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January 6, 2021 8:01 pm  #1


Veteran CKLW Newsman Grant Hudson Has Died

He was one of the great voices that made CKLW 20/20 News the legend it was. The report indicates he passed on Dec. 16th at age 76. He'd been battling cancer for some time. Amazing voice and a terrific talent. 

Veteran Radio Newsman Grant Hudson Dies At 76

(Closed circuit to Dale Patterson - if you want, you can update your list of those who left us in 2020. He certainly deserves to be mentioned there.) 
 

 

January 6, 2021 8:55 pm  #2


Re: Veteran CKLW Newsman Grant Hudson Has Died

Hs " Lightin' Strikin' Louisville Slugger" news report was legendary.

 

January 6, 2021 10:50 pm  #3


Re: Veteran CKLW Newsman Grant Hudson Has Died

Am I the only one who found it ironic that one of the best-known voices of 20/20 news died in 2020?

Perhaps it's because the name he used professionally wasn't his real name, but I found it sad that it took 3 weeks to realize his passing.

A voice and a delivery many of us tried to emulate, (ok, copy) but nobody could really duplicate.
 

 

January 7, 2021 1:24 pm  #4


Re: Veteran CKLW Newsman Grant Hudson Has Died

From Broadcast Dialogue...

Grant Hudson (Jim Reese), 76, on Dec. 16, after a lengthy battle with cancer. Reese, who grew up in Hagerstown, MD, landed his first radio job at age 15 at one of his father’s stations. He took the on-air name of Grant Hudson in 1971 upon joining the CKLW Windsor newsroom. Having only decided on using “Hudson” as his last name, the news director of the day, Byron MacGregor, yelled “Try using Brent” just as Reese went in to read the news. Having misheard him, Grant Hudson was born. He left CKLW in 1982 to serve as program director at WNOE New Orleans, before returning to Detroit and CBS. Among other stops, Reese also worked as a host on WVAM Altoona, PA; WNBC New York; WOWO Fort Wayne, IN; WFLA Tampa Bay; and WSRQ Sarasota. He was also co-owner for a time of WJRB Bradenton, FL and WTZR Virginia Beach.


"Life without echo is really no life at all." - Dan Ingram
 

January 7, 2021 9:24 pm  #5


Re: Veteran CKLW Newsman Grant Hudson Has Died

Motor City Radio Flashbacks has a terrific remembrance of Hudson, penned by someone who knew him very well. Here's my favourite part of her story, including a fact I'm pretty sure none of us have ever heard before about a famous record originally penned by a CFRB newscaster. 

"It was Grant, not Byron MacGregor, who first read The Americans (by Gordon Sinclair) on the air at CKLW. Unfortunately, Grant was an American, so when Westbound Records asked for it to be recorded, they asked Byron to do it. It went on to sell 3.5 million copies.

"One of his favorite stories about that time was when he did strident, in your face news for CKLW as Grant Hudson, would get off his shift, drive to the CBC affiliate where he would be introduced, ‘And now, news reader, James Reese,’ all somber and straight forward. The station manager for the CBC affiliate would sometimes rail about those awful people at CKLW, ruining the news . . . especially that Grant Hudson." 

A CKLW 20/20 News Legend Remembered 

     Thread Starter
 

January 8, 2021 1:16 pm  #6


Re: Veteran CKLW Newsman Grant Hudson Has Died

Up unit a few months ago Mr. Hudson was doing a Friday night oldies music show on WTWW 5085 mhz shortwave which was very enjoyable. He certainly had style.

WTWW still has a few well known personalities from CKLW and other stations do a show from 21:00 to 01:00 EST. In addition to the shortwave signal they have a very good sounding stereo stream. Web site: wtww.us

 

January 8, 2021 5:12 pm  #7


Re: Veteran CKLW Newsman Grant Hudson Has Died

Wow, I'd never heard of this station. Been listening to the online feed and it's pretty good. I'll have to see if I can actually get it on SW. Thanks for posting. Despite the static, the endless fading and the terrible quality, I love the idea of a Top 40 short wave station. 

In the meantime, I found one of my favourite CKLW bloopers that involved Grant Hudson, even though he doesn't even appear in it. I believe this is a pre-CHUM Dick Smyth trying to call up Hudson's report, without much success.

It's not the greatest blooper of all time, but for some reason it always makes me laugh. Probably because I've been there, done that - although thankfully, not on a 50,000 watt blowtorch!

Dick Smyth's Grant Hudson Blooper CKLW 

     Thread Starter
 

January 8, 2021 6:20 pm  #8


Re: Veteran CKLW Newsman Grant Hudson Has Died

WTWW-Transmitter 3 is available on Tune-in.