The Southern Ontario/WNY Radio-TV Forum » Nevin Grant of CKOC news

djwildbill · May 6, 2020 5:42 pm

I read on Facebook that CKOC icon Nevin Grant has passed away today during surgery.

Nevin truly grew 1150 CKOC into “Ontario’s Music Leader” through clever programming and really supporting Canadian artists. A couple comments I read from fans told how he took time to talk to the record reps that visited the station.

I only met Nevin once. My good pal, Joe, and I went to visit him on one of our many radio visits and Nevin was right in the middle of going over a K-Lite logger tape as they had to answer a couple questions to the CRTC. Nevin took the time to visit us and make us feel very welcome.

To show you how good a man Nevin was, my pal Joe used to have a slight stutter and wasn’t sure radio was the right path to work. Nevin convinced Joe to go to college and pursue his love for radio. That’s a true gentleman.

Rest In Peace Nevin. You were loved and respected by many.

Jody Thornton · May 6, 2020 5:51 pm

Very sad news. He really WAS CKOC during it's heydey of the late 70s and early 80s.

paterson1 · May 6, 2020 6:55 pm

Sad to hear about Nevin's passing. I met him once as well, got a tour of CKOC and he listened to my audition tape. Real gentleman, down to earth and was very generous with his time. Along with CHUM and CFTR, CKOC was a real powerhouse in top 40 radio largely because of Nevin. He will be missed.

RadioActive · May 6, 2020 7:18 pm

This is horrible news in a year that seems to have had too much of it so far.

Grant was one of the driving forces in Canadian radio and especially in this area. At a time when no one competed with CHUM, CKOC took them on and held its own. Nevin Grant had a lot to do with that. An article in the Hamilton Spectator from last December related how Grant was being inducted into the Canadian Broadcast Hall of Fame, and if you needed any more proof of his influence, check out this short sentence:

"Grant helped bring along many broadcasters who went on to illustrious radio careers — DJs such as Roger Ashby, Ronald J. Morey, Gord James, Dave Charles, Brent Sleighthom, Bob Steele, Mike Jaycock, Peter Jaycock and Bob Bratina."

Not a bad legacy to leave behind.

FYIMusicNews.ca offered an excerpt from Grant's 2015 book on his life in radio and music:

Mr. CKOC: Nevin Grant Looks Back On A Life In Music

From May 30, 2015:

End of an era: CKOC was Hamilton's station with heart

Photo courtesy The Hamilton Spectator Archives

Dale Patterson · May 6, 2020 7:24 pm

Nevin Grant was truly Mr. CKOC.

A nicer guy, a more passionate radio and music person, you will never find.

R.I.P. Nevin.

RadioActive · May 6, 2020 8:17 pm

Those who knew Nevin or knew of him, may want to leave his wife a note of condolence on her Facebook page. Many, including John Donabie and Larry LeBlanc, already have.

Paul Jeffries · May 6, 2020 9:10 pm

A real gentleman and one of the kindest souls you would ever meet in the radio business.

RIP, Nevin.

PJ

RadioActive · May 7, 2020 10:52 am

From FYImusicnews.ca, a great glimpse behind the scenes of a legendary man - and the legendary station he put on the map
.
"Another one of his crazy pastimes was a wild game of ‘coffee cup hockey’ in the halls of CKOC. The game involved turning plastic coffee cup holders into pucks. Gord James, Mike Kramer, Jim Patton and Gary MacKay would take on Nevin until exhaustion set in."

Dave Charles Mourns The Loss Of Radio Legend Nevin Grant

RadioActive · May 7, 2020 11:55 am

One more from the archives. The Hamilton Spectator spoke to Grant when his book came out in 2015. It tells the story of how CKOC's chart became a serious source for music fans, and the way he decided to put it together, that also peripherally included CHUM. (Surprised to see there's no official obit in the paper yet.)

The man who brought the hits to Hamilton tells all

Jody Thornton · May 7, 2020 4:00 pm

I did purchase his book. He even signed my copy and sent it in the mail. A true gentleman. I never met his wife Heather, but they seemed to be one of a kind couple. I love hearing Nevin speak to groups of students at Mohawk, or about CKOC. He will be missed.

RadioActive · May 7, 2020 7:10 pm

Former CKOC newsman Brent Sleightholm weighs in with his own tribute. Unfortunately, the article is littered with typos and spelling mistakes, but there's little doubt the emotion is genuine and it sounds like the station was a great place to work.

"It was often said CKOC, before K-Lite came along, was run like a country club. We had the best seasonal parties, men’s day out at Woodbine in Toronto, women’s day out at the spa. Those were the days."

