EAU CLAIRE'S GREATEST HITS. Eau Claire's Writer-In-Residence, Ken Szymanski, will soon host “Chippewa Valley Dedications: a weekly not-so-long-distance dedication,” on the local 98.1 Greatest Hits radio station. This weekly radio program will feature memories from the community – past or present – paired with a song relevant to the story. (Photo via Unsplash)

For Eau Claire’s Writer-In-Residence, Ken Szymanski, music acts as a powerful trigger for memories. Upbeat tracks quickly elicit exciting social and family recollections, while slower, acoustic ballads prompt deeper, contemplative and emotionally complex memories.

Knowing he likely is not the only one with such connections of memory and song, will bring “Chippewa Valley Dedications: a weekly not-so-long-distance dedication,” to the local radio.

As someone who grew up listening to American Top 40, this will surely be a fun throwback for Szymanski, with plenty of love for the present moment. It was only right to bring the Chippewa Valley’s “greatest hits” (and stories) together – one song at a time – to 98.1 FM Eau Claire, starting July 10.

Szymanski shares his own fond memories of the Top 40 archives, hosted by radio legend Casey Kasem – a voice who turned the “Long-Distance Dedications” into a cultural staple.

Today, Szymanski will bring a new breadth to this mission: a weekly radio program where locals can send him stories of friends, family members, significant others, teachers, mentors – just about anyone from the past or present.

“Each dedication will stand on its own, but over time, they'll add up to cover more and more of the full human experience.”

ken szymanski

eau claire writer-in-residence, host of “Chippewa Valley Dedications”

Those stories will be paired with, of course, a meaningful song. After some follow-up with each submission, he will draft the story to be shared on-air alongside the requested track.

“People crave some of these retro experiences – having to listen to the radio at an exact time, or you'll miss it,” Szymanski said. “This has a community aspect and a fleeting aspect that makes it more special than our modern forms of communication and music listening.”

“I'm trying to find ways to restore the personal connections of the past,” he continued.

In just a short period of time, since Szymanski shared his pitch to friends and family online, the enthusiasm people have for the project has far exceeded expectations, he said.

Ken Szymanski, Eau Claire's current Writer-In-Residence, pictured. (Photo by Jim Ivory)

While he will keep the already-submitted songs a secret (tune in to 98.1 from 8-9am on Friday mornings for the live play-by-play), Szymanski hinted the first batch of stories will lean toward themes of fun and celebration.

Much like his literary concerts in Eau Claire, Szymanski’s new radio series relies on individual contributions that coalesce into something far greater than the sum of its parts.

Should you feel inspired to contribute your own dedication or honor a close one, Szymanski is currently accepting these song-and-story pairings at cvdedications@greatesthits981.com.

“Each dedication will stand on its own, but over time, they'll add up to cover more and more of the full human experience,” Szymanski said. “Each one is a puzzle piece and over time, the picture develops and continues to expand.”

Ken Szymanski will host “Chippewa Valley Dedications: a weekly not-so-long-distance dedication” live on Greatist Hits 98.1 FM Eau Claire from 8am-9am on Friday mornings, starting July 10. For additional information and ways to get involved, connect via email at cvdedications@greatesthits981.com.