Dave Wright  started his broadcast career in Sudbury, Ontario, in 1950 but soon moved south to CKBB Barrie, Ontario. From there moved to C-HOW in Welland as the station's first programme director in 1958. The small Welland market could not keep him for long. He moved on to TV at CHCH in Hamilton, Ontario. 1960 found him as programme manager at CKKW Kitchener. Eventually, he joined the CHUM Group of stations, first with 1050-CHUM in Toronto as sports announcer and then he was moved to Halifax. There, Wright began working with ATV News in 1976, where he also created and hosted ''Live At 5,'' a news magazine show that led into the supper-time newscast and is still running today. Wright also spent two years working in Boston before returning to Halifax in 1989. Over his career he worked before and behind the cameras in news, sports and management. He died in February 2011 from Cancer.   ​ More on Dave Wright 

​More Wright videos

John McKay joined C-HOW as a Ryerson Radio and TV student from Port Colborne. His summer employment got him through school and started him on a radio career. He found steady work at Broadcast News, the broadcast arm of Canadian Press wire service. He built a reputation as a political reporter especially covering Canadian elections. In the 80s, BN assigned John to the Washington, D.C. bureau. John retired in 2006 but for eight years from 2007 to 2015 he operated an online blog called Video Views and later Video at Home for CP's online service reviewing film releases on DVD and Blu-Ray. Some of his reports are still available in cyberspace.

Dave John Pender Crichton Oct. 28 1939 (aka Dave Pender and Dave a-Go-Go)) was something of a leprechaun on-air and off. Dave’s entry into broadcasting started in January 1961 at CFCO Chatham. Over the years he went on to mornings at CKOX Woodstock, mid-days at CHLO St Thomas, mornings at the then CHVC Niagara Falls and C-HOW Welland where he ended up doing the evening Rock Show, that’s when Dave a Go Go was born. Later his brother Iain replaced him when Dave took an offer from CJCB Sydney N.S. In ’66 he returned to Ontario and CKTB St. Catharines. Then in ’69 he took over mornings at CHEX-Radio. One of his most memorable and fun times was spent teamed up with George Franks on live TV for the Santa Clause Show reading the kids letters. Dave was Santa and George played his faithful elf. Dave took a devious delight in breaking George up on air to the point where George rarely finished a sentence and ended up completely incapacitated. Dave didn’t know it then but his portrayal of Santa would follow him for the rest of his radio career. (see more on George Franks under CFOR)

Now it was on to CKCO-TV and CKKW Kitchener where he spent almost eight years. It was during that time in the early ‘70’s that Bruce Lawson, Program Director of CKCO-TV chose Dave to be the first host of a new show called “Gemutlichkeit” which in German means being cheerful and having a good time. Along with guest acts the show starred Grammy winner Walter Ostenak and his polka band. Later the show was to become known as “Polka Time”. In 1977, he went to CHML Hamilton. Later started doing on-camera commercials and voice work.

In 1986 he left CHML to go freelance full time. Among his many clients was CHUM Radio where he was often hired by Creative Director, Larry McInnes. One day in the studio Dave mentioned he worked in Sydney, Larry’s home town.  Larry's eyes widen with a look of revelation, “You're Dave A Go-Go… I was 12 years old… you were my hero..!” Dave did  stint with Roger, Rick and Marilyn on the Morning Show playing a comic Scottish character Mrs. Mortimer. On Christmas Eve he played Santa on the phone with kids calling in. 

That same year he met producer Sherali Thaver who hired him to host  "Discover your World", a TV travel show (see link below).  Dave is still actively doing voice-over work but lately has been writing children’s stories originally inspired by his grandchildren. As of this entry it is likely headed for the Internet through a company called Industry Corporation, a creative tech and entertainment company headquartered in Kitchener.

Click here for more on Dave     Click here for Dave on Film and TV

Jay Jackson came to Welland from L.A. where he worked at an FM station and was the first radio voice for the Culligan Man commercials. At some point before that he had been an overnight jock at CHUM at Toronto in 1958. Jay and Bud formed a partnership and promoted local teen dances using the services of a local band, "The Sting Rays" with lead singer Brian Dorsey. The group also recorded their rock signature tune "Sting Ray" at the C-HOW studios for the HITT label which was owned by programme director Andy Laughland. When Bud left C-HOW Jay became programme director. Later, when CHSC was up and running in St. Catharines he went with the Bob Redmond organization where he stayed for a couple of decades as station manager before moving with the organization to Toronto as an important executive at CJEZ. He started there as programme director but eventually became a vice president of operations.

