The Tabernacle Choir Blog

85 Years and Still Singing

July 15, 2013 marked the beginning of 85 years of uninterrupted weekly network radio broadcasting of Music & the Spoken Word.  No other program can boast of such a record!!

That’s 4,374 broadcasts since July 15, 1929!

The broadcast began with one microphone for the Choir and an announcer perched on a ladder to reach it, a single wire connecting to the radio station a block away.  Now Music & the Spoken Wordis a sophisticated program reaching around the world with 360 Choir members, 150 orchestra members, the magnificent Tabernacle or Conference Center organs and organists, more than 100 microphones and state-of-the-art broadcast facilities. 

For decades, visitors to Temple Square from around the world have viewed broadcasts and gone home to find a station that carries the program into their homes.  Today, Music & the Spoken Wordcan also be viewed on YouTube and can be seen around the globe wherever there is Internet access.

Congratulating the Choir organization on yet another anniversary, Gregg Garber of Bonneville Distribution, long-time distributor of the program said, “It’s another milestone in the legacy of thousands of singers, organists, instrumental musicians, conductors, announcers and leaders who have put their hearts and souls into this great choir!”  Stay tuned: more celebrations on the 85th anniversary are planned in the future!

Special Note: KSL TV viewers and KSL Radio and ksl.com Xstream listeners can now hear Music & the Spoken Wordin Spanish each week.  Watch the Choir's newsletter,Choir Notes, (click here to subscribe) for more details.