The last time I was in my parents’ house in Northern Virginia, my purpose was to sort through things and decide if there was anything I wanted to bring back to Georgia.
I discovered some fascinating things, including a few I had never seen before.My paternal grandfather died before I was born, but my mother had kept a memento I have shown here before commemorating his service in World War I. I was limited in what I could bring back because I had flown up and had just one empty suitcase. A good bit of what I brought back was books.
I did go through my father’s record albums and found dozens and dozens I would have liked to take. I sorted through them and actually decided to keep about 40. I left them with my son and his wife, who live in Northern Virginia. I thought I would get them the next time I drove up there.
Of course, I don’t know if I’ll ever drive that far again, so I asked Virgile to ship them to me. They came today and I went through them and got some pleasant surprises. In fact, there were several that I didn’t remember choosing.
The album pictured above, for example. Vaughn Meader’s First Family albums spoofed the Kennedys, but I had forgotten this album spoofing the Khrushchevs. George Segal was fairly early in his great career and he voiced Nikita. Gwen Davis, Joan Rivers and Buck Henry played other roles. I don’t remember it at all, but I will play it soon.
My dad loved Pete Seeger and the Kingston Trio, and I now have half a dozen or so of each. He had numerous albums of great speeches from modern history and great moments from sports. I found four different albums honoring President Kennedy released after his assassination in November 1963.
Most of the albums I have of his were purchased in the 1950s and ’60s. But there’s one I don’t remember ever seeing before that didn’t cost a thing. When we went to the New York World’s Fair in 1964 and 1965, one of the exhibits we visited was the Oklahoma pavilion.
They were giving out free record albums with humor from that famous Oklahoman, Will Rogers.
I don’t remember ever seeing this album, but nearly 60 years after we got it, it has never been played. In fact, it’s still sealed.
More than 90 percent of my music is on my computer. At one point more than 30 years ago, I had more than 600 vinyl albums. Now, even with the 40 or so I added today, I’ve got maybe 20 percent that many.
One of my grandsons has begun collecting vinyl. Simon will be 13 next week, and he’s the only person I know trying to amass record albums. So when I no longer need them, he can have all of mine.
I will, however, unseal the Will Rogers album and listen to it.