Sad to hear this. He became a huge star in London and was one of three morning men who used the name Brady on Toronto airwaves: Bill Brady (CKEY), Jim Brady (CFTR) and most recently Greg Brady (CFIQ).

Here he is with the rest of the 'EY gang in 1963, (courtesy Doug Thompson's collection.) That's him in the top hat, standing right beside a very young Dave Mickie (aka Marsden.)





He also became a published author.


 

I wonder how many knew that he was a recipient of the Order of Canada - but not for his radio work. Pretty impressive legacy.

I'm curious about his time in Toronto. He was only here for a short while at CKEY. It didn't work out, but I wonder - was he a popular morning man, helping the station compete with CHUM? Apparently, the answer is yes, if you look back at all his personal appearances in the city.





It seems that the end came here when Al Boliska left CHUM and was given Brady's morning show at CKEY, moving Brady to the 9 AM slot. It was Feb. 1964.
 
 

I'm assuming he wasn't pleased because a week or so later, he and the station had suddenly parted ways.




It would turn out to be the luckiest dismissal of his life. Not long after, he decided to leave Toronto altogether and head to a famous fate in London. Everything happened within the space of one month - February 1964.



I'm sorry there don't seem to be any airchecks of his time at CKEY. Those would be fascinating to hear.  

darcyh wrote:

In the mid 1970's Mr. Brady did an 'open line' morning show on CFPL AM 980. A potent / nasty winter storm swept through London closing the roads. As his colleagues could not get to the station for their shifts, Brady stayed on the air for many many hours taking calls and helping co-ordinate rescue efforts.

Hats off to him.

The obit in the London Free Press, linked to elsewhere in this thread, specifically recalled that storm and said he stayed on the air non-stop for at least 30 hours. That's incredible but such was the role radio played in those pre-Internet days. 

There was a story in London about the time Bill introduced a well known comedian at the Western Fair in the 70's.  I don't know who it was but it was someone like George Carlin or Buddy Hacket.  Anyway as the story goes, Brady was actually funnier than the headline comedian.  Before the introductions he was telling stories about the mayor of London, councillors, jokes about the city etc.  And of course the crowd loved it.  Bill Brady would have been a hard act to follow. 

CTV London paid a video tribute to Brady on its newscast and we finally get to hear his voice. 

One interesting side note - there's a shot of him sitting with the call letters "CFPA" displayed on a table. I'd never heard of it before, but it was apparently the forerunner of CKLY in Lindsay. 

‘One word, huge!’: Londoners reflect on life of broadcaster and community champion Bill Brady

My research had it being a forerunner to CKLY, but I'll accept your version. Much of the info I found (and didn't find) was pretty spotty. But one source did seem to confirm that it was the call letters of CKLY at onetime in the past.