Historic Hood River
Before Amplifiers
6-24-2026
Notes
This W. F. Laraway image is from the Glenwood, Iowa Apple Fair circa 1900. It’s a good image to make the point these public events were very different before the advent of electronic amplification. The emcee is using a simple cone to project his voice, and the band relies on numbers to produce enough sound to fill the space.
This image reminded me of some Billy Sunday history, namely that he is believed to have addresses 100 million people using his vocal cords without amplification.
Melody Shellman
According to the AP just this week, “Guinness World Records last week acknowledged the 58-year-old Canberra resident recorded the loudest ever shout by an individual. He yelled “now” at 122.4 decibels.
That broke the previous record of 121.7 dB set by Northern Ireland schoolteacher Annalisa Flanagan in 1994. She had yelled an ear-piercing “quiet.”
That is in the noise range of a chain saw, a jet aircraft taking off and an ambulance siren at close range.”
Melody Shellman
Sorry, the new record-holder’s name is Joseph McGrail-Bateup.
ArthurB
That’s very funny Melody. His name is perfect too,