“The Kid” Makes It To 58 Years In Radio

58 years ago this week I began my first radio show on CJOR. The first song I played was Marie by the Four Tunes. As a 17-year old King Ed high school student, I had been hanging around and learning the ropes at CJOR from deejay Al Jordan. Al took me under his wing and allowed me to appear on the radio show Theme For Teens as a guest. When Al left suddenly for greener pastures the show was without a host. Program director Vic Waters greeted me after school in the station lobby. He said “Red, we are thinking of discontinuing the afternoon teen show.” I was shocked.

Then he said, “But management wants to try something. We would like you to take to the air today at 4 p.m. and show us what you’ve got.” I was nervous as a mouse in the presence of a cobra! I poured everything I had into the show and at the end of the hour, I walked out into the lobby. Many of the station’s staff gathered in front of the switchboard, and they broke into applause. I was taken aback and turned to Vic. He said “Kid, the show is yours.” I wanted to know what the determining factor was and he pointed to all the phone lines flashing on the switchboard. “The audience has decided your future. Welcome to the fold.”

Click on the CJOR logo to hear Vic recall the events of that day!

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Some things in life you never forget and I will never forget the men who made my career possible. Al Jordan and Vic Waters will live in my mind and heart forever…

Just spent a delightful week in Palm Springs. This is B.C. snowbird headquarters! I can’t count the number of Vancouver people I know and saw in the desert. Had an enjoyable dinner at the home of Frank Palmer and his wife Marika. Joining us on the terrace of their splendid abode was Dean Mailey and his wife Rhonda. We saluted Frank for winning the Advertising Agency of the Year award which was handed out in Toronto on the Wednesday of our visit. DDB is Canada’s largest agency and Frank is the head honcho… After over two decades I am no longer associated with Budget Car Sales. I have enjoyed my time with the company and look back at some wonderful experiences. Life goes on… My friend Bruce Allen was recently awarded the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal by the Governor General for his contribution to Canada. Bruce says: “It is an honour to have been chosen. I also want to thank all of the wonderful artists I have been involved with, and who via their art, have conquered the world. To have been a small part of that journey has been a blast.” Congratulations to News 1130′s Andy Walsh on his induction into the Canadian News Hall of Fame. He was inducted along with Lloyd Robertson. Andy is one of radio’s true gentlemen. His son Michael works at CHEK TV in Victoria and his daughter Marion works for AM 650 in Richmond… Heard from Terry Moore, who has been contracted to host the afternoon news show on CFAX in Victoria, where he was unceremoniously dismissed a few years ago by a know-nothing program director. They went for a younger person, which proved disastrous. Welcome back experience, welcome back sound fact searching, welcome back talent, welcome back Terry Moore!