There is so much important news to report since our last newsletter in September that it's difficult to know where to begin. The bottom line, though, is that the campaign to restore MusicAmerica to WGBH continues, and is intensifying as it becomes obvious that this fight is far from over.
In this edition of the newsletter, we highlight:
The bottom line: don't lose hope! And if the news inside this edition of the newsletter doesn't strengthen your resolve, please have faith. The appearance of Julie Wilson and Phillip Officer-both members of the Mabel Mercer Foundation Advisory Committee-at the Save MusicAmerica Trust's benefit on February 23rd demonstrates that what began as a local issue now has national importance.
The Save MusicAmerica Trust will hold its fourth benefit concert The Great American Songbook IV (TGAS IV) on Sunday, February 23-once again in Lexington's Museum of Our National Heritage. Responding to many requests, this afternoon concert will begin at 2 p.m.
Hosting and performing on the 23rd will be the Broadway and cabaret legend, New York's Julie Wilson. Ms. Wilson, writing to us says, "I'm convinced that the great American songs are like the Shakespeare sonnets. All they have to do to be perpetuated is to be heard. The songs will always be there. It is simply a question of where and when they will be performed. Which is why I find it so disheartening that MusicAmerica has ended." Also performing on February 23rd are:
All performers (including Ms. Wilson and Mr. Officer, who are traveling from New York to perform for us) have donated their talents for this benefit, and we thank them.
Julie Wilson is a national treasure. Stephen Holden in The New York Times wrote "Julie Wilson has established herself as the most elegant and fiercely expressive singer-actress on New York's cabaret circuit-unmatched by her peers." She is a star attraction at the Oak Room in the Algonquin Hotel, played two seasons at the Rainbow & Stars, and appeared in the Cole Porter 100th Birthday Celebrations at Carnegie Hall and London's Prince Edward Theatre. She starred in Broadway's Kismet, The Pajama Game, Jimmy, and Legs Diamond which won her a Tony nomination. She toured in Kiss Me Kate and originated the role of Bianca in the London production. Her films include The Strange One and This Could Be The Night. Ms. Wilson has won numerous awards and she was recently named USO Woman of the Year. PBS aired her special, The Julie Wilson Songbook and her story is told in Deborah Grace Winer's book, The Night and the Music: Rosemary Clooney, Barbara Cook, and Julie Wilson-Inside the World of Cabaret. Four of her albums (Stephen Sondheim, Kurt Weill, Cole Porter, and Harold Arlen "songbooks") are available on DRG records. Her latest album, Julie Wilson-Live at the Russian Tea Room is available on Cabaret Records.
As always, MusicAmericans have first crack at ordering tickets to this event. Tickets are priced at $25, $20, and $15. To order by telephone using a VISA or MasterCard, call (617) 259-0250. Orders with a check can be sent to Concert Tickets, Save MusicAmerica Trust, P.O. Box 657, Lincoln, MA 01773 (this address is for ticket orders only). Please add $1.00 to each order to cover mailing costs. Our concerts are sell-outs, and the special appearance by Julie Wilson makes it especially important to order tickets, now, before we publicize the event to the general public.
The Museum of Our National Heritage is located at 33 Marrett Road (at the intersection with Massachusetts Avenue). Coming from north or south? Take the Marrett Road/Route 2A exit (Exit 30) on Route 128/I-95 and drive east just 3 miles. Parking is easy and free.
If you plan on attending the February 23rd benefit concert and would like to volunteer to help with ushering, refreshments, etc., please call Carp Ferrari at 617-235-7565.
The campaign to bring back MusicAmerica took a wild and very bizarre turn in November, when it was reported that, beginning in January, Ron Della Chiesa would host a Saturday night program called MusicAmerica on Plymouth radio station WPLM.
With that news, the Steering Committee for Listeners for MusicAmerica conferred with the Save MusicAmerica Trust and many Boston area jazz and cabaret musicians to determine what effect this should have on our campaign. We unanimously agreed that while all of us welcome every effort to expand classic American music programming on any radio station, we are united in rejecting this move as the "solution" to WGBH's "problem." In the words of Cole Porter: "It's the wrong time and the wrong place."
