I am probably the only (former) resident of the city of Chicago that has never been interviewed by Studs Terkel.  That's apocryphal, as I'm sure there are some other people in Chicago whom Studs has not interviewed – but not many.  I did have the distinction of having known the man. 

I had the pleasure of participating in a couple of film interviews with him as well as having attended numerous social functions where he was present.  Even though it has been more than fifteen years since I last saw him, his image and memory are still very much in my heart. 

He always retained his boyish enthusiasm and his curiosity about people. I have never met anyone who could relate to his fellow humans and their stories better than Studs. With his old reel-to-reel tape recorder in tow, he set out to interview America and in the process invented oral history.

Take it easy, Studs – but take it!

Robert Boldt an editor of MWC News, is a freelance film/video producer living in Jefferson City, Missouri. He is active in local politics, worked on the Howard Dean and John Kerry campaigns and is a cofounder of The White Rose Collective. Articles by Bob Boldt at MWC News http://mwcnews.net/bob-boldt

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