The city of Toronto goes by many nicknames – Hogtown, the Big Smoke, the Center of the Universe… and some we won’t repeat here.But for those-in-the-know in radio… Toronto is also known as Wayne’s World.
In an industry where talent usually keeps a suitcase handy, Wayne Webster – the dean of Canadian music directors – has carved a legendary career entirely between three TTC subway stations.
Between his first chest hairs and… well, he still doesn’t seem to have any grey hairs… Wayne participated in the launch of Q-107, Mix 99.9, Virgin, Sirius and Boom 97.3.
In an industry where talent usually keeps a suitcase handy, Wayne Webster – the dean of Canadian music directors – has carved a legendary career entirely between three TTC subway stations.
Between his first chest hairs and… well, he still doesn’t seem to have any grey hairs… Wayne participated in the launch of Q-107, Mix 99.9, Virgin, Sirius and Boom 97.3.
He nailed his dream job – program director of CHUM-FM – four years into his career, forcing him to dream bigger.
All this because a crazy 1977 start-up called Q-107 needed an intern. And a kid named Wayne – who hadn’t even finished his first year at Humber College broadcasting – was happy to oblige. It turns out Q-107 needed a lot of things. And he was happy to do those too.
To follow Wayne Webster’s career closely would require a feature documentary. It is a trip up and down the dial of Toronto radio. It is the story of a man who, even today, prefers to program via human means, leaving the computers to crunch numbers.
The relevant numbers in Wayne’s career include four CMW Industry awards for Music Director of the Year, and four for Major Market Music Director.
The relevant reality is that he is a music lover who can somehow find a way to make The Eagles, Talking Heads, the Bee Gees, Def Leppard and the Violent Femmes co-exist on the same station.
He is so tuned in to what radio is about, that he oversaw bus ads for Boom 97.3 with 300 listeners’ faces on them so that listeners could literally look for themselves. He would take a remote to listener’s homes to broadcast Bring Your Own Vinyl parties in their backyards.
In short, Wayne’s World is our world. Or we just live in it and listen in, we’re not sure which.
All this because a crazy 1977 start-up called Q-107 needed an intern. And a kid named Wayne – who hadn’t even finished his first year at Humber College broadcasting – was happy to oblige. It turns out Q-107 needed a lot of things. And he was happy to do those too.
To follow Wayne Webster’s career closely would require a feature documentary. It is a trip up and down the dial of Toronto radio. It is the story of a man who, even today, prefers to program via human means, leaving the computers to crunch numbers.
The relevant numbers in Wayne’s career include four CMW Industry awards for Music Director of the Year, and four for Major Market Music Director.
The relevant reality is that he is a music lover who can somehow find a way to make The Eagles, Talking Heads, the Bee Gees, Def Leppard and the Violent Femmes co-exist on the same station.
He is so tuned in to what radio is about, that he oversaw bus ads for Boom 97.3 with 300 listeners’ faces on them so that listeners could literally look for themselves. He would take a remote to listener’s homes to broadcast Bring Your Own Vinyl parties in their backyards.
In short, Wayne’s World is our world. Or we just live in it and listen in, we’re not sure which.
Canadian Music Week is proud to acknowledge the career of Wayne Webster, the absolutely deserving recipient of this year’s Allan Waters Broadcast Hall of Fame Award.