​ Click for more Jackson Audio

Jay Woods (aka John Woodbridge) possessed a deep, masculine tone that guaranteed a long, successful career behind the mic. After C-HOW, he also touched down at  CJJC Langley, B.C. as p.d., , CKPR Thunder Bay and held an afternoon shift at CFTR (1971-1973), CKEY Toronto (1979) and CHQT Edmonton (1980-1981) where he was programme manager.  

Fred Augerman was C-HOW's fiery, red-headed control room operator beginning in 1958. In 1960 he headed to Hamilton's CHML where he was soon promoted to music director. Fred became a CBC producer in 1968 piloting shows for Bruce Smith, Elwood Glover, and Alex Trebek. He also produced the actor Bruno Gerussi's weekly live show from The Colonnade Theatre in Toronto. Many of the Glover productions were highly acclaimed jazz shows, including one featuring Fred's long-time friend, band leader Stan Kenton. (more on Fred and Stan movie) He made his first foray into TV in 1972 with an award winning CBC documentary, "Apartment Wars". The next year, the fledgling Global TV asked Fred to produce a new Canadian variety show. He lined up a cast, including Dan Aykroyd and Gilda Radner, both recently from Chicago's Second City, but the show was cancelled before airing. Lorne Michaels, just recently returned to Toronto, heard about and liked the concept and returned to NY to pitch the idea. NBC's Saturday Night Live, with Fred's selected cast, debuted on Oct. 11, 1975. After that, Fred honed his directing skills at CKCO Kitchener from 1974 to 1978 followed by two years as technical director/producer of CHUM Group's Hutchum Productions. Between 1981 and 2004 he was technical director for the CTV Television Network. After 46 years, Fred retired and in 2017, he moved with his new wife Janet to Gravenhurst, Ontario. 

More from Fred               Click here for Fred's Bio in his own words. ​ 

Newsman Tom White, had a good speaking and singing voice which he put to good use as a performer in locally produced musical productions. Tom got his first taste of radio announcing answering an ad for an open audition at C-HOW. After a week of  practice, he was hired onto the news staff permanently. After a couple of years as news director he left Welland for a similar job at CJOY in Guelph, Ontario. He remained there until his retirement from 26 years of radio and TV broadcasting. Tom died in Guelph at the age of 82 on May 19, 2008.

   Click here for more on Tom White.​

​Rennie Heard came to C-HOW in 1957 from CHUM in Toronto where he was a respected news announcer. Previous to that he was at CFOR in Orillia in 1955 as an announcer and a copy writer. In Welland, Rennie easily fit into the new radio station's sun-up to sundown operation. His familiarity with French was an asset in the bilingual Niagara community. Rene had a varied broadcasting career after C-HOW which included reporter on the news magazine, "File Thirteen" on CKCO TV (1968-1971. CJRN Niagara Falls as news director (see attached photo) In 1980, he packed up the family and moved to Calgary where he was a newscaster on CJAY-92. A few years later, the family broke up and he came back to Ontario to work at Orillia,  and CFCA/CKKW in Kitchener 1989-1991. Rennie returned to Calgary and CKRY for a couple of years after which he did weekend on-air shifts at CHQR before retiring from radio for good. Rennie died in Calgary in 2005. 



A consultant to the CKAR management was Gordon Burnett, the owner of a new Ontario radio station. He saw the potential in Bud's abilities and convinced him to join his operation. in Welland, Ontario. Several years earlier, while still a student at Ryerson, Bud applied for a job at the new station in his home town but was turned down for lack of experience. (letter) 

C-HOW-AM, WELLAND, ONTARIO. Joining Burnett's staff in the Fall of 1959 was a good fit because Welland was Bud's birthplace and many of his relatives lived there. In the next few years, the station went from a 500 watt sunup to sundown operation to a 5000 thousand watt outlet. Bud had a reputation for never turning down an assignment and he used these extra experiences to learn every facet of radio performance. Before very long he became the morning announcer and added writing and producing local commercials to his duties. In the afternoons he sold air-time to merchants in the Port Colborne, Ontario, area. He also found time to write and distribute a short newspaper column on stock car racing news. Bud hosted three live music programmes: a half-hour country music show featuring The Buzz Young Band, a pop classics show featuring The Tony Stranges Quintet (vibraphone, guitar, bass, horns and drums) and Polka Time with Walter Ostenak and his Polka band.  Meanwhile, Bud filled his morning show with features including "What's in a Name" (what Christian names mean), and daily Horoscope.  Another popular feature was "Slevars Joke Pot" where listeners sent Bud a joke to read on-air for a $5.00 prize. Here is sample  