Consider the following:
Much Saturday night listening is done in the car while taking short trips to dinner, a movie, a show, or to visit friends. Such travelers will get to enjoy less than 20% (probably, only minutes) of the Saturday night show. Contrast this with the fact that when MusicAmerica aired on weekday afternoons, it was an integral part of our day.
MusicAmericans have always defined MusicAmerica as "WGBH's weekday afternoon program of classic American music," and, using this definition, the program that we care about has not yet returned. While we wish Ron good luck with his new venture on WPLM, Saturday night is no substitute for weekday afternoons on WGBH.
Ironically, WGBH has tried to take credit for making this happen, by pretending that it worked very hard to bring back a program that so many listeners miss. For example:
But the truth comes from a senior WGBH insider who wrote to tell us that "Paul Kelley and Ron were the only folks who approached 'PLM. WGBH was only brought into the picture when Kelley and Ron asked for permission to use the name of the program…."
We can also report that Marita Rivero has never attempted to reach either of our organizations-either to ask for our support while she worked "so hard" to bring this music back, or to seek ways that the Save MusicAmerica Trust could make its $40,000 available for this purpose.
Reading between the lines, it is obvious that our protest is having a major effect, and WGBH, in a desperate attempt to get thousands of angry listeners off its back, just seized on a random opportunity brought to it by an outsider.
If you feel as we do - that it's an outrage for WGBH to attempt to avoid its responsibility to the listeners by throwing our program away - here's what you can do:
In addition, because the campaign to bring back MusicAmerica has always been a grassroots movement, please tell us how you want us to continue our efforts.
Please send a contribution to Listeners for MusicAmerica!
Your donations cover the cost of printing and mailing this newsletter,
as well as the modest cost (telephone, fax, printing, and mail) for our public
relations efforts. The labor is all-volunteer. Mail your check to:
Listeners, 63 Hillside Avenue, Melrose, MA 02176
On December 1, the campaign to bring back MusicAmerica entered a new phase with the Boston Sunday Globe's publication of Steve Low's op ed piece titled "At once proud WGBH radio, a weak signal and poor reception" (a reprint is enclosed with this newsletter).
Commenting on the article, Steve says "The significance of the article was not just in its message, but in the Globe's treatment of the piece. Not only did the paper's editorial staff elect to publish it on Sunday (when circulation peaks and reaches far beyond the Boston metro area), but the piece appeared prominently opposite the editorials and was boxed. By the way, as is customary, the headline on Steve's op ed piece was written by the Globe, and not by him.
WGBH acknowledged the appearance of the op ed piece in the December 9 edition of its internal newsletter to staff. The station told its staff that letters to the Globe had been sent by Marita Rivero, Public Radio International (co-producer of The World) and Ron Della Chiesa.
Only Ron's letter was printed-but, even then, after extensive editing. Accompanying Ron's letter on Sunday, December 8 were letters from John R. Reiger of Belmont, who argued that WGBH did the right thing by axing MusicAmerica, and Lee Warren of Newton, who wrote of "the fall of WGBH radio from a tops-in-the-nation station to pretty low quality." Warren also called for the restoration of Morning Pro Musica. The three letters were grouped and boxed.
On Sunday, January 5, The Globe carried a letter to the editor by Karl V. Teeter of Cambridge. Teeter reinforced the message delivered on December 1 in Steve Low's op ed piece. He concluded by saying, "Some of us are wondering what is keeping the stockholders from taking the kind of conservative action that is normal in such situations: Fire the management!"
Then on January 12, writing as "Critic at Large," Ed Siegel (formerly the Globe's TV critic) mounted an aggressive attack against MusicAmericans, telling us to "Get a life"-'90s jargon for "Drop dead!" Siegel's piece was noticeably weakened by an apparent failure to do any current research on this controversy or to interview any of the principals. As discussed elsewhere in this newsletter, Siegel's comments about The World were particularly off-the-mark, especially after considering the changes disclosed by Susan Bickelhaupt on January 16 (see "Welcome to The "New" World," on page 4).
