Canada Live

Canada Live has been the name of two Canadian radio programs, one which aired on CBC Radio in 1992 and 1993 and a different program which has aired on both CBC Radio One and CBC Radio 2 since 2007.

Original (1992-1993) program

The original Canada Live was a weekend show which aired on CBC Radio in 1992 and 1993; hosted by Jack Farr as a replacement for The Radio Show,[1] the program was a live call-in show whose concept was for Farr to talk to ordinary Canadians about everyday topics.[2]

Farr lasted just a few weeks as host of the program before announcing his departure,[3] calling it "not a good fit",[2] and was succeeded by Kris Purdy.[3]

The program was cancelled in 1993, and was replaced by Brand X.[4]

Current (2007-present) program

The current Canada Live debuted on March 19, 2007 on CBC Radio 2,[5] and airs concert performances in a variety of musical genres from locations across Canada.[6]

The program was originally hosted by Matt Galloway on weekdays and Patti Schmidt on weekends.[5] However, their main role on most occasions was to introduce a local CBC personality in the region from which the concert was broadcast, who then hosted the remainder of the evening. From fall 2007 to fall 2009, the program only used the regional hosts.

Following budget cuts (which also resulted in the program being shortened from two hours each night to one), Andrew Craig took over as permanent host of the program.[7] In 2013, the program was reduced to a single airing per week, hosted by Garvia Bailey; after Bailey left the CBC in 2014 for her current role as a morning host on CJRT-FM, the program is now hosted by Nana Aba Duncan. The program is also repeated on Friday afternoons on CBC Radio One.

Notable performances

On April 7 and December 6, 2007, the program broadcast the final concert by Canadian indie rock band Rheostatics, recorded on March 30.[8]

On April 7, 2008, the program aired a tribute concert to Oliver Schroer, who died of leukemia later that year; the program was rebroadcast on July 9, two days after his Schroer's death.[9]

On July 10, 2008, the program broadcast a special tribute concert to Jimi Hendrix, featuring noted Canadian musicians including Jim Byrnes, Randy Bachman, Steve Dawson, The Sojourners and Ndidi Onukwulu, performing Hendrix songs in the recently restored Vancouver home of Hendrix's grandmother Nora.[10]

References

  1. ↑ "Canada Live to replace The Radio Show". The Globe and Mail, May 9, 1992.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 "Farr from the madding crowd". The Globe and Mail, October 17, 1992.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 "Host leaves Canada Live". The Globe and Mail, November 14, 1992.
  4. ↑ "Brand X targets youth". The Globe and Mail, June 26, 1993.
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 "Radio Two's new gig". The Globe and Mail, March 19, 2007.
  6. ↑ "Remake Radio 2 - or watch it die". The Globe and Mail, August 2, 2008.
  7. ↑ "Transformers; Now that the dust has settled following CBC Radio 2's controversial shift from classical music and jazz to more eclectic offerings, new hosts like Laurie Brown and Rich Terfry are smartly redefining the broadcaster's sound". The Gazette, January 9, 2010.
  8. ↑ Rheostatics at The Canadian Encyclopedia.
  9. ↑ "Canadian composer, fiddler Oliver Schroer dies at 52". CBC News, July 7, 2008.
  10. ↑ "Hendrix House". Edmonton Journal, July 10, 2008.

External links