Remembering a Milestone: The Choir’s 4000th Broadcast
On April 30, 2006, The Mormon Tabernacle Choir marked its 4000th broadcast of Music & the Spoken Word. The occasion was celebrated with notable guests such as then president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Gordon B. Hinckley, and former director of the Choir, Jerold Ottley. A special recorded message from President George W. Bush was played during the program where he said:
It is a great pleasure to join you to celebrate the Mormon Tabernacle Choir’s 4,000th weekly broadcast. It’s the longest-running program in radio history. Every week since 1929, the Choir has broadcast Music & the Spoken Word across the nation. And I congratulate you on reaching this milestone. The Mormon Tabernacle Choir has many distinguished accomplishments throughout its history. You performed for presidents going back to William Howard Taft. You performed at six presidential inaugurals, including my own. President Ronald Reagan once called your group “America’s Choir.” In 2003 I was honored to present you with the nation’s highest award for artistic achievement, the National Medal for the Arts. You have brought music and inspiration to generations of Americans, and I wish you continued success in the future. And now I am honored to announce your next performance: “Come, Come, Ye Saints.”
Then president of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir, Mac Christensen, said, “Four thousand broadcasts over a period of more than 75 years is a truly remarkable achievement and a notable affirmation of Music & the Spoken Word 's enduring quality and appeal across a wide spectrum of listeners and viewers.”
Following the regular broadcast was a special program titled, A Legacy of Music through 4,000 Broadcasts, which was narrated by the host of CBS News Sunday Morning, Charles Osgood.
The first broadcast of Music & the Spoken Word was on July 15, 1929. The program features a wide variety of music including, sacred, folk, patriotic, Broadway, and more. The spoken word segment is a 2-3 minute sermonette that contains inspirational messages of hope, encouragement and faith.
This week, the Choir will reach broadcast #4,443.
Watch the Choir perform “Come, Come Ye Saints,” which was also performed during the 4000th broadcast.