Glenn Mitchell Died

I'm writing this to document the day I learned Glenn Mitchell died. He actually died yesterday at his home.

I never met Glenn Mitchell, but I felt like I knew him well and I truly enjoyed his company. He was host of a noon-time talk show on KERA 90.1, an NPR station in Dallas. His daily shows were always interesting, due in part to his very interesting guests but due, in larger part, to his ease with them and his intellect. On Fridays, the first half of his two-hour show would be the "Anything You Ever Wanted to Know..." portion. Listeners would call in with questions...about anything...and other listeners or Glenn or someone on the KERA staff would attempt to answer them. Those shows were wonderful. His 'Christmas Blockbuster' was an annual event; 20 hours, I think, of nonstop Christmas music, most of it very odd and off-beat. That's where I first heard 'Santa, I Want a Goat for Christmas.' I had, for years, thought his show would be a shoo-in favorite if it went national. I learned today that a trial was scheduled for XM satellite radio, beginning next February.

When I heard that he had died, my first reaction was disbelief, then an amazing sadness. Tears came to my eyes; this guy I've never met was like a good friend. Today, I have read and heard so many others say the same thing. He'll be sorely missed.