It’s National Radio Day!
What does radio mean to you? What are your first memories of radio?
Unless of course, the worst thing imaginable happened.
Radio when I was a kid was how we got our music. It was how I got to know new bands/artists/songs. I remember being glued to the radio. Waiting for “my song”. Waiting to hear the new release. There was always so much excitement.
I grew up in Streetsville, and we listened to a radio station out of Toronto. I believe it was CFTR. I remember to this day listening to a new years countdown that would last all day. I would write the songs down for my own notes, as silly as that sounds, and sit with my finger on the record button waiting to capture my song on tape.
I was fascinated with music from a young age. My mom would play her records in the living room and we would have dance parties. She had her favourite station that would play in the car, and us kids would never DARE to try to change that channel. Some of my favourite memories was of my mom and her music. I loved the excitement of new music – all kinds of music. I loved to know the stories about the artists and the songs. I loved all of it.
I guess it was the love of music that directed me to where I am today. It certainly wasn’t because I wanted to be in the spotlight. I’m the girl who fainted giving any kind of speech or being in front of people. It was the strangest thing ever, the day I decided to go to college to learn “radio”. I still, to this day, have no idea how or why that even happened other than I couldn’t imagine doing anything else. I wasn’t sure how I would ever get over the shyness. I wasn’t sure how I could even do it.
I followed my heart and love of music. I’ve worked in many different radio formats – from country to rock to where I am now. I love being a part of this world. I still get excited about the new stuff. I still get excited about new releases, and albums and meeting the artists behind the music. Radio relays the music that tells the story that connects people together. I love that.
I will always chose radio over any other form of music. I love the surprise of “what’s next”. I love the excitement of hearing the new song. I love all of it.
And getting to work in it for almost thirty years is a dream still. I’ve met some really amazing and cool people. Garth Brooks, Kim Mitchell, Sam Reid of Glass Tiger may be one of my faves!
Share your stories. What makes radio special to you?
