by Kathy O’Connell, Host of Kids’ Corner, XPN
From 1976-1978, I spent most Saturdays trying to get tickets to “Saturday Night Live,” which was then in its early peak years. The show had two live audiences: one for the early evening dress rehearsal and one for the live broadcast. Both performances required tickets that had to […]

by Jim McGuinn, Program Director and Host, Y-Rock on XPN

First Record Purchased: The Beatles – Meet the Beatles. I was about 6… which would make it 1973. I’d gotten another record as a gift earlier – a compilation released in 1970 called Do It Now that was one of rock’s first ’cause’ albums, an album […]

by Kathy O’Connell, XPN, Kids’ Corner Host
CBS-TV’s “Judy Garland Show” was a noble failure of the 1963 -1964 television season. The variety series starred the 41-year-old musical movie legend, and featured guest stars like Lena Horne, Peggy Lee, Ethel Merman, Mickey Rooney, and Soupy Sales. Unfortunately Garland’s series ran on Sunday nights opposite NBC’s popular […]

By Kathy O’Connell, host of Kids’ Corner, XPN
After my father retired from the NYC Police Department, he spent most of the rest of his life going to the movies. One day in 1968, he came home and said, “I’ve just seen the funniest movie I’ve ever seen in my life, and you have to see […]

Matt Reilly, XPN Evening/Weekend Host
1. Johhny Cash Dies
2. Meeting Willie Nelson on his bus at Farm Aid (Camden, NJ 9.30.06)
3. Interviewing Roky Erickson (Austin, 2004)
4. Meeting John Paul Jones (SXSW 1999)
5. Listening to “Hot Blooded” by Foreigner on vinyl repeatedly (Houston, circa late 70s, around age 3)
6. Seeing Rage Against The Machine in San Antonio […]

by David Dye, XPN Producer/Host of the World Cafe
1. Bruce Springsteen @ the Main Point, 1973
2. Jefferson Airplane with Tim Buckley opening Swarthmore College, 1966
3. Fairport Convention with Fraser & DeBolt opening Philadelphia Folk Festival, 1970
4. Having my sister sing this new song she heard at the Civil Rights March on Washington… “Blowin’ In the […]