Gord Newel is the first to tell you he’s not a musician. Yet he holds the claim to fame that his voice is now on several records in the CKUA library.
The BC Boys Choir, started in 1968, came to an end in 2020. Gord sang in the choir for several years as a youngster. He connected with CKUA staff about a year ago to donate albums of the group’s music to CKUA.
“I wanted to make sure this choral music was preserved,” Gord says.
Gord’s a CKUA donor and a devoted listener. He was an instant fan when his brother Ken introduced him to the donor-funded radio three years ago.
“I was hooked,” he says. “I would leave it on all day and all week long, taking in Alberta Morning, Traffic Jams, Catch & Release, and finishing my night to the mellow sounds of Twilight.”
Why does he donate? CKUA is crucial to his life, he says. “It can’t go anywhere. We can’t lose it. It’s so unique. Even my friends from other provinces get it. There’s nothing like it anywhere else.”
Baba is his favourite host. “It’s tough to choose; everyone does an excellent job, but I think he’s got me figured out. The stuff he finds hits a chord with me.”
The voices on-air keep him listening, he says. “It’s the hosts and the variety. I never get tired of it.”
A financial advisor in Calgary who spends as much time kayaking and sailing as possible, Gord says he loves CKUA for its sense of connection and company. “It’s like someone else is in the room with you.”
If you’d like to hear some BC Boys Choir music from Gord’s donated albums, listen in to Raising Voices, 6pm to 8pm on Sunday, September 17.
Gord’s musical recommendation: “Pauline” by Ashley Ray
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