[Phono-L] This Memorial Day in my home Town

[Kuglarb at wmconnect.com]

Hats off to all of you collectors that enjoy displaying and playing your 
collection!  People, however amaze me.  I sometimes cannot believe how people 
fail show any interest at all in phonographs.  I guess I am so passionate 
about them that I feel that everyone should be also.  I have a Victor V, 
Victor R, Victor II, Victor 0, Victor III, and an Edison 75 displayed in our 
living room.  With the exception of a few, our friends and guests will come 
right in, glance around, and comment on a rose that my wife has in a vase.  They 
never say one word about the amazing machines!  The phonographs have no 
impact on them what so ever!  I do get a thrill at friends and guests that do 
have an interest, again very few, and I take full advantage of playing the 
machines and sharing the history of them, the records, and the artists, etc.

We have a local museum that has a Collector's Day Show each August.  My 8 
year old daughter and I have a blast setting up a booth with 6 or so machines 
and some advertisements, and records.  Fellow collectors (comic book 
collectors, doll collectors, etc.) enjoy the phonographs.  In fact, our local 
newspaper ran an article last year featuring us and the hobby of phonograph 
collecting.

The curator of the museum invited me several years ago to play the Victor V 
at the Veteran's Day Program.  I had a blast playing the Victor Military 
Band's rendition of the Star Spangled Banner.  I capped it off with Billy 
Murray singing the Grand Old Rag!!  The Vets really loved it.

What disheartens me is the lack of interest that the next generation has in 
this wonderful hobby.  My two daughters like the phonographs and cherish 
the memories of us dancing in the living room to Billy Murray and Aileen 
Stanley singing You Gotta See Mama Every Night or You Can't See Mama At All, but 
as far as having a passion for them...afraid not.  It's sad, but we may be 
all that is left in the hobby.

I was born in 1958 and just love thinking about what it was like when my 
grandparents were born.  They were born in the early 1900s and I can't help 
but think of them and the wonderful time that they lived in.  As Harvey has 
said, "This is history, reall history!"

I would like to take the time to wish each of you a wonderful Memorial Day 
and say thanks to all of you that have been or are in the Military.  Thanks 
to all of you that have family in the service as well.  We are so blessed to 
live in this great land of ours.  Now, if you would excuse me, I think that 
I will go play the Stars and Stripes Forever on a cute little Victor I.  
God bless to all!

Keep the speed limit at 78....rmps that is!

Brantley