Thursday, August 16, 2007, 12:37 pm

No longer with us... still

I may be going out on a limb here, but I'm going to predict that this is not the year that Elvis is going to appear from the woodwork and prove that he's been living in obscurity for the last 28 years.

Actually, I've noticed that each year there are fewer and fewer Elvis sightings. Or maybe they are just getting lost amidst the far too many Britney, Paris and LiLo sightings.

Things are so different now. Thanks to the Internet, we can have instant news at our fingertips. So, do people look online to check on current events that matter or educate themselves to make the best choice at the polls?

Erm... not exactly. They rush to the computer for Anna Nicole Smith's autopsy report, Britney's parenting skills, and Lindsay's... um, what's she famous/infamous for?

Oh yeah, being a stupid kid... just like the rest of us were at that age, but without a camera in our face 24/7.

Anyway, in case you missed it today is the anniversary of Elvis's death. My folks weren't fans, so I wasn't exposed to Presley's music as a child. However, a few years ago I was introduced to the "Don and Mike Show" out of DC. Every year, either on his birthday or deathday, they run their annual "Elvis is still dead show."

In spite of the tacky/insensitive title, listening to the show it is clear that Don Geronimo is a lifelong fan of the king of rock and roll. Why else would he collect so much worthless and obscure (and fascinating! ) trivia regarding the life of Elvis?

This is a day in radio I always look forward to... just to hear the old stories and that occasional new nugget that surfaced this year, or just didn't get mentioned in recent shows.

And now, I can thank the Internet! Almost six years ago I moved out of the nearest "Don and Mike" market, so my only option was to take the day off and make a trip just to listen.

Crazy? Maybe. Worth it? Totally!

But now it is easier. Three years ago, I caught the show by setting up my computer to record the streaming broadcast (we cannot stream audio at work). Last year, I discovered someone who was recording the show and providing bootleg podcasts.

This year, they are providing official podcasts of every show! In fact, I do try to catch every show, but rarely get through every episode. It's too much to listen to at my job where my concentration usually limits what I catch on the show.

However, tomorrow they'll post the "Elvis" special, and I will listen to it from start to finish!

And commercial free! W00t!

Thanks to the show, I've become a fan of the king's music... so maybe I'll treat myself to a CD today too!

What i'm listening to:
The Number One Hits Suspicious Minds
Elvis Presley
The Number One Hits
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