CLICK HERE FOR C-HOW NEWSPAPER ADS 

 Click here for Bud's PUBLICITY PHOTO              photos ofBud on Assignment 

Dick Power (a.k.a. Bill Ellement) handled the afternoon shift. It was station manger Doug Manning who changed Bill's name to Dick Power, a change about which Bill would feel embarrassed years later. He was a CBC newscaster in Ottawa in the 1960s and later at CFRA. He returned to Toronto and did news at CFRB but left the microphone to go into public relations at MacLaren Advertising and the Fire Marshall's office. In 1982 he started his own Toronto recording studio where he developed a method of downloading recordings into voice mail. Bill and his wife Nadine retired in 1997 and moved to Thunder Bay. Bill Ellement died at 66 on August 11, 2004.

Click here for more on Bill Ellement​

Bob Bowland was a solid rock format announcer. Bob got his start at CKOX in Woodstock doing Saturday mornings before shifting to evenings. He joined C-HOW in the spring of 1962 with the rock show 9pm to 1am. In 1964 Bob moved to CFOR, Orillia, as drive time-jock. For a short time in the Spring 1966 he returned to C-HOW for the morning show but six months later was back at Orillia for various shifts and various titles, Chief Announcer, Music Director and P.D. 1972 found him at CKNX in Wingham as a radio and TV newsman. The following year he was doing morning news at CFGM Richmond Hill with Ron Knight and Bob Macadory but two months later moved to CHOO in Ajax as PD. The switch in format drove Bob back to CKNX in Wingham for evening radio and TV news where he is noticed by CKVR-TV in Barrie who hired him to anchor the 5:30 and 11:20 packages. In 1977, he switched back to radio at CHAY-FM in Barrie as Operations Manager, News Director and Technical Supervisor. Bob stayed for nine years. Then, in 1986, he bought the Parry Sound radio station/repeater and changed the call letters from CFBQ-AM to CKLP-FM at 103.3 Mhz. He eventually powered the station up from 2600 to 50,000 watts. Bob sold the station in 2001 and retired.

Rennie Heard at C-HOW

John McDermid,  a 20-year-old son of a minister, joined the C-HOW news staff in 1960 after studying radio at Ryerson.  He left Welland and went to Pembroke and started on the air with the new Television Station, CHOV-TV (1960-1963) in Pembroke, Ontario. His TV show was "Hilltop" which got its name from the fact that CHOV was located on the top of a hill. (see photos of John with singer Gord Lightfoot) and moved to CHYM in Kitchener Waterloo. He abandoned radio temporarily to work for talent agent Buck Ram (Platters and the Diamonds) in Las Vegas. Then it was back to CHIC in Brampton, the station he worked for part time when he was a student at Ryerson. He became Exec. Dir. of the Ontario Real Estate Association until 1973 when he was appointed Chief of Staff for Claude Bennett, the Minister of Industry, Trade and Tourism. In 1977 was appointed Director of Public Relations and Planning for the Ontario Place Corporation. He was elected to the House of Commons in the 1979 federal election as the Progressive Conservative member for Brampton-Georgetown. He was re-elected in 1980, 1984 and 1988. When the Tories won power, John became parliamentary secretary in the Cabinet of Brian Mulroney, holding positions such as Minister of State for Housing (1988-1989), International Trade (1988-1989), Privatization and Regulatory Affairs (1989-1991) and Finance and Privatization (1991-1993. In 1993, when the Liberals took power, John left the Cabinet and politics. He started up a company producing custom-made golf clubs. The profitable company was sold in 2005. He is a former chairman of the Board of Directors of  Headwaters Health Care Centre in Orangeville, Ont., currently on the Board of the Central West Local Health Integration Network and is a member of  the Board of Governors of Albert College in Belleville, Ont. John is also Col. (ret.) of the Lorne Scots (Peel, Dufferin & Halton Regiment) from 2000-2011. 

