Saluting The Spin Doctor!

        

When Daryl Hooke started at 630 CHED they had an amazing 55 share of tuning in the market - and a cume that was bigger than the population of the City of Edmonton.  

You had to be really good to get hired there - and you had to be even better just to STAY there.    

Daryl stayed for 41 years...

Daryl Hooke, Keith James Jr, Troy Bowler.

We have known each other for over 4 decades, through our association in radio as Dad hired Daryl early in the 1970's at 630 CHED when the station was owned by Moffat Broadcasting.

I remember first meeting him at the station when he wrote commercials with the late Gary Draeger.   I was in Calgary at CKXL at the time and one of our fun corporate events was the annual Moffat Baseball Game which was held in Red Deer, the 'half way' point between the two stations.

Many hijinks were held during the game, including painting several grapefruits to look exactly like a softball - c/w laces - which would then be served up to an unsuspecting victim who would be covered from head to two with grapefruit remnants after trying to smash it out of the park.

But the fun part was each station 'stealing' the Baseball Trophy - which was a giant "THROG" - best described as a less than flattering looking very fat and ugly stuffed Frog.

One year the now deceased Wayne Bryant and I flew up in a Cessna during the middle of the night to 'steal' the Trophy from the CHED building after the buggers stole it first from our station bus.

While we were there we erased the CART board (which was sacrilegious back then) and stole a bunch of things from Daryl and Gary's desks - including their shoes.

Fun is Daryl's middle name.

He makes you smile each and every time you chat with him with his dry but very quick wit.

His office looks like it was designed by the SPCA - and filled with toys for the many dogs that have blessed that office over the many years.  The walls are filled with jokes, drawings, and other neat stuff.

Daryl enjoys life and makes each and every person he runs in to at the radio station feel special - and 'equal' - whether you were there as a wide eyed rookie on Day one of your career - the receptionist -  or one of the many 'suits' that work in the various corner offices.

Through the more than four decades in the building Daryl Hooke held many different roles - including program director; social media guru; he hosts Talk to the Experts; does a damn good remote; and is one of the most versatile voice talents in the business.

In other words 'he did it all' - but that's only half the story.

Former Moffat employee Al Anderson explains:

"What a flashback: Canada's best copy and production team of that era ...Gayle Helfrick...Daryl...Gary Dreger..Gordie Forbes...Barry Allen... And of course the humble but great Al Anderson.  Of all the positions I have held in my radio career being Production Manager with such a talented team was the most rewarding of all. I hope you all still have a good enough memory to recall some of the great humour commercials we did..the great straight sell....and the ability that was there to take a script off the paper and make it sound so great.  Those really were " the good times"....with a great bunch of " CHED Good Guys and Gals".

Daryl has had several roles in Santas Anonymous - and very simply without his huge heart; dedication; and 'love' for the program Santas simply wouldn't be the giant community impact program that it is in this era.

Thirty below zero days - directing traffic like an Edmonton Police Service representative - calling in to do reports on the air - wrapping gifts - meeting dignitaries - playing with the kids - you name it, Daryl has done it all and done it with a huge big heart for the community and the charity.

As well you would always run into Daryl at the Edmonton Motorcycle Toy Run annual bike ride for Santas Anonymous held each September.  The weather dictates how many participate each year but often it's not uncommon to see over 2,000 to 3,000 bikes of all sizes in the Capilano Parking lot getting ready to be  set aside for the December campaign.

Grannies on Mopeds - Hells Angels on Harleys - this is one of the 'signature' events that officially kicks off the Santas Anonymous season, and Daryl Hooke is there chatting with one and all year after year - as did his former co-worked the wonderful late Gary Draeger.

http://edmontonmotorcycletoyrun.info

One thing I'm very happy about over the past few years is the invention of Twitter - because it  now keeps Daryl busy for 23 out of the 24 hours each day coming up with witty comments or just displaying his thoughts on life often with beautiful pictures of his family - who he takes great joy in talking about, or making supreme fun of, both rightfully so.

The Spin Doctor makes me laugh - long and often.

He has a wonderful blog too which can be found at:  http://darylhooke-thespindoctor.blogspot.ca

There are two things that I will never ever forget in regards to my good friend and both are tremendously important to me.

#1.  The 'signature' picture of my late Father Jerry Forbes was taken by Daryl Hooke.  For those who knew my Dad 'this' is the exact way many would remember him - simply iconic.

Jerry Forbes - GM 630 CHED til June, 1981

#2.  - Every time I would visit Daryl at 630 CHED I'd look over to the cabinet in the corner of his office and there after nearly four decades sits an Edmonton Journal article titled "The Rock of Edmonton" chronicling the hijinks of this dynamic radio station in it's absolute prime - and there sitting on a giant rock that was placed in front of the old station building on 107th street was - yup - a picture of Dad.

I have endless respect for Daryl Hooke - both as a magnificent broadcaster - but more so as what truly can be described as his daily demeanour - a "gentle" man!

He's a great Husband, Father, and now very proudly a Grandparent.

Enjoy the next phase of your life Daryl - being a Grandfather looks so very good on you.

And 'thank you for being my friend.'