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.