Stuart McLean

[robm]

I just got word that Stewart McLean of the Vinyl Cafe on CBC Radio, has died of cancer.


From: Vinyl Cafe [mailto:vinylcafe=vinylcafe.com@mail110.atl51.rsgsv .net] On Behalf Of Vinyl Cafe
Sent: February-15-17 2:04 PM
To:
Subject: A message to the Vinyl Cafe community

Dear Vinyl Cafe community, We wondered whether we should send this to you by email. But we decided that we would, because friends always make difficult times easier to bear. Many of you have been with us from the beginning, and after all these years that is what we consider you: friends. So we wanted to make sure you heard this news from us. Sending you lots of love, from our little Vinyl Cafe family to yours. Jess Milton, Producer Meg Masters, Story Editor Julie Penner, Music Producer Louise Curtis, Associate Producer A MESSAGE TO THE VINYL CAFE COMMUNITY It is with deep sadness that the Vinyl Cafe family announces that Stuart McLean passed away today, February 15th, 2017, at age 68. We are heartbroken. But we are also finding comfort in memories of our dear friend. Stuart always emphasized that the world is a good place, full of good people, trying to do their best. He believed in people’s extraordinary capacity for love and generosity. And he had faith in our ability to work together for the common good. He was, in other words, firmly committed to celebrating the positive, joyful and funny side of life. Stuart assured us that even in difficult times, we can find things to be grateful for and ways to laugh. Now that he is gone, we will try hard to do just that. Stuart connected us – to our country and to each other. He entertained us, he made us think, he made us smile. Occasionally he made us cry. And, through all of that, he reminded us that life is made up of small moments. We never know which ones will be forgotten and which ones will stay with us forever. So today, and hopefully every day, we’re going to celebrate Stuart’s life by trying to make each moment count and by being grateful for all of them. We are certainly grateful for each and every moment we shared with Stuart. We will miss him.

[StevenBauer]

Sad news. I knew he was ending Vinyl Cafe but didn't realize he was battling cancer.



Steven

[pcford]

Another voice of sanity gone in a world gone mad.

[Steve McMahon]

Very sad news. He was one of my favorite entertainers of all time. As I guy that spends a lot of time on the road and listening to CBC, I always looked forward to his shows, even if they were reruns. His 5 books occupy a prime spot on my bookshelf.

[TomF]

Fair winds, Stuart. You brought many of us a lot of joy.

[Bobcat]

I imagine Dave will close the record shop for the day in mourning

Damn, that's bad news

[CWSmith]

His 5 books occupy a prime spot on my bookshelf.

I have only one, but I like it very much! He will be missed.

[Jim Bow]

I have a very fond memory of sitting alone in the car while my wife was in one of her interminable visits to a garden nursery. Stewart was on the radio with one of his true stories about a Canadian family visiting France. A 30 something son had brought his bagpipes. They wanted to salute the great grandfather who was buried there in a WW1 cemetery. On the day in question, he discovered that he hadn't packed any reeds. Somehow, they discovered that the only bagpipe reed cutting specialist in France lived nearby. After telling the tale, the young man entered the hall where Stewart was speaking, and he came down the aisle, playing the tune he played for his great grandad that day.
I cried like a baby.
RIP Stewart, your gentle ways will be surely missed.

[stromborg]

Sad news indeed. I am grateful to have seen the show live a few years back.

[bob winter]

A great loss, I enjoyed the program. Skin cancer, should avoid the sun.

[StevenBauer]

I imagine Dave will close the record shop for the day in mourning

I read this with Stewart's voice in my head.




Lots of good stories here:
http://www.cbc.ca/radio/podcasts/art...-cafe-stories/

[Flying Orca]

Weird timing. We just ran into Julie, the music producer for the show, at a Frank Turner concert a week ago; she's a good friend of Oystagirl's. They got to talking about cancer, for obvious reasons, but I can't say I was exactly expecting this news. Sorry to hear he's gone, I liked his schtick, and of course the music on his show was always top-notch.