Bob Eged, a former Ryerson schoolmate of Bud Riley, was the first news announcer hired by C-HOW when it opened for business in 1958. Bob was a local man from Port Colborne. Two years later he was hired to do morning news at CKKW in Kitchener, Ontario. Bob also did news at CFRB in Toronto and eventually ended up in Las Vegas. Bob died of complications from Diabetes. 

Bill Moyer,  hired as an announcer in the early 60s, replaced Dave Wright as programme director. Bill hjad been a sportscaster a CKCR (CHYM n Kitchener in 1953 and a staff announcer in St. Thomas before coming to Welland.  A few years later,  he left for Thunder Bay and CKPR. He enticed Bud Riley and Steve Halinda to follow him. After several years as programme director and host of his afternoon "Carousel" music programme on FM, he left Thunder Bay to return to Kitchener. Moyer wrote three books on regional history-- "Waterloo County Diary" (1970),  "This Unique Heritage" (1971) and "Kitchener: Yesterday Revisited: An Illustrated History" (1979).

(note: There was a William C. Moyer located at CHLO London in the 1950s and a Bill Moyer listed at CKWX in Vancouver in 1939) ​​

More of Dave's audio

Iain Crichton joined C-HOW about 6 months after brother Dave arrived and he eventually replaced Dave in the afternoon shift. After C-HOW Iain went to C-JOY in Guelph and after a few years moved to Weyburn Sask. as News Director. Returning to Ontario he made his home in Kitchener and took up the position of News Director at K 102 serving South Western Ontario out of Woodstock. Later he started a news gathering service in conjunction with the countries newspaper industry supplying pertinent news and information to a list of clients mostly in the public service including Ontario Hydro. Iain took some breaks from Broadcasting to pursue other interests. In 1966, Iain served as Press Secretary to Provincial Sec. Robert Welch under Premiers John Robarts and Bill Davis. Iain also served on the Rent Review Board and later in the 70's became Executive Director of Arc Industries. Iain passed away in 2007 leaving his wife Judy and daughter Katie.

C-HOW RADIO Welland, Ontario

 Video and Audio clips from www.rockradioscrapbook.com and private collections of Doug Thompson, CHUM Archives, Charlie Ritenberg, Bill Dulmage, Bud Riley, Westlyn Mather, Dave Ross,  Don Shuttleworth, Mike Cleaver and others.

CFOR Orillia 1957-1958                 CKAR Huntsville 1959                          ​​C-HOW Welland 1959-1967

CKPR Thunder Bay 1962-1963 ​​   ​​ CJRN Niagara Falls 1967-69                CHUM 1968-1969​​

CKFH Toronto 1969-1974              CJRT - FM Toronto 1974-1985             Freelance 19​​85-2000.

Bud's Friends page ​​

Other Radio Sites

Borbely Audio Clips

Kevin Kelly was a new guy in the newsroom in the mid 60s. His career took him to CHAM (1977), CFTJ (1986), CKKW (1986-199O), CFOS (1991), CIQB-FM (1993-1995), CKPC-FM (1995)

Fred Napoli film narration: CP Rail, Ribbon of Steel

When Wayne Burnett left his summer job as the marine weather reporter John took over, operating the radio station's cruiser on Lake Erie.

Hal Scholz, with his great, commanding voice, had a long and varied career but seemed out of place when he was not playing classics like Ella Fitzgerald and Frank Sinatra. He may have started in hometown Woodstock at CKOX but was also at CKNX Wingham, CKKW in Kitchener in 1960. Other stations were CHIC in Brampton, CFPL and CJOE London and at CFCA in Chatham.  He joined C-HOW for the afternoon shift in 1964. Hal died in 1999.       Brian Scholz on his father's career.

MORE ON C-HOW RADIO​​

Photo: Bud Riley, Rennie Heard and Joan Blanchard at Marineland, Niagara Falls in the late 70s.

Larry McInnis with Dave, his hero

Hear Mike Marshall's audio

Hear John McKay's audio

Hear Bill Moyer's audio

In 1977 at CHUM radio's 20 anniversary, Rennie talked about his CHUM experience: (from rockradioscrapbook.ca)

​Hear Rennie Heard's audio 

Hear Dave Crichton's radio spots on C-HOW.

