Thanks Mike

MIKE DOUGLAS 1925-2006


Mike with Olivia Newton-John (yummy) and her sister

As a young man growing up on a farm in the middle of nowhere, I didn't get the chance to experience much of what was going on in the music scene. My Am radio at night picked up the hallowed sounds of WLS and KAAY, but other than that, it was slim pickins. Every day after school (and before my chores), I would do my homework in front of the TV watching Mike Douglas and who Mike had on. Somedays it would be guys like Alejandro Rey and other days it would be guys like Jimi Hendrix or Sly Stone or whoever.

Mike Douglas with Starbuck "Moonlight Feels Right"

Mike seemed to be at home with everyone and comfortable with all of them. One Christmas, I got a very small reel to reel tape recorder from Cummins Electric and I thought I was in heaven. It was a real cheap thing with 4 1/2" reels that would last about five minutes. Whenever Mike had someone cool on, I would set up the microphone right next to the TV speaker and record. I must have had about 25 of these tapes. Mike Douglas passed away today on his 81st birthday. For a kid on the farm, he was a breath of fresh air and a conduit to what was happening in the world. I sure wish I would have kept those tapes.

Mike with Andy Kaufman