[CWSmith]

Melanoma? No one should die of melanoma these days. I had it. Snip, snip and I'm cancer free. My dad had it worse, but also beat it because it didn't make it to the lymph nodes.

I know we've talked about it before, but once every year have a dermatologist check you over head to toe. Mine died in his sleep and my new dermatologist is a young woman. She took me aback the first time she pulled back my shorts and I said "I never went to the nude beach." trying to lighten the mood and hide my surprise. Without missing a beat, she said, "Oh, you really should!"

People, melanoma is entirely treatable if caught early and deadly when it's not. Why take the chance? Get checked!

[robm]

I think Stuart would have enjoyed that story, Mr. Smith.

[TomF]

I have a very fond memory of sitting alone in the car while my wife was in one of her interminable visits to a garden nursery. Stewart was on the radio with one of his true stories about a Canadian family visiting France. A 30 something son had brought his bagpipes. They wanted to salute the great grandfather who was buried there in a WW1 cemetery. On the day in question, he discovered that he hadn't packed any reeds. Somehow, they discovered that the only bagpipe reed cutting specialist in France lived nearby. After telling the tale, the young man entered the hall where Stewart was speaking, and he came down the aisle, playing the tune he played for his great grandad that day.
I cried like a baby.
RIP Stewart, your gentle ways will be surely missed.

"The Flowers of the Forest." I cried too.

[Flying Orca]

"The Flowers of the Forest." I cried too.

Reminds me of "No Man's Land":

Did the bugles sing "The Last Post" in chorus?
Did the pipes play "The Flowers of the Forest"?

[TomF]

Sang that Bogle song in a Remembrance Day themed show, a couple of decades ago. The show was a money-losing boondoggle that didn't pay any of us (which sucked - as most of us were grad students at the time) but the music is still with me. Incandescent.

[Chris Smith porter maine]

Sad news indeed, he was a Sunday afternoon regular in my home, summers we brought h down to the river for our weekly picnics. One of the great storytellers of our time.

[Sailor]

Always liked it when I found his program while driving. My wife got me two CDs of his stories. I love listening to him. Maybe she'll get me the rest of his CDs. I'm sure there are many more Dave and Morley stories for me to enjoy.

[Steve McMahon]

There was a great tribute program on today with highlights of his career. I had to go listen to it sitting in my truck in the driveway because I can't get radio reception in the house.

[Captain Intrepid]

He's the first celebrity who's passing has affected me on more than just a "I really enjoyed their work, what a shame" level. His work and voice have been a constant companion though some very hard times in my life, and have moved me to tears or laughter (sometimes both within the space of a sentence) more times than I can remember, and has brought me more joy than I could ever reckon.

[schlaboatnic]

Was lucky enough to see him a couple times when he came down South of the border. I am indebted to him for getting my son (now 14) hooked on his show years ago. Many a time we would be sitting in the driveway in my old truck listening to him spin a yarn about Dave and family, or the stories he'd come up with to highlight the town he was broadcasting from that week. Great music, the Story Exchange too. I had a story that I always thought I'd submit, guess it's too late now. Got me hooked on CBC Radio. Damn. The Waterslide was always one of my favorites.

[Flying Orca]

Sang that Bogle song in a Remembrance Day themed show, a couple of decades ago. The show was a money-losing boondoggle that didn't pay any of us (which sucked - as most of us were grad students at the time) but the music is still with me. Incandescent.

I used to do it fairly regularly. Not so much these days.

[Captain Intrepid]

It's a real hard one for me to sing without breaking up in the middle.

[Flying Orca]

It's a real hard one for me to sing without breaking up in the middle.

Yeah, that's one of the reasons I don't do it too often. Like "The Final Trawl".

[Captain Intrepid]

Or for me the second to last verse of Song for the Mira. It's about fifty fifty if my voice has cracked by the time I hit the word mend.

[TomF]

Somehow, I managed to sing "Deep River" at my Dad's funeral. I still don't know how.

