Way too much fun to be political

It’s String Fever day — Barb Heller will be on the air at 3 this afternoon. If you’re a regular listener, you know Barb often has guests in the studio, usually fellow-musicians to co-host her show, or talk about local bluegrass festivals, or play live on the air.
Last week brought something a little different. It started as a sort of dare, a sort of challenge, from longtime Ogdensburg newspaperman Chuck Kelly to longtime St. Lawrence County Treasurer Bob McNeil. The challenge was issued during our spring fundraiser. I don’t have all the back-story, but it ended up with Mr. McNeil and his truly charming granddaughter Maya, a second grader at Lisbon Central, singing “Let it Shine” on the air with Barb.

I missed the show myself, but just for fun dug it out of the String Fever archives. It’s going to disappear from there later today, but you can hear it right here anytime.

This Little Light of Mine

(I’ll understand if you didn’t listen to the whole song, though an anonymous source in county government assures me that the duo DID practice…)

And here’s Kelly’s side of the bargain, from “Kelly’s Comments” in the Sunday, April 4, Advance News:

Retiring St. Lawrence County Treasurer Robert McNeil accepted Chuck Kelly’s challenge to sing a duet with North Country Public Radio on-air personality Barbara Heller. Mr. McNeil did one better and he performed in a trio with Barb and his granddaughter. He was on the air Thursday April 8th around 3 PM. They (Mc Neil and his granddaughter Maya Randall sang “Let it Shine”, as Barbara Heller accompanied them with her acoustic guitar. Since Bob met the challenge, Chuck Kelly Editor in Chief of the Ogdensburg Journal will have to ‘pay up’ and donate $120 to NCPR. Mr. Kelly encourages others to match the donation of $120 or more to North Country Public Radio, a voice of the North Country.

Photo, by the way, from Kyle “Fireball” Hartman.