Kevin Readdean – Voice Talent

Caedmon, the “Third Dimension for the Printed Page” Launches an Industry

It was on this day in 1952, that what is considered to be the first spoken word recording session of a literary volume was held. Recruited by record industry entrepreneurs Barbara Holdridge and Marianne Roney recruited poet and writer, Dylan Thomas to record a number of his poems. Thomas began the February 22nd recording session at Steinway Hall in New York with “Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night.” He then read a collection of additional works, including the then-obscure short story, originally published in Harper’s Bazaar, “A Child’s Christmas in Wales” to fill out the B side of the long play record.

Building on the accomplishments of this recording, Holdridge and Roney formed Caedmon Records, named for the earliest know English poet. They went on to record spoken word titles for authors such as William Faulkner, e. e. cummings, T.S. Eliot, Katherine Anne Porter, and Tennessee Williams. The success of these records

An imprint of HarperCollins Publishing since 1987, the success of Caedmon Audio, dubbed the “Third Dimension for the Printed Page,” is considered the spark that ignited today’s 2 billion dollar audio book industry.

Hear an excerpt or purchase: Dylan Thomas:The Caedmon CD Collection Unabridged

Sources and more information:

• NPR
• Wikipedia
• HarperCollins
• Audio Publishers Association