… Our thanks to Charlie Van Dyke for the story behind this exhibit. …
“In 1976, everyone was trying to find things to do around the U.S. bicentennial celebration. Someone suggested that it had been a long time since there was a “narration” record. Could I come up with something?Well, my uncle had adapted an oratory for a speech contest when he was in high school (which he won, by the way). He later went on to be a physician and surgeon in the military, and he operated on soldiers aboard hospital ships. My mom happened to have a copy of the award-winning speech he presented in high school.
With just a few changes, that’s really what the piece is. Clive Fox worked it out through UA and Jimmy Haskell made the music. Nobody was looking for money. If there was any profit, it would go to charity.
I regret slightly that the track was 100% finished before I did the narration. That caused a few changes in interpretation. (And in those days, we couldn’t do digital editing or “sliding.” The best option we had was just to punch in pick-ups or fixes.) Really, it’s a period piece. I am happy to have been invited to be a part of it.”
– Charlie Van Dyke