My wife and I began listening to
“Night Sounds” on a local radio station several decades ago, but we simply got
busy, and forgot about it, or the broadcast was dropped from the station
schedule. In the meantime, years passed and the host of the program, Bill
Pearce, passed away (in 2010).
About a year ago, I discovered that
archival segments of this wonderful radio broadcast are available on the
internet. Of course, I was elated.
Night Sounds is a Christian radio
production, and consists of a half hour format, with Bill Pearce monologing a
particular topic; interspersed with Christian musical selections.
I know this sounds somewhat like an
advertisement, but as I previously implied, I absolutely LOVE this broadcast,
so much so that I have “saved” over a hundred of the daily segments on an
attachable hard drive.
Bill Pearce was an accomplished
trombonist and an extraordinary baritone vocalist. He occasionally played his
own music on the Night Sounds broadcast. He produced and narrated the Bible on
cassette tapes, and regularly introduced his music at various venues throughout
the United States. Mr. Pearce was also a member of “The 16 Singing Men” group
which often appeared live, and made numerous video and audio recordings.
While at a high school graduation
exercise I noticed a poignant phrase on the screen.
“My students are living messages to
a time that I will never see.”
As a former university professor,
and current counselor and formal mentor, I can relate. We simply cannot stay
here, but we have been given the inestimable privilege, while we still live and
move and breathe, to impact those who will “pick up our mantle” and carry on in
our place.
Bill Pearce was like that. Even as
he neared the end of his days, he was thinking about his impact on future
generations.
It seems that one of the producers
of Night Sounds once stopped by the nursing home where Mr. Pearce resided. And
in the course of his conversation with Bill, and knowing how important humor is
to good emotional health, especially to someone in a skilled nursing
environment, he decided to tease him a bit.
“You know, Bill, some of our
accomplishments, some of what we gleaned while we were here, and what we meant
to leave behind for future generations just aren’t meant to outlive us.”
With this, the former radio host
frowned, and the furrows in his brow seemed suddenly deeper.
“You mean, you mean…”
“Mr. Smith” immediately set Mr.
Pearce at ease and relieved his anxiety.
“Now, now Bill. I’m just teasing ya.
You needn’t be concerned. Those hundreds upon hundreds of radio broadcasts
which you narrated over the course of half a century are meant to outlive you.
And we have made arrangements for those broadcasts to live in perpetuity
through means of recording, radio and internet. Never fear. What you have
painstakingly created and given your best efforts to will go right on impacting
the next generation, and countless generations to come.”
With this, the little man managed a
broad smile, and it seemed the weight of the world dropped from his shoulders.
We all want to leave a legacy. The
length and breadth and height of Bill’s legacy is incalculable.
I would encourage you to tune in to
his daily broadcast. As I implied, it is available on the internet 24/7/365, at
www.nightsoundsradio.org
Bill’s listeners are living messages
to a time that he will never see.
by William McDonald, PhD. Copyright pending
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