[Captain Intrepid]

http://www.cbc.ca/beta/news/entertai...lean-1.3988413

Dozens of stories like this one.

In 2006-2007, my primary class was comprised of 18 five-year-old boys – not a girl to be found. As part of an initiative that I started to encourage literacy development in my boys, I tried to invite into our classroom as many males as possible to read to the students.

On a whim, I sent an email to The Vinyl Café telling them about the composition of my class and my project to expose my boys to males who enjoyed reading. To my surprise, the producer said they would love to visit my classroom.

On a snowy morning, I picked up Stuart and producer Jess Milton at a local hotel and drove them to my small country school in Albert Bridge on the Mira River. I was a little apprehensive as to how the boys might behave with our special guest. I needn’t have worried.

As I tried to settle them on the reading circle mat, Stuart told me not to worry, he would take it from there, and he did. He told them a story about Sam and Murphy breaking into their school – a great hook for little boys. He had them help with the story, adding elements to the adventure. Through his storytelling, he learned the names of the boys and made connections with them. Later, they composed their own story and he made sure that every student had a voice in the creation.

That night, when my husband and I attended his show at the Savoy, he mentioned his visit to our classroom and invited me backstage. A few weeks later, I got a note from The Vinyl Café saying that Stuart had written a story about a boy named “Toby” and his classmates. My class had inspired the story. In true Stuart McLean fashion, he had honed in on the undercurrents of the class, he had picked up on how the boys treated each other and focused on the kindnesses that they extended to their classmates. His skill as a storyteller grew from this ability to look beneath the surface and unearth the true nuances of the interactions between people.

It was a true pleasure to meet Stuart McLean. I will miss his voice, his stories and his genius.

Ruth Clarke
Albert Bridge, N.S.

Get the tissues handy.

[Jim Bow]

[Bob (oh, THAT Bob)]

The first time I heard him... I was annoyed by his pauses... and inflection... but over time... he grew on me... and I grew to have affection for him. Sorry to see him go.

Sidenote: In recent years, we've lost some greats from public radio; Tom Magliozzi of Car Talk, Richer Sher, Stuart McLean, Garrison Keillor (retired, not deceased). And I worried about the voids they left. But I have been greatly encouraged by a new and continuing crop of shows. Radiolab, which seems to have the same friendly brotherly-type arguments as Car Talk (and you really learn stuff), love it. Snap Judgement ("storytelling with a beat!"). Wait-Wait-Don't-Tell-me. Says You! This American Life. And even Prairie Home Companion, continuing under the skilled guidance of Chris Thile. Sorry to see Stuart pass. But I'm sure he gave inspiration to a new crop.

[Chris Smith porter maine]

If you are in Maine public radio is going to air a 1hour show at 1 pm today and then the cbc tribute to h at 2 pm today.

[Jim Bow]

Stuart's ironic little jokes continue on. His official Vinyl Cafe toques are made in USA!





https://zunior.com/products/toque-st...ean-vinyl-cafe

[TomF]

One of the cool things is that if you waited long enough, a story would come along and have some little bit of connection to your own geography. Stuart's road trips gave him enough details to set some bit of a tale anywhere.

Great story about a road trip with Sam and one of his friends, where the guy driving truck had worked as a Pyro specialist with Dave back in the days they worked on rock concerts. The gravel pit where the expired fireworks show that was the story climax happened was supposed to be just off the highway between Moncton and Fredericton. I could point out several possibilities, from driving that road enough. The same, or something like it, happened in pretty much every region of Canada.

[Sailor]

I member that story, the fireworks were past their "best before date" and had to be used anyway..... He certainly had a knack for making his story feel like it could be happening to you or your neighbour no matter where in the country you live. Being in NS (not Big Narrows though) I often feel very connected to his stories.

[StevenBauer]

We are in NY/NJ but still listened to the two shows Chris mentioned in post 31 with the TuneIn Radio app.


One of my favorites was the Gander, Newfoundland show. And conveniently, here it is: http://www.ganderairporthistoricalso....in.Gander.mp3