Vic Waters

[Jack Bennest]

Part of this story will not be printed

Vic Waters is now in extended care with alzheimer's and wont be returning home.
Red is visiting him on occasion but there is nothing left but the shell. So sorry Vic. Have a good trip. jcb



B.C. Entertainment hall of fame
Red Robinson, Special to the Sun
Published: Monday, August 21, 2006
They say "fame is fleeting" and so it is. Some of the giants of radio from bygone days are fading into the mist and this is not right.

One of those who pioneered the art of deejay communication was Vic Waters. He went from wireless operator, to copy writer, to engineer, network announcer, program director and. of course. deejay.

Vic spent more than 30 years with Vancouver's first real "talk radio" station CJOR (now CKBD-600 AM) starting in 1939. On his evening spot ,when radio was king, he brought to his show stars such as Frank Sinatra, Tony Bennett, Patti Page, The Ink Spots, The Mills Brothers and big band leaders such as Tex Beneke, Woody Herman and Cab Calloway. Vic also introduced radio audiences to newcomers who went on to broadcast fame including Jack Webster, who had been city editor of the Vancouver Sun, Fred Latremouille, Al Jordan and Pat Burns plus a young red-headed rock and roller, yours truly.

Vic retired from CJOR in 1968 but returned the following year by joining the fledgling new Vancouver Cablevision with a mandate to introduce community programming. He was pioneering once again and this time with the world's first cable operation right here in our town.

Vic also served his country in the armed forces in the South Pacific from 1942-1946.

This man could take a word such as "Sky" and turn it into one of the most interesting stories with twists and turns that only a fertile imagination could invent.

He was truly one of the greatest communicators the radio business had ever produced. Vic is now in his 90th year with failing health.

The B.C. Entertainment Hall of Fame and his broadcast peers salute this true gentleman and radio giant.

Visit me at www.redrobinson.com

[cart_machine]

Part of this story will not be printed

Vic Waters is now in extended care with alzheimer's and wont be returning home.
Red is visiting him on occasion but there is nothing left but the shell. So sorry Vic. Have a good trip. jcb

That's so sad, TD. I met the man once about 10 years ago and he was moving slowly then.

I imagine when he passes away, he won't get a mention on what used to be his old station.

Red didn't really mention it, but Vic was also an avid ham operator.

cArtie.

[arthurdent]

I had a few chats with Vic over the years. He spoke fondly of the times that he would tune in a shortwave news service out at the CJOR transmitter site. The transmission was in Morse Code and Vic would decode...then jump on his motorcycle and high-tail it down to the studios where it would be presented.

He told me that one day he discovered that a chap at KOMO was doing the same think, only was faster at decoding and getting the material to air, so Vic would tune in KOMO, transcribe, and then blast off to the studios with the news.

I saw him at Monty's funeral and it was clear then that he was saddened by the absence of "corporate memory" at AM 600.

[radiofan]

Here's the CJOR transmitter building in East Richmond where Vic would listen to Morse Code messages on a Short Wave radio.



Thanks to Top Dog for this brief aircheck of Vic talking about how Red Robinson got his big break at CJOR. The was from a CJOR 50th Anniversary show in 1976.

Vic Waters Aircheck

[BossRadio]

Thanks to RadioFan and TD for the Walters clip. The man sounded as if the day he hiired Red was only yesterday, and it was a pleasure to hear him recall it.. I'd enjoy listening to more ot the anniversary show if the bits are available thirty years on.

BR