In my last Friday Feedback, I told you about the single song that generated more emails than any in my memory: Lisa Rankin’s Strong Women. Well, we got yet another email about that song, saying, “Want to hear Lisa Rankin's “Strong Women” anthem more often. If that’s possible? We are listening, via the internet, from Western Colorado!!” In fact, George did play the song again in honor of the passing of Dolly Parton. We alerted this distant listener that it was coming.
My observation that we infrequently get feedback on our Thursday commentaries generated a few comments from our listeners. One listener wrote, “I can’t remember the retired judge's name, but I look forward to hearing his stories/commentary. He is wonderfully entertaining and much like Aesop, always has a moral that’s running through the story.” That retired judge is Gary Trawick.
Another listener had a reaction to the complaint about Mahlaynee Cooper’s poem Until It’s Your Son, writing, “Mahlaynee Cooper’s poem grabbed my emotions and forced me to focus again on Nolan Wells’ story and on how horrifying it all must be for his parents. While I did lose a daughter at about the same age as Nolan, there was no mystery involved. I can’t imagine a parent’s pain being worse than what mine was, but at least for me the circumstances were straightforward and accidental. I am white, but as a middle school teacher I have known many black boys and their mothers over the years. I’ve been close enough to learn that raising a black boy in America is not the same as raising a white one. There are added worries. I was saddened to hear the letter in your feedback section from the woman who was viscerally angry about Cooper’s writing. The letter writer is lucky to have a life free and peaceful enough that she has room in her heart for such extreme emotion over something as inconsequential to her own well-being as a poem read on the radio. That is much better than the burden of extreme emotion in a mother worried about raising her son up through the many perils of life that surround him.”
Back over on the music side of the station, a Saturday night listener wrote, “I would like to get a copy of the artists and songs featured on Bob Nary’s show On The Fly. I was receiving WHQR in Southern Pines tonight. Thanks, always enjoy WHQR! - Wilmington High Quality Radio!” We emailed him that playlist. But one listener had a complaint about one of our jazz programs, writing, “Most of my comments to WHQR over the many years we have been listeners (for 33 and counting) have been positive, as we appreciate all you do at the station. However, after much thought, I decided to give my feedback on one particular show, Helen Wigger's jazz show. She plays a bit too many repeated songs for our liking, and this has worn us down over the years. I don't know how to change this other than to contact Helen and ask for more diversity or to find a replacement show. Maybe it's time for something new? Thanks again for all y'all do at WHQR.” Helen’s show comes to us from the public radio station in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, so we forwarded that comment to her there. Like us, I’m confident Helen is always interested in ways to improve her show.
Finally, I want to thank everyone who came out to Long Leaf Park for our Donor Appreciation Ice Cream social. It was great to see everyone, and while our Donor Appreciation Week of celebrations was only seven days long, we are always in awe of and in service to our amazing community who allow WHQR to be 100% Community Funded.
We love to hear from you. Please send us your questions, comments, and criticisms. You can email us at feedback@whqr.org. You can also find us on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn. Thanks for your feedback, and we look forward to hearing from you.