Photo: Thomas Toscano, Chief Wizard, WBTN AM, 1370

“Turn up your radio and let me hear the song, Switch On Your Electric Light…If you would turn it up, turn it up, little bit higher, radio, Turn It Up, Turn it Up, so you know, radio...” – Van Morrison, Caravan.

I’ve always loved this Van Morrison song, it’s about the magical years of radio, for boys like me, holed up in their rooms, listening to forbidden rock and roll with the volume way down, Buddy Holly, Elvis, this was exotic, the music was said to destroy brains and damage minds. Probably true.

My father forbid me to listen to it, and eventually took my radio away and stomped it to pieces. I was outraged but powerless. I did not imagine I would live long enough to find radio so changed, I never imagined live streaming. Radio was strictly local.

There are so many ways to listen now, and every broadcast is a national broadcast. This gives me hope for our little broadcast.

This week, I had calls from California, Ohio, Kentucky,  Bennington, Vt., New York State,  West Virginia and Santa Fe. That’s a good range. After the show was over, our friend from Italy called.

The phone system is funky, and it’s a wonder to watch Thomas pushing all of these buttons to get a call, air a call, and end a call. It would be funny if it wasn’t a bit poignant.

A friend e-mailed me this morning, and she said it seemed like my new radio show had “caught fire,” a term that amazed and intrigued me. Not yet, I don’t think, but something is happening, for sure. I can feel the electricity.

I have no idea how many people are listening, or where they are, but the calls kept coming and the e-mailed questions kept pouring it, and it felt like there was some fire going out, and coming in.

In our cozy little den, Thomas Toscano and I, two impassioned and independent creatives, would have no way of knowing. Tommy is a conductor and  composer, and now, the big gun at the little radio station. It feels like he and I have been doing this together for years.

A child prodigy, Tommy  looks like Arturo Toscanini and he says he never married or had a family. That, he says,  was a public service.

We are using all kinds of new technologies to reach out beyond the boundaries of our small station and reach almost everybody in the world A far cry from the little boy in Providence, listening to his radio on the floor with a bedsheet over his head to hide the sound. Turn  up your radio, turn it up, turn it up.

I always dreamed of having my own radio show, now I have one, however long it lasts. People are using phones, e-mails,  radio apps,  from the Apple Store to find me. I got one called Simple Radio, and I can tap into  it on my Iphone and hear the station loud and clear from anywhere.

There’s live streaming, and a podcast. People can call 866 406-9286 or try a new innovation, they can e-mail me on the air – [email protected] and I can read the questions as they come in. That was very cool.

They can also e-mail me anytime during the week, and I will save the questions, research them if necessary, and read them on the air.

We are on the move.  Thomas says the station never once had a call from California, Italy, or New Mexico in 60 years of existence. Blog power.

You can also, by the way, try our new podcast. I love the idea of these sounds going out into the world. There is a magic to it.

“Sweet lady of the night, I shall reveal you, turn it up, turn it up, little bit higher, radio…”

The calls were  steady, thoughtful and interesting, we are having just the kinds of questions and conversations I had hoped for. I so love the thought of these signals going

Next week, Thomas and I will trek on up the road and go visit the West Mountain Animal Hospital, we will try to pitch them on being the shows’ first sponsor, it costs all of $50 a week. You can call them at 802 447-7723 and let them know about our show (I did), or e-mail them here.

The money – all $50 a week –  will all go to WBTN, which is just about impoverished.

I told Thomas if I can’t find anybody, I might sponsor the whole thing myself, one week at a time.

From my end, the show was  just about perfect.

The questions were thoughtful and very real. The people calling were very nice and  articulate. One or two told me later via e-mail that they are very shy, my voice calmed them down.

That is good to hear. If you are shy, please call, we will treat you lovingly, and answer  your questions thoughtfully. That applies to those of you who aren ot shy as well. 866-406-9286. If you live in the listening area,  802 442-1010.

Wednesdays, one to three p.m.

A couple of business items. Sometimes this weekend the station will post Amazon Gift Cards on its Wish List Past. These will be inexpensive, and rather than have to buy expensive things, a lot of people can buy inexpensive gift cards and the money will win out and the station will get some new and urgently needed stuff.

Keep and eye on the WBTN Wish List, we’ve cleaned it out three times.

Turn up that radio. Help us get this broadcast off to a good start, and help community radio, it really is the voice of the people.