My last radio post ran a little long, and research shows that people don't like to read long blog posts.
And I have several people I would like to thank.
So here goes...
Buzz Collins, Magic Eddie Mills to his Edmonton friends and listeners and Bono too. It was from whom I first heard the word "blog" after he left Power 92 for a station in Winnipeg, and who once gave me a shout out on an Ontario station just because he knew I was listening online. Thank you sir.
Mike Diesel, now of Go Auto Red Deer, who let me flex my movie critic muscles again for six very fun months in 2007 and 2008.on that K-Rockin' 97 during his evening show. I got to be Movie Man and it was a blast. I even had the pleasure of having both the Pink Panther and James Bond themes accompany me. Thank you sir.
Bill Cowen, former K97 morning cohost, who I met under circumstances normally reserved for adventure movies and icebound reality shows. He pulled me and my wheelchair out of a snowbank I rolled into while wheeling to my family's home from the bus stop.on Easter Sunday 2002. Yes, we had a big snow dump that year. I had just started my appreciation of classic rock, and as Bill pushed me the rest of the way, I complimented him and K97 on their choice to do a Howard Stern type of show locally. When we got to the house I joked to my mom and stepdad that they probably wouldn't recognize Bill because he certainly didn't look the same all bundled up as he did not bundled up on the K97 billboards then popular around town. He left and life sped by until we connected on Facebook about seven years later, almost as if no time had passed at He invited us to his comedy show, and we even found time to break bread at Cora's some time later. Always Bill's ready smile and great laugh were in evidence. Again life has sped by, but thank you for your kindness my friend, and best of luck in your new endeavors. See you down the (hopefully snowbank-free) road.
Jungle Jay, former evening host on 630 CHED, who pioneered the concept of bringing "morning zoo" energy to the night time, complete with sound effects. To a geeky 15-year-old in 1986 looking for an exciting distraction to accompany my nightly homework, your show provided a party in the radio. And as I have said before, all that energy made me wonder what kind of guy you really were. Even what you looked like, which in those pre-social-media days was not always easy to find out. But I did find out one day when my mom and I went to the Spring Break Video Dance Party at Heritage Mall. The sun obscured the large hanging video screen in the center of the mall, so we wound up dancing to a large TV. But that was OK, because when I met you I found you had the same energy in person as you did on the air. You gave me a Hot Traxx album, and over the years I saw you at various places around town, first at the teen club Studio 82, and again at Heritage Mall for another cohost contest before the one at the station. I busied myself handing you your sound effects carts, something you didn't ask me to do, but you went with it. Because you were always kind to me. I also seem to remember you and Seanna Collins joking about "fine young cannonballs" for some reason. It was fun following your career through stops after CHED at Power 92, Cool 880, and Capital FM, as well as the broadcasting school. It was a fun afternoon we spent there when I brought my old-school tape case full of airchecks for you to listen to and copy. And you were there for me at Capital when I came to you for advice when I was just starting my brief call center career, which really gave me a boost in that job. I still have those tapes in that case, safely in storage. In my stepdad Jim's basement, as a matter of fact. Jim deserves special mention too, because it is basically his two cassette decks and reel to reel I hogged to capture all of them, sometimes at all hours, and he rarely uttered a peep. So thank you Jim. Because Jay, I believe that your work deserves to live on. You were the best evening radio DJ in the city, and your on air work, your kindness, and your countless acts of giving will be remembered always by the city of Edmonton.
That applies to everyone in radio, by the way. In this world where people can create their own playlist on a whim, the guy or lady on the radio may not seem relevant anymore, but that is not so. Just about every station on the dial has a way and a place to start a conversation with listeners. Isn't NOW Radio's tagline "Join The Conversation"? And Charlee Morgan sure started a few when she was at UP!, that's for sure. Lots of people are sad that she's not there anymore. But sometimes, no matter how much time you spend in a city or province, you just have to go home. It's all good.
In the end, I decided to set my radio dreams aside. Turned out to be a better writer than a talker.
And that's OK.
Thank you all.
I love you radio.
MTMG
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