Red "Retires" from CKWX, 1984

With all the excitement surrounding my 2000 "retirement" from the CISL Wakeup Club, another finale last week almost escaped my attention. On the 30th anniversary of my first radio show, I "retired" from the morning show at CKWX (now @CityNewsVAN) to concentrate on my ad agency and other projects. I treasure this photo taken with some old friends on my final day on the air. Sadly, they're all gone now but the memories are still vivid! While twirling across the Vancouver radio dial as a kid I became a steady listener to a different kind of deejay, CKNW's Jack Cullen. That's Jack on my right. Cullen talked to his listeners on a one-to-one basis and had a total disregard for convention. He was a character and an incredible performer. If you didn't listen to Jack Cullen, the next day your friends would say, "Did you hear what Cullen did last night?" He was my idol. While I was still in high school I made a new discovery. In addition to Cullen's CKNW "Owl Prowl", I was fascinated with Al Jordan's "Theme for Teens" on CJOR. Al played the hits of the day and invited listeners down to the studio to take part in the show. I visited after school one day and stayed on to join in the fun each afternoon. It was the most exciting moment in my young life and it inspired me to work harder to get my own show. Al Jordan made my career possible. That's him on my left. That's former C-FUN Good Guy and old friend Tom Peacock in the background. Tom moved on from C-FUN to CKWX in 1967 and by now was General Manager of the station. Tom was a homespun guy from Nanaimo, a great DJ with a booming voice who will be remembered by local hockey fans as the first PA announcer for the Vancouver Canucks. CKWX program director Ted Farr says, "We saw Red's 'retirement' as an opportunity. We had always played a smattering of hits from the 50s in our country music mix. I suggested he recreate his original 1957 CKWX program, Teen Canteen. We called it 'The 50s at 5' and the ratings went through the roof. When Red did leave the airwaves, 'The 50s at 5' became the centerpiece of our afternoon show. This was about the same time that we were having conversations about changing formats on our FM station. CISL had not yet relaunched itself as the Oldies Station, JR Country didn't exist, and we were enjoying the unexpected success of The 50s at 5. We thought 'why not take country music to the FM dial and relaunch CKWX as the Oldies Station?' I don't remember who got cold feet over such a bold move, but it didn't happen. CISL subsequently made a huge impact on Vancouver radio with the Oldies format. March of 1986 saw the launch of JR Country, and the beginning of the end of CKWX as a music station." Thanks, Ted! Now, let's return to those final moments of my CKWX morning show... on November 12, 1984.