Brent Sleightholm Remembers Nevin Grant

RadioActive · May 8, 2020 8:27 am

FYIMusicNews.ca weighs in again with memories from broadcaster greats like J. Robert Wood, Chuck McCoy and Warren Cosford, all of whom were direct competitors - but all of whom understood Grant's contributions to the industry.

Chuck, D.C, J.R. and Warren: Remembrances Of Nevin Grant

RadioActive · May 8, 2020 9:40 am

His obituary has now appeared in the Hamilton Spectator, noting the fact he had been fighting Parkinson's Disease.

Hamilton Spectator Obit

Jody Thornton · May 8, 2020 10:05 am

I have to admit that I suspected that. My mom suffers from Parkinson's Disease. When I last heard him on the air in 2015 (with Ray Michaels just prior to the format switch to TSN), I noted to myself that he didn't sound quite the same. I could see similarities with my mom. You could still hear his brilliance and knowledge, but something was different. I'm sorry for what he must've gone through. But I'm glad we had him.

Fitz · May 8, 2020 11:26 am

In all my tapes of CKOC which is mostly the 60's and early 70's countdowns from 1984 I don't remember if I captured his In Touch With Yesterday which is what I remember him from listening through the years. Sad news.

Jody Thornton · May 8, 2020 11:28 am

Same here Fitz. That's how I first heard him. Apparently he also voiced a similar segment on an Armadale owned station in Winnipeg as well. Most other times, I heard him on interviews and appearing at my college a number of times.

Carl Patrick · May 10, 2020 6:59 am

Nevin will be missed. A true leader in the business. I had the pleasure of meeting him several tines in my career, the first time at a career day at my high school in Brantford, then as a radio student at Mohawk College and as an intern at CKOC. One of the most helpful and nicest persons I encountered in radio.

Muffaraw Joe · May 10, 2020 10:28 am

Crap, the hits keep on coming...and I don't mean the music... RIP Nevin...he was CKOC in my books

Lorne · May 10, 2020 11:17 am

As a young child I listened to CHUM a lot because my mother listened to it, but after I got my first radio I started looking for other stations to listen to as well. That led to CKOC becoming my favourite station, and I eventually came to realize that Nevin Grant had a lot to do with why I liked it so much. In more recent years I had emailed Nevin a few times, and he was always great about getting back to me. I consider myself fortunate to have had those personal interactions with him, as they allowed me to see firsthand just how thoughtful and considerate he was. RIP, Mr. CKOC.

kevjo · May 10, 2020 3:09 pm

Carl Patrick wrote:
Nevin will be missed. A true leader in the business. I had the pleasure of meeting him several tines in my career, the first time at a career day at my high school in Brantford, then as a radio student at Mohawk College and as an intern at CKOC. One of the most helpful and nicest persons I encountered in radio.

I echo those sentiments exactly, Carl. By the way you and I were in the same radio class at Mohawk. I even did an internship at CKOC during my final year and Nevin and the staff there made me feel welcome and took the time to show me around and even help at one of their charity hockey games.
I visited Nevin many times over the years and was impressed with how he always took the time to sit and chat and never made you feel like you were intruding on his time. CKOC did top 40 but on their terms. They made it very Hamilton focused while their on air people all were encouraged to be personalities. Many of them stayed at CKOC for a long time, a further testament to the atmosphere he created. He was truly one of a kind.

Dale Patterson · May 10, 2020 4:17 pm

There's a short clip of Nevin's "In Touch With Today" on RRS this week.

Last edited by Dale Patterson (May 10, 2020 5:04 pm)

Dale Patterson · May 10, 2020 5:11 pm

I'll never forget Nevin Grant's kindness. I called him in the mid-'90s hoping to get some information on past CKOC lineups. To my surprise, he answered his phone, and he proceeded to give me all the information I needed. We kept in touch, and he invited me to his home twice to look at his fabulous CKOC Museum. He had such passion for radio and music - especially Canadian music - and his love for all things CKOC was unsurpassed. One of the all-time greats - thank you Nevin and Rest In Peace.

RadioActive · May 12, 2020 9:10 am

The Hamilton Spectator has finally published a story on Grant's passing. It took them almost a week.

Hamilton broadcast legend Nevin Grant dies at 80

RadioActive · July 26, 2020 12:05 pm

Nice shout out to Nevin Grant by Roger Ashby on this week's Oldies Show. It came during the Top 5 countdown, when Ashby not only dedicated the segment and remembered the late great radio music man, but recalled when he was hired by him at CKOC in the 60s, his first shot at the big time. And he also related how he will be posthumously inducted into the Canadian Broadcast Hall of Fame, once those ceremonies resume after the pandemic shutdown is over.

I'm pretty sure he used the CHUM Chart again for the countdown, but it would have been a nice touch if they'd used the CKOC version for the list, instead.

Anyway, a classy moment all the way around.