Mormon Tabernacle Choir enters radio hall of fame

Radio industry recognizes program launched in 1929
By R. Scott Lloyd
Church News staff writer

Just before the Mormon Tabernacle Choir's program "Music and the Spoken Word" was inducted into the National Radio Hall of Fame in a ceremony Nov. 6, the audience — and radio listeners tuned in to the broadcast of the ceremony — heard a recorded audio montage culminating with the choir singing "Hallelujah!" from Handel's "Messiah."

And though it did not approach scriptural magnitude, the occasion was indeed cause for celebration, as musical director Mack Wilberg accepted the award, presented by Bruce Reese, president and CEO of Bonneville International Corp., the Church-owned entity that operates 26 radio stations in seven national markets. (The choir itself was not present.)

Acknowledging the honor, Brother Wilberg said, "I am here representing the thousands of volunteer singers and instrumentalists, the conductors, the organists, the announcers and technical staff upon whose shoulders we stand nearly 82 years later [after the program's debut].