[Dixielandjazz] More about Bob and Ray

[Laurence Swain]

David Richoux <tubaman at tubatoast.com> wrote:

    Bob [Elliott] & Ray [Goulding] were two of the most 
    outstanding, if maybe a bit strange, radio & TV comedians of 
    the mid 20th century in the USA - even though a few others  of 
    our comedians may have had  bigger name recognition...  maybe 
    they did not translate well to the  Brit/Oz/Com side
    of humour, but I see their subtle influence on the  whole 
    Beyond the Fringe/Monty Python thing.

https://www.bobandray.com is the Web site that has hours of their 
broadcasts available on CD, and there is a half-price sale in 
progress for the next week or so!

When I was 11 yrs old they were DJs at WHDH in Boston, and they 
started doing "Matinee with Bob & Ray", the beginning of their long 
career together, and I was a fan, listening to their Saturday 
broadcasts.

Lived south of Boston, and talked the folks into letting me take the 
train into Boston to sit in the tiny studio one Saturday.  1 PM 
rolled around, and Ken and Bill (organ and piano) played the intro 
music.  Bob Elliott was sitting at a table in front of his mike; the 
seat next to him, intended for Ray Goulding, was empty.  Theme music 
ended, and, without hesitation Bob said "Welcome to Matinob with 
Bob".  Ray eventually showed up...

I recommend the early-years CDs -- I have Vols 1 and 2, and really 
enjoyed going back in time with these two guys.  Ray died a long 
time ago; Bob used to be a regular on "Prairie Home Companion" but 
is no longer active (I believe).  Bob's son Chris Elliott used to 
show up often on "Everybody Loves Raymond" as a bizarre relative of 
one of the regulars on that show.

Larry Swain
(Backup piano player of last resort, Boston area)