(Jay and Bud Riley narrate a biography of Winston Churchill hours after his death) ​

Hear Jay Jackson's audio​

Hear John McDermid audio

Hear Hal Scholz audio

In 1977, Fred put his singing and composing talent to work on an LP. Hear Fred Napoli Sing

Hear Dick Power (Bill Ellement) audio

Hear Ronn Grimster's audio 

Hear Steve Halinda on CHOW News 1962

Hear Iain Crichton on C-HOW radio

See Dave Wright on Boston TV in 1987 - 1989

Hear Bob Bowland on air at C-HOW and CFOR

Ronn Grimster was the big voice on C-HOW during the early years. Gord Burnett hired him away from the AM station in Niagara Falls, USA. Gord moved him to Vancouver when he bought C-FUN radio. Ron found his way back to St Catharines several years later to work for former Burnett partner Bob Redmond. After a few years, CHFI in Toronto hired him away from the Redmond operation. Ronn would spent the next two decades at CHFI (1979 - 1990) where he was affectionately called "The Grim Rooster" or simply "The Grimster." Ronn died a few days after a C-HOW staff reunion held on September 8, 2003.

Andy Laughland replaced Bill Moyer as programme director. Andy came to Welland from C-HOW's sister station, CFUN, in Vancouver. He started radio at CJAT Trail BC in 1959 before moving to Vancouver and CKWX in 1960.

Andy moved to CFUN in 1961 to host "Comedy Night" each Sunday night 6-midnight. While there he created his own record label and produced innovative recordings on HITT Records. He moved to Welland in 1961.  He produced several recordings with a local group, The Sting Rays with lead singer Brian Dorsey. Jay Jackson and Bud Riley hired them for local teen dances. Jay brought them to Andy's notice who produced and recorded them in the C-HOW studios for Hitt Records .

Andy was something of a technical wizard who re-designed the CHOW building, adding more studio and office space. He also undertook to design and outfit Bob Redmond's new St. Catharines station, CHSC,  working with contractors and equipment manufacturers creating the most up-to-date AM and FM broadcasting facility in Ontario.  He made the transition to sales at C-HOW and, disappointed that Redmond did not elevated him to CHSC manager, he eventually left to work for Standard Broadcast Sales (CFRB) in Toronto. Laughland died of cancer in the 1970s.

Web sites relating to Andy Laughland       CFUN           Rock Radio Scrapbook       Andy's record production

Hear Tom White on the air at C-HOW 

e-mail budrileyradio:

​ bgoreilly@rogers.com

Hear Bob describe how he became owner of  CKLP-​FM in Parry Sound

Peter Borbely was a C-HOW intern in 1965 before they started calling it that. Peter was one of Bud Riley's student announcers.  As a 16-year-old, he hung around the station doing various operating assignments. His first real assignment was to operate for the Walter Ostenak show on Sunday Nights. Eventually he got on the air himself from 7- midnight.. He left for CKGB in 1967 and moved into TV at CFCL in Timmins in 1968 with his own show, "Pete's Place". In 1971 he was back in radio at CHSJ Saint John, N.B., and CFBC as program director. In 1979 he was back at ​C-HOW for a year before joining CKTB in St. Catharines as a salesman. From 1985 to 1989 he went back on air at CHSC St. Catharines before switching to sales in 1993. Today he is a retired account executive, a casualty of Astral Media restructuring.  Since retirement, he has been a part-time salesman for Trucker Radio, a syndicated Canadian-owned Trucking News Radio show heard on more than thirty five Canadian stations. (more on Trucker Radio)

Fred also composes his own songs and music on his restored classic Toronto built1883 Mason & Risch piano which he rescued in parts from the Hamilton, Ontario, Grand Opera House just before it was demolished in 1961. Among Fred's piano compositions was this one recorded around 1997. In this sample we hear the opening strains of his three-part concerto-style Rhapsody.

Skip to CHOW page two

Peter Borbely draw for a trip on video

Double date 1964:

Lucy Devaney with Bud Riley

Top: John's first wife, Irene.

(photo by John McKay)

Photo of early 60s CHOW sales staff

    Sandra and Andy

Lucy and Irene Today

Bud's photo shoot 1967

Andy on C-FUN Jan 22, 1961

Comments and suggestions:

bgoreilly@rogers.com

John with singer Gordon Lightfoot

CHOV TV 1962 and 1963

Rennie Heard on CHUM poster .