In 1978, the society released the first of the audio cassette versions of the New World Translation. The first book to be released was the gospel according to John. As a child who was also a keen Bible student I thought it was great as it meant that I could follow along with the reading and get all the pronunciation correct.
This first two cassettes of the book of John was read by none other than Ray Franz, although I wasn't aware of this at the time – we used to get a lot of American brothers from Brooklyn Bethel give talks back in the 70's at Twickenham and through the PA system it wasn't easy to distinguish between them all, although I still remember how Nathan Knorr and Fred Franz sounded, in fact both of them occasionally attended my congregation as it was one of the prominent congregations near Mill Hill bethel. But I do remember thinking how well he read the Bible and in subsequent years as various other bible books were released I couldn't understand why "that brother" wasn't ever used again. If you get the book of John from your local congregation now you will find that somebody else is now reading it, the Ray Franz Tape was withdrawn quickly only about three years after it was recorded. How childish and spiteful of the Watchtower Society to get someone else go through the rigmarole of recording it again. (I think I'm the first person to ever mention this on the internet, I find no other mention anywhere - apologies if I'm incorrect)
Which leads me to the point – although the readers of the bible books are "anonymous", I'm sure that a lot of the people out there in JWD world would be able to tell me who were the actual readers of the books, so come on ex-bethelites, tell me who read which book?
The NWT Bible Audio Cassettes
by Matty 4 Replies latest watchtower bible
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Matty
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LittleToe
Interesting topic, Matty.
I still have the complete set, having bought them before the "contribution arrangement" came in, in '93.
I was on the literature desk at the time of that change, and you should have seen the number of requests for them once they were "free" - LOL.
I don't know who did which readings, though.
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RR
LOL ... LT, I was in charge of literature also, and I remember when that letter was read, as soon as the brother said "Amen" in concluding prayer, it was like a stampede to the back of the hall, everyone and their mothers were ordering things and upgrading their libraries. What a shame.
RR
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Gamaliel
If you post a sample from each book I can probably still identify most of them for you in their pre 1983 versions. Ray definitely was the reader of John. I don't remember who had which book, but I know Brother Glass, had a couple of books, as he always read for the dramas. Thought I remembered Merton Campbell on one of them too.. (Maxwell Friend, who did a good imitation of Kissinger, always read for the dramas, but I don't recall if he was involved in the NWT readings)
Gamaliel
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cyberguy
A JW from Orlando, Florida, last name of Mackie (spelling?), did much of the reading on the current tapes. He was in radio and TV for many years, is partly paralyzed, and has a brother that’s a CO/DO. He gave some of the most memorable talks I’ve ever heard some 20+ years ago. I'm not sure if he's still alive.