{"id":4997,"date":"2012-12-28T06:12:44","date_gmt":"2012-12-28T10:12:44","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/?p=4997"},"modified":"2012-12-28T13:41:27","modified_gmt":"2012-12-28T17:41:27","slug":"voas-music-man-leo-sarkisian-retires-at-91","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2012\/12\/voas-music-man-leo-sarkisian-retires-at-91\/","title":{"rendered":"VOA’s “Music Man,” Leo Sarkisian, retires at 91"},"content":{"rendered":"
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From right to left: Leo Sarkisian, Heather Maxwell, and Mary Sarkisian. (Photo: VOA)<\/span><\/p><\/div>\n

Many shortwave radio listeners know the name Leo Sarkisian, founder of the Voice of America show Music Time in Africa<\/span><\/a>. <\/em>For decades, Leo and his wife, Mary, traveled to every corner of Africa, lugging with them a large reel-to-reel recorder that Leo used to capture for broadcast the diverse music found across the continent. A monumental cultural record is the result. Earlier this year, at 91 years old, Sarkisian retired from VOA; he leaves his show and his wonderful library of recordings in the capable hands of radio host Heather Maxwell.<\/span><\/p>\n

Today, Richard Harris offered an excellent radio piece<\/a> he produced on Leo Sarkisian for\u00a0PRI’s The World<\/em><\/a>–you can listen to it below or on PRI’s site<\/a>:
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