Looking For A Human Voice

StoryCorp is made possible through funding from State Farm, the Atlantic Philanthropies, and corporation for public broadcasting, and most importantly, through the support of participants and listeners like you nationwide.

Welcome to the StroyCorp podcast.

We are going to take a moment now to remember the legendary oral historian Studs Terkel who died last week. Terkel was an inspiration for us here at StoryCorp. He was the guest of honor back in 2003 when we opened our first booth in New York’s Grand Central Terminal and in 2005 when our mobile recording booths made a special stop in Chicago, when we pulled in at Studs Terlel’s driveway, who was the only time StoryCorp booth has ever stopped at someone’s home.

Here’s a litter bit of the recording we made that day.

What has happened to the human voice?

Vox humana, holloring, shouting, quiet talking, buzz. I was leaving the airport，this is in Atlanta. You know you leave the gate, you take a train that took a concourse of your choice. And I get on those train. Dead silence. Few people are seated, all standing. Up above you hear a voice that once was human voice but no longer an hour talks like a machine. Concourse I, Fort Worth, Dallas, Lubbock, that kind of voice.

Just the door’s about to close, pneumatic doors, when a young couple rush in and push open the doors and get in. Without missing a beat, that voice above says because of late entry, we delay 30 seconds. The people looked at that couple as the couple just committed mass murder you know. And the couple are shrink and like this, you know. I’m known for my talking. I’m Gabby. And so I say George Orwell, your time’s come and gone. I expected a laugh. Dead silence. And now they looked at me. And I moved to the couple, the three of us at the Hill of Calvary on Good Friday.

And then I say my God, where’s the human voice? And just then there’s a little baby. Maybe the baby is about a year old or something.

And I say Sir or Madam, to the baby, what is your opinion of the human species?

I wonder what the baby doing.

Baby starts giggling. I say thank God. The sound of a human voice.

The late Studs Terkel in a StoryCorp recording booth in his driveway in Chicago.

The booth where he recorded that interview has been dedicated to Terkel. A portrait of him hangs just inside the doorway.

For photos and to make reservation for your own interview, visit StoryCorp.net. While you are there, learn more about StoryCorp’s first book Listening is an Act of Love, out in paperback now.

Major support for StoryCorp’s provided by State Farm and corporation for public broadcaster.

Our podcasts are supported by the Fetzer Institute as parts of its campaign from love and forgiveness. Learn more at loveandforgive.org.

Our StoryCorp interviews are housed at the American folk life center at the Library of Congress and you can catch StoryCorp on the radio Fridays on NPR’s morning edition.

This is Michael Grafullo from the StoryCorp podcast.

Thanks for listening.