Lost & Found Sound

Series produced by The Kitchen Sisters

Caption: PRX default Series image
PRX default Series image 

Lost & Found Sound is an eclectic gathering of stories both historical and entertaining, woven together with lyrical sonic transitions, surprising audio artifacts and musings by the likes of Sun Records producer Sam Phillips. A national collaboration with listeners, produced by The Kitchen Sisters, Jay Allison and NPR.

Some of the stories in this collection include "Carnival Talkers" a tale of the vanishing voices and fading art of the sideshow pitchman. "Cigar Stories: El Lector, He who reads" - a lost tradition of story and smoke. In "Quest for Sound: Gettysburg Eyewitness" listen as a man recalls watching Lincoln give his historic address at Gettysburg. Follow New York recording legend Tony Schwartz through the neighborhood he has relentlessly recorded for some 50 years in "Tony Schwartz - 30,000 Recordings Later." Eavesdrop on Tennessee Williams and his friends recording on cardboard discs in a New Orleans penny arcade in "Tennessee Williams and The Pennyland Recordings" and listen to the strangest presidential telephone calls ever recorded in "LBJ and the Helium Filled Astronaut."

The Lost & Found Sound radio series explores how recorded sound has captured American history. The series chronicles, reflects and celebrates the human experience through rare home recordings, sonic snapshots, and remarkable stories about people possessed by sound.

If your station wants to air these specials and it's not an NPR member station, please call NPR program and member services at 1-800-329-5380. Hide full description

Some of the stories in this collection include "Carnival Talkers" a tale of the vanishing voices and fading art of the sideshow pitchman. "Cigar Stories: El Lector, He who reads" - a lost tradition of story and smoke. In "Quest for Sound: Gettysburg Eyewitness" listen as a man recalls watching Lincoln give his historic address at Gettysburg. Follow New York recording legend Tony Schwartz through the neighborhood he has relentlessly recorded for some 50 years in "Tony Schwartz - 30,000 Recordings Later." Eavesdrop on Tennessee Williams and his friends recording on cardboard discs in a New Orleans penny arcade in "Tennessee Williams and The Pennyland Recordings" and listen to the strangest presidential telephone calls ever recorded in "LBJ and the Helium Filled Astronaut."The Lost & Found... Show full description


10 Pieces

Order by: Newest First | Oldest First
Introduction to Lost & Found Sound
From: The Kitchen Sisters
Series: Lost & Found Sound
Piece image
On January 1, 1999 we began a series on sounds of the century called Lost & Found Sound, a national collaboration of radio producers, artists, soun...

Bought by WXAV 88.3FM Chicago and PRX Remix


  • Added: Sep 06, 2017
  • Length: 13:11
  • Purchases: 2
Norman Corwin: One World Flight
From: The Kitchen Sisters
Series: Lost & Found Sound
Piece image
We delve into the audio archives of radio writer and director Norman Corwin. In 1946, while Corwin was working for CBS, producing very popular radi...

Bought by WXAV 88.3FM Chicago, Troy Public Radio, The Story, and PRX Remix


  • Added: Oct 19, 2011
  • Length: 13:07
  • Purchases: 4
Tony Schwartz: 30,000 Recordings Later
From: The Kitchen Sisters
Series: Lost & Found Sound
Piece image
A profile of Tony Schwartz, an innovative and inspired sound gatherer, recording the sounds of America since 1945.

Bought by WXAV 88.3FM Chicago, WXAV 88.3FM Chicago, WABE, KFAI Minneapolis, The Story and more


  • Added: Jun 17, 2008
  • Length: 20:42
  • Purchases: 10
Portrait of an Artist as an Answering Machine
From: The Kitchen Sisters
Series: Lost & Found Sound
Piece image
In contemplating the telephone answering machine, what better place to turn than Los Angeles---a town known for its phones.

Bought by PRX Remix, Remix Radio, and WYBC


  • Added: Apr 28, 2006
  • Length: 02:02
  • Purchases: 3
Cigar Stories: El Lector - He Who Reads
From: The Kitchen Sisters
Series: Lost & Found Sound
Caption: PRX default Piece image
At the turn of the century until the 1930s in the cigar factories of Tampa and Ybor City, a well dressed man in a panama hat with a loud and beauti...

Bought by ABC, KZYX, Marfa Public Radio, KFAI Minneapolis, KZYX and more


  • Added: Apr 05, 2006
  • Length: 22:35
  • Purchases: 9
Liberace & the Trinidad Tripoli Steelband
From: The Kitchen Sisters
Series: Lost & Found Sound
Piece image
Lost and Found Sound presents a story of calypso music, steel drums and flamboyant pianist Liberace.

Bought by ABC, KZYX, PRX Remix, and KUER


  • Added: Apr 04, 2006
  • Length: 11:59
  • Purchases: 4
WHER: 1000 Beautiful Watts
From: The Kitchen Sisters
Series: Lost & Found Sound
Piece image
The story of the first all-girl radio station in the nation

Bought by WCAI / WNAN Cape & Islands, Mass., KMXT, KKRN, WRGY, WORT and more


  • Added: Apr 04, 2006
  • Length: 58:40
  • Purchases: 44
Listening to the Northern Lights
From: The Kitchen Sisters
Series: Lost & Found Sound
Piece image
Natural Radio -- the sound of earth's magnetic field.

Bought by WABE, KUOW, PRX Remix, SALTcast Podcast, WRVO Public Media and more


  • Added: Apr 04, 2006
  • Length: 08:32
  • Purchases: 6
Lost & Found Sound: Hour Two
From: The Kitchen Sisters
Series: Lost & Found Sound
Piece image
Lost & Found Sound is an eclectic gathering of stories both historical and entertaining, woven together with lyrical sonic transitions, surprising ...

Bought by WITF, KOSU, PRX Remix, WVIK, KSFR and more


  • Added: Sep 27, 2004
  • Length: 59:04
  • Purchases: 12
Lost & Found Sound: Hour One
From: The Kitchen Sisters
Series: Lost & Found Sound
Piece image
Lost & Found Sound is an eclectic gathering of stories both historical and entertaining, woven together with lyrical sonic transitions, surprising ...

Bought by WITF, Marfa Public Radio, KOSU, PRX Remix, WFUV and more


  • Added: Sep 27, 2004
  • Length: 59:04
  • Purchases: 11

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