Stuck inside his room at an assisted-living center, Bob Coleman knew he could not go out in public with the coronavirus spreading. But he could still connect with others by sharing his love for country music over the internet.
“Hello, everybody. It’s a bright day in Franklin, Tennessee,” he said into his microphone. “This is Bob Coleman, better known as the Karaoke Cowboy, coming to you from Room 3325. Let’s just jump right into it.”
Then Coleman began to play the music he loves — hits from country music stars like Hank Williams, Dwight Yoakam and Brad Paisley. The 88-year-old carefully chooses each song.
Coleman is a resident of Somerby Franklin, an assisted-living center about 32 kilometers south of Nashville. He formerly served in the United States Air Force. He and several other retirees have turned into disc jockeys, or DJs, for a new online radio hour known as “Radio Recliner (摇椅电台)”. The 60-minute show was launched last month, starting with retirees in middle Tennessee. It has since expanded, with residents of assisted-living centers in Georgia and Alabama taking part in the project. Many jumped at the chance to work as a DJ to ease the loneliness of social distancing rules.
A Georgia and Alabama-based marketing company called Luckie came up with the idea of Radio Recliner. One of its clients is Bridge Senior Living, which operates more than 20 centers for older adults in 14 states.
The volunteer DJs record themselves on their phones. The audio is then sent off to audio production specialists who deal with the technical side of Radio Recliner.
New shows appear weekdays at 12 o'clock. Listeners can send song requests in honor of family or friends.
Mitch Bennett is Luckie’s chief creative officer. He says the idea was to provide a sense of community to older people who have been spending a lot of time alone. “For this generation, radio was the original social media,” Bennett said. “Dedicating a song to someone you love, and having them hear it along with everyone else, is a special way of connecting. It’s a great time to bring that feeling back.”
I’m Caty Weaver.
8. Which of the following words can best describe Bob Coleman?
A.Optimistic. | B.Pessimistic. |
C.Cautious. | D.Stubborn. |
9. What kind of music did Coleman play on the radio?
A.Country music. | B.Rock music. |
C.Pop music. | D.Classical music. |
10. What is the purpose of the idea of Radio Recliner?
A.To offer a platform for the music lovers to share their songs. |
B.To provide a chance for older people to work as a DJ. |
C.To give people an opportunity to send song requests. |
D.To offer lonely older people a sense of community. |
11. Who reported this news for us?
A.Bob Coleman. | B.Audio production specialists. |
C.Mitch Bennett. | D.Caty Weaver. |