It-Play-It’ tape recorder. The ads showed you could record your voice or a song on a weird looking yellow plastic cartridge lodged in a small red console and listen back to it right away. In 1968, this was mind blowing technology. I had to have this and come Christmas morning Santa brought me that gadget!  I recorded everything at home after that.  Songs from the radio, sports on TV highlights, jokes I knew, off key singing from me, conversations at the dinner table, you name it and I caught it on tape. This became a passion for me!

The Say-It-Play-It tape recorder started my media quests.

The recording magic in the “Say-It Play It” was the genesis of my love and quest to work in media.  To me, it was what the glowing green crystal was to a young Clark Kent in the “Superman” movies.  You know the story: a teenaged Clark finds a green crystal that called out to him. That crystal starts the journey to find out who he is and why he is on the planet Earth.  The Say It Play It recorder was MY glowing green crystal.

Finding the glowing green crystal was key to Clark Kent finding out who he was and what was his purpose in life. Much like the Sat-It-Play-It was for me.

Maybe I still would’ve pursued a career in radio without the Say-it Play It recorder being my catalyst but who knows for sure?  I’m just glad I got that gift for Christmas!

Less than 20 years after getting the Say-It-Play-It recorder, I was working in big city radio. I’m on the left and John Howell is on the right. Great memories.

NEXT BLOG- Wrapping up 2025.

I look to self-publish my media memoir “Raised on the Radio” in 2026. Here’s a tease of something that’ll be in it.

This excerpt rolls back to my days of teenage lust in high school.

The fall of 1975 thru the spring of 1979 might’ve been a sweet spot in the sexual revolution, but me and most of my friends had our sex gears stuck in neutral.   At teen parties, the farthest we might go with a girl was a few stolen kisses in someone’s paneled basement or rec room after a few cans of Old Style beer. 

My senior high school picture. Just an average teenager. Got my teeth fixed a couple years later.

We weren’t afraid of the fairer sex, just a little hesitant to get out of the gate. Things at times were more formal and less rushed. Years later, it was no wonder that movies like “American Pie” and “Superbad” resonated so well with me.   

I had a few dates in high school but my love train was slow in departing the station depot.  Meatloaf once sang a song that summed up my relationship with girls back then, “All Revved Up with No Place to Go.” 

Stolen kisses like this one shown in the movie “Superbad” were an occasional happening.

The truth is we guys were curious, lustful and unsure of our skills in the romance department.  Bob Seger best described what us wannabe studs and the fairer sex were up to back then, “Working on mysteries without any clues.”

 Years ago, I took all this angst and frustration in good humor, joking, “I got my share of girls, but my share was so little.”  The good news is things got better as time went on.  If I were to compare my life with the opposite sex to a movie character, it would be Jon Fareau’s portrayal of a love seeking comedian in “Swingers.”  Except I’ve never scored Heather Graham’s phone number. (So far)

Jon Favreau & Heather Graham in “Swingers.”

NEXT BLOG- What started my interest in radio.

During my radio career I met and talked with countless celebrities in various situations. Musicians, TV and movie stars, athletes, politicians and other famous folks were a constant during my 20 years in Chicago media.

Most meet-ups were in radio station studios, lobbies and also on the phone for various interviews.  Other encounters were backstage at concerts, movie screenings and other events.  Almost all of my brushes with greatness/celebrity were good ones or at least passable.  The fame game is a tough one.  As David Allen Coe wrote in his classic “The Ride”, “If you’re big star bound let me warn you it’s a long hard ride.”

Maybe it’s not fair but I judged all of my meetings (personal and professional) with famous people by a meet up I had with two stars back when I was 11 years old.  At that age my life centered around sports, playing and watching baseball and hockey.  Hockey was my constant passion, anything that had to do with the Chicago Blackhawks was top priority in my world.

One Sunday night in the early spring of 1972 I was at home with my father and sister Maryanne while my mother was working as a server at Steven’s Steak house in Elmhurst.  Stevens was the best and fanciest restaurant in town and my mom worked a few shifts there each week.

On this particular evening my dad got a call from mom.  She had just taken food orders from Blackhawk star goalie Tony Esposito and defenseman Pat Stapleton!  The Hawks had a rare afternoon home game that day so a meal out on a Sunday night was in order for these players.  Mom told my dad to get me over to her workplace ASAP to meet these guys.   My dad gave me the news and I quickly threw on dress pants and shirt, sport coat and tie as he did the same.   Stevens was a ‘dress well’ type of eatery and we needed to fit in.

Before closing and being demolished in favor of a Thornton gas station, Stevens Steak House was THE place for the best dining in Elmhurst.

Twenty minutes later my dad and I were in the presence of these two Blackhawk stars as they dined with their wives.  Tony spotted me shyly approaching his table and got up to introduce himself and ask for my name.  Pat Stapleton did the same and we shook hands and talked hockey for a few minutes.  My mom brought over a couple of Stevens menus and Esposito and Stapleton neatly signed autographs and thanked me for being a fan of them and the Hawks.   This whole meeting took about five minutes but it was a monster thrill for me.  

Tony Esposito and Pat Stapleton were open to having their meals interrupted and were gracious to a young star struck fan.  It made for a great story I got to share with my teacher and classmates the next day at school.  Tony and Pat showed me even though they were well known athletes, they were as normal and personable as anyone else.  From then on, I measured all of my meetings with famous people by the same standard that these two men showed me.

