The 14.4 realaudio file is still accessible at this url:
http://www.npr.org/programs/lnfsound/stories/990806.stories.html

I was able to play it with VLC, but as you say the audio quality is poor.

The text on the page where this audio appears is "Quest for Sound
Curator Jay Allison brings us Buster Keaton. Listener Bob Borgen has a
tape of the silent film star at a party in 1962. Some friends gave him a
ukelele and recorded his songs, stories and memories of Vaudeville."

Perhaps "Bob Borgen" has a better copy, but this it was originally aired
in NPR Aug 6, 1999.

Chuck Reinsch

On 8/13/2016 2:17 PM, Thomas Stern wrote:
> I recently became aware of this tape, recorded at a party in 1962. Buster
> Keaton sings with ukulele and talks about vaudeville (19teens), blue
> material,
>
> and sings a bit of a blues with mention of "high yeller woman". The
> recording is an extra in the new UK blu-ray Keaton Shorts 1917--23 dvd set,
> but
>
> has been issued previously on a Masters of Cinema DVD set, and there was an
> NPR show (seems sound file now deleted). I have difficulty understanding
>
> a good part of this - not a great recording, but also my diminished hearing.
>
> 1. Does anyone know of a transcript of this material ??
>
> 2. Is there a better sound CD or other source for this recording ??
>
> 3. Has there been any discussion of the tape and the sources for the songs
> Keaton performs ?? I am particularly curious about the HIGH YALLER verses
>
> which I associate with blues performers and wonder where Keaton would have
> heard this material ??
>
>
>
> Thanks!
>
> Best wishes, Thomas.