Songs My Father Taught Me Wins World's Best Radio Program™ Bronze Award

It’s always extra special to receive great news while on tour so I was pleased and humbled to hear that Songs My Father Taught Me won a Bronze award in the Culture and the Arts Documentary Programs by the esteemed New York Festival® World’s Best Radio Programs™ competition. It was a pleasant surprise in that the program was a real labor of love so the thought of awards were never really on my mind.

New York Festival's World's Best Radio ProgramsBut producer and director Louise Frank and everyone who worked on the broadcast certainly deserve the award for putting together such an unusual and extraordinary program. Everything from the exquisite playing from my friend and collaborator Victor Santiago Asuncion to music producer and engineer Hudson Fair capturing such a warm and luxurious sound of my voice and cello deserve this honor.

Of course, nothing is possible without underwriting and to that end, I’m grateful for the support from The Neisser Family Fund, Jennifer Steans and Jim Kastenholz, Joan Harris and The Irving Harris Foundation and members of the WFMT Fine Arts Circle. Likewise, I want to extend my thanks to Linda Blandford who wrote the amazing original script which was then updated by Louise Frank for this recording and my colleague and friend Drew McManus for his support during the entire process and being the man behind the curtain who got the ball rolling and helped push it over the finish line.

Here’s a copy of the official press statement from WFMT on the award:

98.7WFMT is pleased to report that Songs My Father Taught Me, renowned cellist Lynn Harrell’s musical memoir and tribute to his father, legendary baritone Mack Harrell, has been named a Bronze Radio Winner in the category of Culture and the Arts Documentary Programs by the esteemed New York Festivals.  Accepting the award was producer Louise Frank; the program was one of 45 Bronze trophies awarded out of entries from 28 countries around the globe.

Established in 1982, the New York Festival’s World’s Best Radio Programs competition honors the most innovative work in radio broadcasting, with entries from radio stations, networks, and independent producers from around the globe.

Currently, the only way to obtain a copy of the 2-CD set of Songs My Father Taught Me as a gift for a $100 donation to WFMT.