JulieAloha

February 15, 2017

I am grateful that I was able to attend two of Stuart McLean’s The Vinyl Cafe Christmas Shows, as well as one additional Show here in Seattle, and to have listened to his program both on the radio and on podcast. I first heard Stuart on my local NPR station, KUOW, and I fell in love with his voice telling his wonderful ‘Dave and Morley’ stories; the fabulous music he played, live and recorded, and from well known to obscure; his vivid word-poetry introductions to the towns he visited; the Arthur Awards; and his ongoing invitation to the public to send in their stories to the Story Exchange which “had to be short and had to be true, but after that they didn’t have to be anything at all.” The year before last we had tickets to see the Christmas Show again, but a few days before the concert we received word that Stuart had just been diagnosed with cancer and would be unable to complete his tour. Over the next year he went through several treatments, one was to have completed  January this year, but I’ve just learned that this sweet, kind man who made story come alive with his wonderful voice has been silenced, he passed away today. You will be greatly missed, Stuart – thank you for your time, your humor, your words and your voice. ❤

Stuart McLean, 4/19/1948-2/15/2017