Edmontonians Magazine Article - June 08 - Puget Sound Radio Dot Com

'Edmontonians' June 08

When people ask you how long you’ve known somebody few answer “since birth.”   I can do that with Donna James (nee Warner) who is one of the most inspirational people I know.  Donna and I were born ‘across the alley’ from each other in the Highlands and have stayed in touch our entire lives through ‘media.’

Donna was hugely successful as a member of "Three’s a Crowd" in the late 60’s, and enjoyed a fabulous career before Canadian Content was mandated on the radio.  A few years back Donna was ‘cancer challenged’ and took the disease ‘head on.’  This coming October Donna will chair The Speaking of Women’s Health Conference at the Shaw Conference Centre, a fund raising event with proceeds to The Lois Hole Hospital.

Complete information is available at http://www.speakingofwomenshealth.com.   Please give it your support.  I can safely tell you ‘nobody’ works harder for the cause than somebody touched by it – and Donna is ‘that’ lady.

Edmonton is known across North America for ‘great’ summer music and arts festivals and that wonderful season is on the horizon once again.

Here’s some thoughts and information on a few of the ‘best.’

The Edmonton Jazz Festival has been in financially difficulty for many years but this year some extra funding has helped them raise the bar and there are some tremendously talented world class jazz musicians coming in June, including Wynton Marsallis and the multi talented Molly Johnson.  If I can tip the Forbes hat on a group you might like to see – try Pink Martini.

The Edmonton Folk Festival is next, and this is yet another world class event that virtually sells out year after year.  Chris Isaac – Serena Ryder – Jakob Dylan, among others, will be attending this years fest.

Grab your tarp and get ready for another great year.  Pray for sunshine.

For country fans Big Valley Jamboree is once again lighting up Camrose and both Larry Werner and Glen Vinet are proud to bring us big Trace Adkins, fresh off his appearance on The Apprentice, Larry the Cable Guy (he’s a riot), Trisha Yearwood (Mrs. Garth Brooks), Randy Travis, among others, and of course our own Danny Hooper is the MC.

If you’re NOT a country fan go for the visuals.  This is a virtual entire ‘small city’ and boy do they celebrate.

My all time summer favorite is Cam Hayden and partner Carol Dean’s Edmonton Bluesfest the third weekend at Hawrelak Park.  It’s hard to believe that this is the tenth anniversary of the event and Cam and Carol have brought back ‘the best of the past decade’ including the James Cotton Blues Band, Downchild, and 94 year old Pine Top Perkins who has ‘just’ released a new CD backed up with people like Eric Clapton, and Jimmy Vaughn.

If you want to bump into me I’m the one sitting at the top of the hill – dead centre – groovin’ and suckin’ on a big cigar.  Buy your tickets early – as it’ll again be a fast sell out.  It’s the “only” festival with Motorcycle Parking ‘right at the front entrance” (*thanks Cam!) which is a bonus for two wheel enthusiasts like me and my riding buddy CBC's Karl Stark.  My real estate pal Gary Peruzzini in Phoenix is riding his Honda Gold Wing up 'just' for the festival - that's dedication.

You’ll run into some well known Edmontonians each and every year at Bluesfest, like city lawyer (and CFL Referee) Bud Steen; Waterloo Motors Randy Purvis; legendary CBC/CKUA announce Holger Peterson, and Joe FM’s Gary James.

If it isn’t music it’s theatre, and The Fringe Festival lights up Whyte Avenue, also in August, with a collage of live theatre, music, and street performances.

Not exactly a Festival but now a major summer staple in our city is Jim Haskins/Ken Knowles Edmonton Indy (formerly the Grand Prix of Edmonton) brought to us by Rexall and Northlands.  Among the big name drivers coming is the amazing five foot tall dynamo Danica Patrick, from Scottsdale, Arizona.

Media wise to wrap up the month, CHQT AM (Cool 880) is now known as I880 News.  This is an adventurous combination of news and information, with a large amount of listener based content, that has been built from the ground up by Doug Rutherford and the crew at Corus Radio.  This innovative format has been build with an ‘internet’ and ‘community’ combination in mind and will be utilizing the talents from 630 CHED as well as from a ‘brand new’ news and information staff.

As well Newcap has attracted two new Programmers to their operations in James “Gruff” Grishnowski as Program Director for K-ROCK and Pat Cardinal as Operations Manager in the building.  Both Gruff and Pat have past experience in the Province, Gruff at The Goat in Lloydminster, Pat at the former Power 92.

The CRTC will be holding their Edmonton FM meeting around press time so I won’t have any update or feedback on the applications for new licences until next month.  Formats promised include all Blues; all News; Triple A (Adult Album Alternative); ethnic; and Classic Hits/Variety by Leduc’s Marc Tanagi.

Let the games begin!

Marty Forbes is VP and general manager of The Bear,
EZRock and The TEAM 1260 Sports Radio.
Contact
marty@edmontonians.com