I just became aware of a very nice and touching tribute to the late Early 1900s Music Preservation board member and Radio Dismuke contributor Edward Mitchell that a young collector posted to his YouTube channel a few months ago.
In it, he talks about the impact Eddie had on him as he sought to explore and learn more about the music of the 1920s and 1930s and 78 rpm records. He also talks about the community of vintage music YouTubers that Eddie became a part of.
The video also talks about various YouTubers gathering for yearly online listening parties to hear Eddie on Radio Dismuke’s annual New Year’s broadcasts. I was not aware that such listening parties were occurring and thus don’t know if Eddie was aware of them or not. But I thought that was very neat.
The tribute also includes comments by a couple of other YouTubers regarding their online friendship with Eddie.
I know that Eddie would have been profoundly touched and moved by this tribute. On many occasions, I heard Eddie talk about interacting with people he had met through his YouTube channels and it was clear that the community he found there meant a lot to him. And I am amazed at how people who did not know Eddie for as long as I did and who only knew him online are able to so accurately capture Eddie’s personality.
After his passing I wrote that the Eddie one heard on Radio Dismuke broadcasts was the same Eddie we knew in real life. Since that time I have met people from other areas of Eddie’s life and interests that I was not part of but had heard him talk about often who shared various anecdotes about him. In all instances, I found myself nodding my head thinking, “Yep! That’s Eddie!” He was truly down-to-earth and authentic. If he ever paid you a compliment or said a kind word, I guarantee you that it was heartfelt and authentic (and, likewise, he did not hold back when expressing his scorn for those he felt had behaved unjustly).
I think this is a wonderful tribute to Eddie and wanted to share it with all those who enjoyed listening to the interesting stories and background information that he provided during our broadcasts.
The creator of this video, by the way, is in the process of writing a book about the 1920s and 1930s bandleader Will Osborne. He points out elsewhere on his channel that, at present, there is no source that has more than a page or two of information about Osborne and his career – which is the case with many who were famous stars during the era but have largely been forgotten. I will be keeping an eye out for its publication and will put up a posting once it becomes available.
– Dismuke