We love hearing stories about families who listen to CKUA together. This week, we’re introducing you to Kayla Webster, who doesn’t let distance keep her from enjoying CKUA with her dad.
“As long as I can remember, when the radio was on in the house, or in the clinic, where my dad worked, it was always CKUA.” That adds up to more than 30 years.
Her dad is Dr. Shawn Webster, a retired family physician in Vulcan. That’s where Kayla was born and grew up. University, work, and marriage led Kayla away from Alberta; she left Vulcan when she was 17 to attend Bishop’s University in Sherbrooke, Quebec. Now she and her family live in Burlington, Ontario.
A recent hour of Lionel’s Vinyls was donated by Kayla, and she and her father listened “together” even though they were three provinces apart. They might tune in separately these days, but the habit of listening to CKUA together formed when Kayla was a child.
“When I was growing up, we had favourite shows. When The Celtic Show was on Fridays, we would always plan to have supper at the time that it started.” Kayla and her parents and brother would also listen during family road trips. Her parents are originally from Lloydminster, so driving between that town and Vulcan allowed the family to hear CKUA along the route.
Kayla remembers working outside and having CKUA as the soundtrack. One year, she came home from the university for the summer and was painting the deck and the fence with her dad.
“I got to pick what we listened to while we were painting, and I always chose CKUA.” Host Holger Petersen played a song by Little Willie Littlefield, and as Kayla says, “I just loved it, and it sent me on a 15-year journey to find his recordings, which are hard to find.” Eventually Kayla found what she was looking for at a second-hand record store in Toronto.
It all adds up to a life that’s rich in music and connection. “I have so many memories of just hanging out with Dad, painting the deck, and just talking about what blues songs are on.”
CKUA OnDemand also supports the shared experience. “If I miss something that my dad thinks I would like, he will send me a link. It became a point of connection even though I’m here in Ontario and he’s at home.”
Kayla knows that her musical education gave her a solid foundation—and confidence. “Part of me is still involved in what’s going on at home. And growing up in rural Alberta and then living away, I knew how much is happening in Alberta. I knew I came from a place that had a good music scene, and cool live music. That gave me confidence. I appreciate where I live now, but I also appreciate where I came from.”
We thank Kayla, Shawn, and the whole Webster family for their investment in CKUA over the years, as listeners and as donors. If you would like more information about how to support CKUA, visit ckua.com/donate today.
When we asked for a song to send out to her family and to the CKUA audience, Kayla picked “Alberta Says Hello” by Corb Lund.
