GaryOsberg.com

In 2000 I took my first trip to Sun Valley, Idaho.  I had been representing Minnesota Public Radio for almost one year and my boss decided to take the Brainerd territory away from me and give me the classical music station in Sun Valley to cover instead.  St. Cloud, Worthington, Appleton, MN and Sioux Falls, SD were also my responsibility. 

I flew into Hailey, Idaho on a Sunday in September and I would work in the territory for three days.  On Thursday I would get into the rental car and head towards Bozeman, Montana to visit Aunt Maggie and Uncle Bill.  Uncle Bill was my mother-in-law’s half-brother.

One of my Sun Valley underwriters was a record shop, and the owner gifted me a “Pavarotti & Friends” CD.  For the first time I heard Luciano Pavarotti and popular rock stars performing at a special venue in Pavarotti’s hometown, Modena, Italy.

Michael Bolton singing “Nessun Dorma” blew me away.  Driving through the mountains with the volume turned way up was thrilling.  I now own six “Pavarotti & Friends” CDs.  All were purchased in Sun Valley and accompanied me on the road to Bozeman.

Yesterday was the 24^th anniversary of 9/11.  Eric Clapton was part of one of those special concerts. He and Pavarotti performed a song that Clapton wrote, “Holy Mother”.  Enjoy and may peace come your way.

“It isn’t the mountain ahead that wears you out; it’s the grain of sand in your shoe.”  Lloyd Perry