The Royce Files

KUMM Studio A (thanks to Cory Funk) I was a DJ on KUMM in Morris, MN for 4 years plus a short summer gig in 2001. It is a college station that was very eclectic back in the day. I did news and hosted the Minnesota music show for number of years. It was a tremendous experience. KUMM definitely camped around the alternative music trend of the early 90s. Still broadcasting alternative music on the prairie now at 700 watts (according to wiki ) on the FM, KUMM also has extended its reach streaming on the internets. It appears they have automated a bit as I have yet to hear a live host on the stream today. Their website seems to be a bit stale. DJ list is current. Looks like preferred communications come via Facebook . Being alternative as we were, a handful of other KUMM DJs and I decided to do a live radio drama based upon a Thanksgiving theme. Pretty alternative for 1994, huh? The details are sketchy, but I wrote up a script which seems to be a riff off the Charlie Brown specials...

Back in the day when college did not break for Thanksgiving until the day before the holiday, I was instrumental in making Thanksgiving special to a bunch of college students in west central Minnesota. This silly radio drama was broadcast on KUMM   with the help of some people named Nancy, Kennedy, Lopez, Fluegel and I think Nathan. I have never received any feedback from anyone who heard it originally back in the 90s. Perhaps nobody was listening that night. I doubt another radio drama was ever mounted again on KUMM. Maybe I should re-make this show as a video for the YouTube. Here is the audio below of the ~12 minute show.

The great turkey trotter To explain Thanksgiving to someone alien to the American (and Canadian) custom can be a bit odd since the holiday is most noted by the food. "We go to relatives and eat turkey, mash potatoes, gravy, and cranberries." "Ah....why turkey? Would not prime rib be an ideal entree?" "Turkeys are American." "So are hot dogs." "We eat those on July 4th." Menu is not prescribed for the holiday and turkey just became the de facto menu item. Although some may contend that turkey was consumed at the 1st American Thanksgiving in 1621 and so why buck the trend. I heard they also served lobster and oysters in 1621- but nobody is probably serving that to the family this Thursday. And of course we do not race turkeys. With so many early Thanksgiving morning "turkey trot" races out there somebody must believe Americans race the birds they on Thanksgiving. But I sort of like the idea. It would be kinda like ...

I t is the night before Thanksgiving and all through the house not a person was hungry- not even a mouse. All watched the clock on the oven click down- for they knew at zero a roast turkey would be found. And with would come mash potatoes and beans and culinary delights fit for the Queen. Some stuffing, cranberries and a sweet potato or two- these foods would be eaten and consumed by the next day at 2. And to top it off a pumpkin pie would be sliced then dolloped with whipped dream to top off Thanksgiving night. But now we all wait for the turkey to arrive And now watch and listen to what some people have contrived To commemorate this ole holiday of thanks. Years ago I wrote a Thanksgiving program for the college radio station in Morris, MN. A Kumm Thankgiving Pageant Then watch Charlie brown putter his way through Thanksgiving I must admit this Charlie Brown special is kinda of corny in the set-up. It not the best but it certainly is not the least. And it is one of th...

When you live in the United States there is much to be thankful. Though it seems we take much of it for granted- like paved roads and lights. I am thankful I can ride my bike just about anywhere. I am thankful there are wild places which we can still visit. I am thankful for my Mostly Finnish Spouse, who loves me even when I mess up and make mistakes. Way back in my college days- I was a DJ on KUMM in Morris. I started as a news reader and then did a little weekend show on regional music. One year, I think 1994, I wrote a Thanksgiving Pageant that some of my colleagues at the station decided to perform live on the air. You can find the full audio download here .