Lloyd Newell to give final broadcast with Music and the Spoken Word

SALT LAKE CITY — Many voices make up The Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square, but one of those stands out. Lloyd Newell, the announcer, narrator, and presenter of Music & the Spoken Word, is preparing to pass the torch.

For the last nearly 35 years, Newell has announced and written in the Spoken Word. Now, he is preparing to turn the page, signaling a new era for the choir.

“There is not a greater sound in the world. And the choir keeps improving and getting better,” Newell said.

In the history of the Spoken Word broadcast, there have only been three announcers. Tabernacle Choir President Michael O. Leavitt said Newell has written and delivered over 1,750 sermons and insights.

Invited to step into Newell’s shoes and serve as a voice for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints: Derrick Porter.

“I thought a long time about, ‘How do you seek to replace someone who has spent so many years and decades in service?’ And the answer that came to mind is, ‘You can’t…” The only thing I can do is seek to stand on his shoulders and continue the great efforts and work of this broadcast,” Porter said.

Working as an entrepreneur in the Salt Lake Valley, Porter said he grew up watching Lloyd.

“In some sense, my pre-spoken word life prepared me for this,” Newell said.

At the time, Porter did not know he was learning from one of the best.

“My hope is I might be able to take just a little bit of that that Lloyd has done and be able to express the honor and the dignity to what this broadcast has done,” he said.

Newell and his wife will head to Los Angeles, California, to serve as mission leaders. Before that, the public is invited to see his last broadcast on Sunday, June 16.

Porter will pick up the following Sunday for his first broadcast.