Tony Esposito watches defenseman Pat Stapleton take control of the puck back in the day.

Years after this Sunday night encounter I would often see Tony Esposito around town.  He and other Blackhawk players chose Elmhurst as their place to live and raise their families.  I never did approach Tony again, one pleasant meet-up years earlier was more than enough for me.  

Both Esposito and Stapleton are now deceased but my memory of meeting them lives on. They set my standard for meeting famous people.   Thanks again guys!

 Next blog- Working on Our Night Moves.

It seems like this past Halloween deserves a blog post.  For me, it was a fun one.  Normally I would just wear an orange golf shirt and black slacks to school on 10/31 but this year our school staff was encouraged to dress in costumes.  I was fine with that but didn’t go overboard with personal creativity.  Wearing a Hawaiian shirt, Bermuda shorts and sunglasses, I dressed as a ‘Beach Bum.’ 

That’s me at my classroom desk, dressed as a ‘Beach Bum.’

However, many of my co-workers really got into the dress up bit.  Several staff members dressed as various members of Snow White’s dwarves.  Others had witch’s get-ups and other fun outfits.  Most of the younger kids dressed up and there was a parade through the school and lots of treats given out.  The youngest of the kids were so sweet and polite. 

 My students were good with all the Halloween fun and I shared with them some creepy scary mini-movies from You Tube along with the full length feature of Michael Jackson’s “Thriller.”  Some of my class had never seen Michael’s classic opus and they really liked it.

Driving home to dish out candy to trick or treaters, I saw a creepy yet cool sight. A couple blocks east of my house someone tied a red balloon to a sewer grate. It floated about with no other sign or decoration.  Those who’ve seen “It” knows what that red balloon by the sewer is all about!

Two blocks from my house I saw a similar type of scene as this photo. Fans of “It” know to not get too close .

The kids coming to my door were a riot.  Lots of princesses, fire fighters, vampires, skeletons and of course little tots dressed in furry animal costumes.  Most trick or treaters were accompanied by their parents toting traveler mugs filled with coffee or perhaps something a little stronger as they sweetly reminded their off spring to tell their candy givers, “Thank you” and “Happy Halloween.” 

My neighbors next door just had their first baby 6 weeks ago and they dressed as Portillo’s workers with their baby boy wrapped up in a tiny hot dog costume.  I thought that was clever and hilarious.

In the late afternoon, barricades were put up for a block party and a really cool Haunted House bounce house/giant inflatable slide was set up in the street.  The neighborhood kids and other trick or treaters went nuts for this bit of fun.

The housewife who coordinated much of the party invited me to join the other adults for cocktails, snacks and a band that was set to play after dinner.  However, after a long week with my behavior issue students, I was too tired to head out.  The band could be heard playing for a couple hours and they rocked out songs by John Mellencamp, Van Morrison and other classic artists.  

The next morning, I dropped off a ‘sorry to be a no show’ note to the party planners and witnessed the fall-out from the bash.  Several tables were still laid out with chairs, leftover snacks, sweets, empty wine and booze bottles and two coolers with a few cans of beer left in them.  Bottom line, my younger neighbors know how to party! 

NOT an actual photo from the Swain avenue Halloween Block Party but trust me, my neighbors know how to party!

The good news is next Halloween is on a Saturday so I’ll be ready with a more creative costume and hopefully another fun block party on my street!

Next blog- Tony and Pat set the standard.

I look to self-publish my media memoir “Raised on the Radio” in 2026. Here’s a tease of items that’ll be in it.

Radio bits to entertain the listeners was a constant.  Here are some of the more infamous ones:

 “Animal Stories”- The benchmark bit for Larry Lujack and Lil Snot Nosed Tommy.  And lots of fun!

“The Cheap Trashy Show Biz Report.” Writing words for Lujack to read on the air was a favorite thing for me to do… And a major thrill that quickly became business as usual.

“Stupid Ass Move of the Weekend.” Folks called in to the Miller & Howell show on WCKG and fessed up to the dumb things they did during their weekend.

Uncle Lar’s “Animal Stories” was full of goofy facts and lots of laughs.

“What’s in Ramblin’ Ray’s Mouth?” A US*99 bit we tied in with restaurant clients. It was always food, but which food?

“Embarrassing Moments”, Crazy tales from Murphy listeners, always ratted out by their family and friends and well played by Murf.

“Guess the Whoopie” Listeners of Robert Murphy’s show on Q101 got to learn when was the last time a singled out individual danced the dirty hula.

“Danger Dan’s Missions”- Nobody played these on-air pranks and scams straighter or better than Danger Dan Walker.  I was with him for many of  these bits and it was a fucking riot!

“Silicone or Her Own”, Which famous women got their chests enlarged by the good folks at Jiffy Boob?

“Hair or Bare” Who are the famous men with fake hair?

“Vibrator Olympics.” Until this bit started at Q-101 I never knew how popular personal pleasure devices were.  Sisters are doing it for themselves!

Robert Murphy’s show was a blast to be a part of. Here’s a 1990 publicity photo of the morning team. That’s me holding the magazine and sporting hair that has since turned very gray.

Next Blog- Two famous who people set the standard.