Wrapping up the Morning Show

After more than a year on air two to three times weekly, I bowed out of The Morning Show on Northumberland 89.7 as of December 28 2021. And you know what, I feel pretty good about it. Here’s why.

I lost my job at the start of the pandemic, but I didn’t waste time or lose focus. No, that’s not true. I did waste some time and I did lose some focus, but I didn’t let the big change wipe me out. My role with Adventure Canada did a lot for me, but I was pretty convinced it didn’t define me, and the pandemic was my opportunity to prove I could lean in, and move on.

The vision of doing radio at a more serious level had been with me for decades, so… with some time and energy on my hands, that’s what I did. I figured at the very least I’d be doing putting in meaningful volunteer time in my community, doing something I love. And I did: 6-9 hours on air for over a year, plus many more hours weekly of prep time.

In the process, I interviewed more than 75 authors, artists, creatives and community builders.

I did a special Black History Month focus, bringing vital voices to our community, and highlighting the extraordinary contributions of musicians of African ancestry that underpin just about all of contemporary popular music.

I worked with the Art Gallery of Northumberland to interview all six of their “Spotlight” artists and with Sustainable Cobourg on developing a regular segment for them.

My collaborators Sam Allison and Rachel Barreca and I added a new spin to the existing “Lost Classic” segments on the Morning Show, then spun off Must Hear Music as a weekly segment in its own right.

And I built sufficient momentum and confidence to move the entire Summer Music Series on-air, as a COVID safety measure, expanding to twelve episodes of locally based music programming, much of it live to air.

When my “temporary fill-in” spot was coming up, I was asked to stay on air, and did. It was an honour and a privilege.

But with the challenge of keeping up with my MA program at Trent University, I felt it wisest to cut down on the radio commitment. Instead I’m going to a new show, Thursday evenings at 7 PM: Spirit of the Song, where I’ll explore… exactly what the title says.

Thanks to everyone out there who listened in as I did my thing behind the board and on the mic. I don’t get to sleep in–the kids and the dog prevent that–but I admit I will enjoy being an evening guy rather than a morning guy on air.

See you on the radio!