Everyday Creation
Everyday Creation is about purpose, awe and good vibrations. The show's title refers to three types of creation: The ways we express ourselves (for example, with art, music and so many other pursuits fueled by purpose and passion); the parts of life that fill us with awe (birth, death, love, the big picture); and our personal power to create our best possible lives while also making the world a better place. Here, you’ll encounter interviews, essays and some episodes created simply for information and fun. I'm your host Kate Jones, welcoming you to Everyday Creation.
Everyday Creation
There was Nothing Button-Down about Bob Newhart Except for the Titles of His Wildly Popular LPs
In 1961, Bob Newhart won a Grammy for Album of the Year for his first album, "The Button-Down Mind of Bob Newhart," which topped the Billboard album chart for 14 weeks. His second album, "The Button-Down Mind Strikes Back," was rushed out and reached number two on the Billboard chart.
The 1987 photo in this episode's thumbnail was taken by Alan Light, CC BY 2.0, and is available on Wikimedia Commons. In the chapters, you'll see the cover of "The Button-Down Mind Strikes Back."
To listen to "Retirement Party" from Newhart's second album, you can go to this YouTube video. The well-known comedy bit "The Grace L. Ferguson Airline (And Storm Door Co.)," also from his second album, is available here. And to listen to his first album, go to this video, which includes the very funny "Nobody Will Ever Play Baseball."
This tribute is one of 41 stories that Sheldon Zoldan, a longtime journalist, has written and recorded in honor of the music notables who passed away in 2024. He's written tributes for other years as well. You can listen to the ones from 2023 on Everyday Creation. We'll have the 2022 tributes available later this year.
Sheldon also is the creator of Song of the Day, a story that he sends by email to a list of subscribers. To get on his subscriber list, email shzoldan@comcast.net with the subject line ADD ME TO SOTD.
This is Kate Jones. Thank you for listening to Everyday Creation, available on YouTube and in podcast directories including Apple, Audible, iHeart and Spotify.
Sheldon:
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Bob Newhart was a comedian, so why is
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he being honored with a tribute?
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Newhart did something most singers and musicians never
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did.
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He won a Grammy for Album of the
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Year, in 1961.
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Newhart died July 18 at his home in
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Los Angeles.
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He was 94.
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The Song of the Day is paying tribute
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to the singers, songwriters,
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musicians
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and, in this case, a comedian
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who died in 2024.
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Newhart's first job after getting out of the
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Army was as an accountant,
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a job he wasn't cut out for. He
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wrote in his autobiography
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that his motto was, "That's close enough,"
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and his habit of adjusting petty cash imbalances
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with his own money showed he did not
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have the temperament of an accountant.
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He found work in an ad agency where
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he and a co-worker
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would record humorous phone conversations
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and send them to radio stations.
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Newhart continued to do the conversations after his
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co-worker left.
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The president of Warner Brothers Records
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heard the tapes and signed Newhart to record
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a live stand-up comedy album.
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There was one problem.
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Newhart had never done stand-up.
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They found a nightclub in Houston to record.
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Night one and night two weren't usable.
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The third night was the charm.
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The album, "The Button-Down Mind of Bob
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Newhart,"
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shot to number one on the Billboard album
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chart.
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It stayed there for 14 weeks.
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It remained on the charts for two years.
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"Retirement Party"
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was from Newhart's second album,
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"The Button-Down Mind Strikes Back."
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His record company rushed the album out after
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his first album became a smash hit.
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The album reached number two on Billboard's album
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chart behind "The Button-Down Mind of Bob
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Newhart."
Kate:
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That was Song of the Day creator Sheldon
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Zoldan.
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And I'm Kate Jones, host of Everyday Creation.
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Thank you for joining us today.