On Sunday, January 19, the Globe printed a letter from Ann-Marie Joyce of Braintree responding to Siegel's column and concluding with, "The Save MusicAmerica campaign is simply an effort to encourage WGBH to be true to its strengths and traditions." Oh yes, that day, Ann-Marie's letter was the one that the Globe's editors put in the box.
We hope that the Globe will continue to report on this campaign, and we expect to see out-of-area coverage expand as our protest assumes national importance-thanks partly to the support offered by Julie Wilson and Phillip Officer, who serve on the Mabel Mercer Foundation Advisory Committee.
For readers interested in receiving full text copies of the items appearing above, please send a stamped, self-addressed envelope and $2.00 to cover photocopying to Listeners for MusicAmerica, 63 Hillside Avenue, Melrose, MA 02176.
As MusicAmericans know, WGBH has always implied that its opportunity to co-produce The World was an important reason for the demise of MusicAmerica. Of course, we have never accepted that argument and insider leaks confirmed, again, last month, that a WGBH task force convened in 1995 to address schedule changes in conjunction with The World recommended unanimously that MusicAmerica continue to be aired on weekday afternoons.
We have never wished any ill will to The World, but the truth is that it has failed in its original mission. Here in Boston, fund raising statistics told part of the story, and its ratings were grim as listeners rejected The World in favor of WBUR's 4 p.m. airing of All Things Considered. When the December 1 Boston Globe op ed piece made this very point, 'GBH and co-producer Public Radio International protested vehemently: In the letter that the Boston Globe did not publish, PRI wrote that The World "is attracting nearly a million American listeners each week and contributing to stations' fundraising efforts, and listeners consistently comment that The World offers information and perspectives they just don't get anywhere else."
Then, Ed Siegel writing in the January 12 Boston Globe became a World apologist when he wrote, "The World is hardly the disaster that Listeners for MusicAmerica would have you believe. It's growing in markets, ratings, quality and ability to bring in money."
Then, just a few days ago (and four days after the Siegel piece) on January 16, the Globe's Susan Bickelhaupt wrote in her weekly "Radio Tracks" column:
"Figuring that public radio listeners get enough of the traditional newscasts from All Things Considered and BBC news programs, WGBH-FM (89.7) has announced that The World will have a new format starting tomorrow.
"The year-old show that airs from 4 to 5 p.m. weekdays will scrap its newscast format that 'imposed some limitations,' said executive producer Neil Curry.
"The main change, he said, is to replace the linear rundown of breaking news with a daily 'cover story.' Also gone will be daily segments on science, the environment, sports, and culture."
It sounds to us like The World was canceled-replaced by an entirely new program that just happens to be called The World, too (II?). Taking a cue from the late Christopher Columbus, one person suggested that the revised program should really be renamed The New World!
Our labor is all-volunteer. This month, we especially acknowledge the assistance provided by attorneys at Brown, Rudnick, Freed, & Gesmer for many hours of time they devoted to establishing the Save MusicAmerica Trust and for filing required documents with state and federal agencies.
It costs about $700 to print and mail this newsletter. Your contributions cover this, as well as other modest expenses we incur for telephone, fax, and miscellaneous printing. So, while you think of it, please
Over the years the Mary Alice Arakelian Trust has contributed $365,000 to WGBH. In 1995, it terminated its annual $15,000 grant to WGBH radio to protest the cancellation of MusicAmerica, the program that these funds supported. We contacted the Trust this month and confirmed that the Trustees continue to grieve over the loss of the program, and that they would again fund MusicAmerica upon WGBH's restoration of the program.
The Save MusicAmerica Trust has named William Novak of Newton, MA as a new Trustee. Bill, a long-time fan of MusicAmerica and a well-known writer, is the author of best-selling "autobiographies" of Nancy Reagan and Lee Iacocca, and editor of The Big Book of Jewish Humor.
Many MusicAmericans have withheld support from WGBH, and we hope that these contributors will consider the Save MusicAmerica Trust as an alternative depository for these funds. Contributions to the Trust are tax-deductible and, remember, you may specify an alternate beneficiary.
