When I left my band The Jury to pursue a career in radio, I began as a board op at CKY in Winnipeg. A few months later Jimmy Darin (Hilliard) who was the program director, made me the production director.(the Americans and me pictured above) Not long after Jim left to go back to the States, my friend Daryl “B” who was our music director also left. Before leaving for a gig in Vancouver though, he recommended that management should make me the new MD, amazingly they did. However, our new program new director Bill Grogan was making drastic musical changes at the station which turned my new title from cool to just a lotta hard work. The new format wasn’t for me so I decided to see if I could turn my title into something bigger.
Sure enough, the folks at CKOM in Saskatoon loved the idea that CKYs music and production director would be their new program director. As exciting as this all sounded, I had a few problems at home I had to deal with. For instance, the grandparents on both sides were very upset that I was taking my brand new baby daughter Candis who was their first grandchild away from them and my wife Lana had no interest in leaving. Oh yeah, and did I mention that I knew absolutely nothing about programming. Anyway, by promising them all that we’d be back as soon as I learned how to be a program director, all was well. Little did I know that we would never live there again.
The only dream I’d ever dreamed was my triumphant return to CKY as their PD as I came back to save the station. Instead, we ended up on a rocketship ride to Saskatoon, Sudbury, Ottawa, Toronto, and then even off to America as the National PD of Fairbanks Broadcasting which was headquartered in Indy. Eventually, I moved on to San Diego to start my own company which also ended up exploding, but unfortunately, I had no plan for success.
Amazingly I did finally return to CKY, but this time I was hired as an advisor for the whole company. Although, by that time I was so exhausted from all the travel, I didn’t even to wallow in it. In fact, until now, I never realized how cool it was to go from being a part-time board-op at CKY to becoming their consultant. I just hadn’t dreamed big enough.
A FEW MORE IRRELEVANT THINGS BEFORE I GO…
I don’t know how the NFL can pay millions of dollars to everyone concerned and yet still have enough money left over to build stadiums and make the owners rich whereas colleges only have to pay the coaches. However, tuition continues at to rise at all universities anyway. Where the hell is all the money going?
Speaking of the NFL, I see the almighty dollar has won again; the commissioner reportedly has sent a letter to the players requesting that they stand during the anthem.
And this just in, I understand that since the year 2000 almost 700 NFL players have been arrested for various crimes. Oh, the injustice of it all!
Can you imagine how great Cam Newton would be if he were as good as he thinks he is?
Some humor may be somewhat offensive, but its purpose is usually defensive not offensive.
If you’re ever lucky enough to win an argument with your lady love, unfortunately, your reward will not be sex.
Who the hell are those women driving huge SUVs talking to on their cell phones?
What women do is not a big mystery, but the why of it sure is.
If you want security, then you have to give up some freedom. If it’s more freedom that you desire, you have to take some responsibility for it.
Making web pages famous and creating a desire for a product is the two things radio advertising does best.
You can lead us out of the darkness you can’t talk us out of it.
I wonder why the entertainment business, sports, music, movies, etc. think that it’s their job to take advantage of the position we put them in. I think it’s time for them all to go on a speaking tour about how we should lead our lives. I wonder how many tickets they’d sell?
What the would the world be like if white people organized?
Is Spotify and Skype part of Homeland Security, I find them impossible to uninstall.
Somewhere between your fears and your desires is life.
Can you imagine if your call was not important?
On Columbus day I was thinking about how confused old Chris must have been when he landed in the new world. He thought he was in India, so he called the natives Indians. The weird part to me is that’s the name that has stuck for over 500 years.
Only women understand women. That’s why they try to keep their sons away from them as long as they can.
Do you have to be crazy to handle crazy people? It always worked for me.
During my life so far, there have been three musical phenomena’s, Frank, Elvis, and the Beatles but only Frank managed to sing his way through 7 decades. The others flamed out early on.
There is no such thing as “a long time ago.” There’s just what you remember and what you remember seems like yesterday.
Ever since my first radio meeting I’ve always been the youngest one in the room.
Is avoiding the truth a lie?
The difference between Boomers and Millennials which will ultimately change the world is, boomers always wanted to stand out, millennials just want to fit in.
Most religions believe there’s a God. However what they don’t agree upon and have been killing each other over for centuries is their claimed human connection to him.
Is being racist or prejudiced ever justified?
Wow, Miami beats the Falcons, I now understand why they lost the Superbowl.
I know it sounds suspicious but even though I’d left Sonoma County only a few hours before it rained hell down on Santa Rosa, “I Didn’t Start The Fire.”
How ’bout dem USF Bulls eh? 6-0 and ranked 16th in the nation. Go Bulls!
Much more at GeorgeJohns.com and on Twitter @GeoOfTheRadio. Sharing appreciated.
