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These are exciting times for fans of WXPN in Philly. Home to NPR’s World Cafe, Free @ Noon Concerts and oodles of other coolness.

The station is doing the unthinkable. They are compiling and then counting down the 885 Most Memorable Musical Moments. The Duke has been asked to put his two cents in. I’m honored to be a part of this gargantuan quest.

Some of my two cents will be personal memorials. Some will be theme-based lists. The personal items will fall on Monday. Themes hit The Late Greats on Friday. I’ll work from oldest to newest most memorable personal musical memories.

Which leads me to Richard Marx at the Mayo Civic Center in Rochester, Minnesota. Leads me to a young man moving from sixth to seventh grade. A young man who had a crush on a girl. A girl who reminded him of Jennifer Grey.

This young man would lay on the floor between the speakers, with a 45 on the record player. The single of Richard Marx’s “Hold On To The Nights”. This sappy piano ballad spoke to my lonely heart. So much so, that when Richard was touring, I asked my father to take me.

(Side note: As a father now, I wonder which concerts Duke, Jr. will get me to go to?)

He said I could go under one condition: I had to read Catcher In The Rye before the concert.

So I dove into Holden’s life, Richard’s debut tape on my Walkmen. I read. I listened. I fawned over my crush.

When the concert rolled around, my dad, my best friend and her mother, and I traveled the hour to Rochester for the show. I can’t say if there was an opening act. But I can recall him playing “Hold On To The Nights” and his other piano ballad that was all over the radio, “Right Here Waiting for You”.

I remember my dad smiling exactly once. My friend’s mom was into Richard’s perfect hair. She smiled a lot. I know I did. Smiled as I sang along with every romantic word.

There is a good chance I slept the ride home. Or maybe the four of use chatted about the concert. About how we would always hold on to that night.

Listen:
Hold On To The NightsHold On To The Nights

Right Here Waiting For YouRight Here Waiting For You

What’s Your Most Memorable Concert You’re Embarrassed About? Leave a hullabaloo.

Wanna help contribute? Visit XPN’s page dedicated to this countdown.

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