November 8, 1996, was, by special order of Mayor Tom Menino, “Robert J. Lurtsema Day” in Boston. And since he isn’t Larry Bird or Roger Clemens, it must have pleased Lurtsema immensely that his widely broadcast public radio show, Morning Pro Musica, had finally garnered for him the kind of tribute that cities normally reserve for local sports stars and visiting astronauts.

But Boston was merely recognizing what listeners have known for twenty-five years: Lurtsema — or Robert J., as his fans call him — seems the perfect embodiment of a very New-Englandy type: the man who can turn his hand to almost anything. The sixty-some-year-old broadcaster (he refuses to reveal his exact age, saying that he “doesn’t like to create any barriers” between himself and his listeners) can charm a radio audience with his wide-ranging comments. He can write a little music (Lurtsema helped compose the theme for Julia Child’s television cooking show). He can even produce poetry.