Hello and welcome to well, me.  One of the largest supporters of NL music and the culture from here in Kitchener Waterloo, ON, the mainland.  The latest is the brand new online radio station on LIVE365.com.  The station plays nothing but ALL Newfoundland music, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.  From the past, present and future.  You can copy and paste from the link below

https://live365.com/station/Jigs---Reels-Radio-KW-a21157

I am still a one man volunteer radio announcer on Canada's oldest Community radio station, 98.5 CKWR, in Kitchener Waterloo, ON, the mainland.  I do the show for 2 hours once a week  on Monday nights at 6pm ET / 730pm NL and now being rebroadcasted on Spotify and Apple Music, Amazon Music, MixCloud and Chatbox.

I used to do this show back in 1988-2008 and then life, family and career changed and I stopped the show.  I started it up again in January of 2022 and still incorporating the same values as I did for those 20 years, to be that person to play Newfoundland music and to promote the many talented musicians of Newfoundland and Labrador westward. To get them the airplay they may not or ever get anywhere else.

My father was born in a small town called Heart's Desire in Trinity Bay and even though I was born in Ontario, my heart is from Newfoundland. When we used to go home and visit from the age of 4 to 18, my grandparents listened to the Downhome show and on the last day we left, we'd listen and the heartbreak of leaving came over us. This was every single time. So when I started college in the Radio Broadcasting program at 18, I approached CKWR and asked to do a show, and they asked what type of music, I said music from Newfoundland, and November of 1988, the show began and history made I guess.  I started out with 22 albums and 40 cassettes and back then no cd's.  Show ended in 2008 and I had still 22 albums but over 100 cassettes and now over 100 cd's.  All musicians and bands from Newfoundland.  That is my only stipulation of the show.  I will play music from musicians and bands from Newfoundland and Labrador alone, no other Atlantic province.  The influence from my grandparents so many years ago.

Coming back and meeting so many and I mean many musicians from NF is overwhelming.  The technology today allows me to get a song via email Monday morning and feature it Monday night on the show. My greatest contributor is Dave Fitzpatrick, a legend himself. He has provided me with many new and up and coming artists that get their play on the show. With social media, I can now get my word out across so many Facebook Pages and many other outlets.  I play music from all years, the early 70's from the first Roy Payne album, Dick Nolan, Harry Hibbs, Rex Hemeon, to Clayt Butt, to Dick Gardiner to the newest, Randy Matthews, Jamie Taylor, Asetha Power, Brad Simmonds and the list grows every day.  

I do special features each week, promote the Growlers hockey Club, talk about what's happening in the pubs in NL and talk about NL in general.  Each week is something different to talk about but what doesn't change in the amazing music the province has to offer and I get to play it.  

That for me is what drives the show.  You can listen every Monday night at 6pm ET / 730pm NF on www.ckwr.com or anytime on Spotify or Apple Music by searching for Jigs & Reels and looking for the logo.  

https://open.spotify.com/show/1OzeO4kNf2R9szZGPJz50Y?si=35f5ccbc9d034616

You can now watch the behind the scenes from inside the studio for some laughs and chats with those watching.  You can still listen live online but also hear some stories behind the scenes.  Watch on YouTube or FB live.  Catch up with the link below, and subscribe and click on the notification bell.  

https://www.youtube.com/@jigsandreelsradio

Thank you for stopping by