To date, the Save MusicAmerica Trust has raised approximately $40,000 from individual contributions and its benefit concerts. The Trust's funds are held in escrow for WGBH radio at U.S. Trust, a major Boston bank.
For eighteen months, Lynne Jackson and Mike Palter have written and called key national figures to alert them to the loss of MusicAmerica and update them on the continuing campaign to restore the program. Their efforts along with those of Carol O'Shaughnessy and Dane Vannatter are largely responsible for obtaining Julie Wilson's and Phillip Officer's support, which ultimately has led to their participation in The Great American Songbook IV benefit on February 23. Thanks to you all.
Since our last newsletter, the Save MusicAmerica Trust has held two more successful fund raising events at Lexington's Museum of Our National Heritage. On September 29, The Great American Songbook II featured Carol Sloane, Valentin Gregor, Doug Hammer, Josh Hilberman, Stan McDonald's Blue Horizon Jazz Band, Dave McKenna, Joe Mulholland, Didi Stewart, and Dane Vannatter. On November 10, the series continued with TGAS III with the Kenny Hadley Big Band, Dick and Gary Johnson, Carol O'Shaughnessy, Rebecca Parris, Jim Porcella, Frank Stuart and Ron Zack. We thank every one of these performers, each of whom donated his/her talent for these events.
Winthrop Cable videotaped both concerts, and once editing is complete, we will be offering these programs (along with Lexington Cable's tape of The Great American Songbook I) to cable systems in eastern Massachusetts, southern New Hampshire, and Rhode Island.
If you have suggestions or comments on our series of benefit concerts, please call the information line, 617-259-0250.
The Save MusicAmerica Trust has benefited greatly from many of the region's best performers who have contributed their talents for our benefit concerts. The Trust is pleased to pass along the following announcements:
Since our last newsletter, we want to thank the following supporters for donations to Listeners for MusicAmerica: Charles Bahne, John E. Baker, Howard P. Beever, Arthur & Vivian Borman, R.A. & Helen Brockelman, Tania Lang Burger, Thomas and Donna Burke, Michael Harrison & Francine Campbell, Carolyn Cherry, Frances A. Conti, Richard H. Coyle, Francine O. Crawford, Nancy R. Cronin, William & Alice Curtis, Barbara Hale Davis, Carolyn & Alfred Doherty, Stephen & Mary Anne Donnellan, Richard W. Drew, Barbara Eachus, Linda M. Ellenbogen, John & Barbara Finlay, Richard P. Finn, Norman & Judith Finn, Steve Ganak Ad Reps, Enid F. Gifford, Theodore Gilbert, Abbott & Sarah Gleason, Charles & Wendy Goldberg, Frederick & Joan Gore, John & Dianne Grady, Pamela Pershing Herrick, Paul & Constance Holmberg, Mark Keighley, James & Ann Kenneally, Mark Stahl & Anne Leary, Kathryn & Peter Mandel, Barbara Marion, Lisa Marion, Allan Wyatt & Nina Marlowe, Marcia Mazonson, Eileen McGranahan, Elizabeth McLaughlin, Helen H. Mears, Thomas & Claire Megan, Edith & Charles Messier, James & Leone Morphett, Dorothy J. Muth, Eli & Carolyn Newberger, Linda J. Niles, Thomas L. Noonan, William Novak, William N. Olsen, George E. Quinlan, Randall P. Rice, Barbara & Robert Ronci, Leonard & Sandra Rubin, Constance M. Sheridan, Lillian & Sumner Silberman, Stanley N. Silbert, Edmund G. Skeffinton, Chester & Theresa Smolski, Samuel Spector & Ann Berman, Donald & Roberta Stacey, Roslyn R. Talerman, George & Rainelle Tomlinson, Sylvia Topp, Stanley & Mary Ulbrych, Ellis & Deborah Waldman, Edward & Amy Wertheim, Herbert Wilcox, Elizabeth Ann Wisdom, Chester & Bernice Wolk, Dorothy & James Yancey, Mitchell Zukoff.