CDP-101

Where were you on October 1st, 1982?

I was seven years old and in second grade at Parker Elementary School.  The day was Friday – something I celebrated at that age and still celebrate 30 years later.  Some things really don’t change.

It’s easy to visualize Galveston at that time of year.  It’s an island off the coast of Texas with pleasant year-round temperatures (my opinion).  It was probably high 60s in the morning, maybe a little humid.  A nice day on the island.

While I practiced multiplication tables, or tugged on some girl’s ponytail, something amazing was happening.

Sony released the very first CD player that day for about $1K bucks.  The CDP-101 (creative-betcha that stands for Compact Disc Player).  The first CD?  Billy Joel.  It was a revolution (feel free to hum the Beatles).

Of course, I wouldn’t know what a CD was for several years.  I listened to my first one four years later – Invisible Touch by Genesis.  One of my “wealthy” friend’s parents owned a magnificent, modern stereo system and we routinely blared it when they stepped out.  Believe it or not, Genesis was cool back then.  To some of us…still is cool (think nostalgia).

In 1995, just 13 years later, I bought my first CD player.  And, thanks to Columbia House, my first CDs.  They had me at hello.  It was a pretty magnificent day in my life – finding that music-packed cardboard box in my mailbox.  The crystal clear sound and hassle-free track selection…wow!

It took me a little extra time to buy those additional albums at regular club prices, but I eventually did it – man of my word, after all.

Here’s to you Compact Disc – Happy Birthday – you will not be forgotten!  Well, at least not by those of us born in the 1970s.