Remembering Barry Boyd

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Remembering Barry Boyd

Postby jon » Tue Jan 28, 2014 9:18 am

Jan. 28, 1990: ‘Edmonton’s Dick Clark’ loved mouldy oldies
By Chris Zdeb, Edmonton Journal
January 28, 2014 6:17 AM

Barry Boyd was the king of old rock ’n’ roll — ‘Edmonton’s Dick Clark.’

A freelance radio disc jockey, he’d been playing, enjoying and dancing to ’50s and ’60s music for 34 years.

On this date, Boyd was in his seventh year hosting a three-hour CFRN radio rock ’n’ roll show which aired every Sunday morning. “There’s a great bond between the people that are into the ’50s and ’60s music,” Boyd said. “It’s almost like they all went to school together.

“I believe in playing the originals — that’s the way people remember them. I think people want to remember the good times.”

Boyd began dancing at 14, and as a grandfather, was still jiving, twisting, bopping, jerking, swimming and strolling on stage during his thrice-weekly ’50s and ’60s lounge shows at the Mayfield Inn.

”I tell people you don’t need chemicals to get high. Music and your own exuberance will do it just fine. Dancing is the best exercise and I haven’t lost a step.”

Boyd was born and raised in Vancouver and broke into radio in Prince George in 1956, during the birth of rock ’n’ roll in North America. In 1959 he moved to CJCA, which along with CHED was one of the Edmonton top two rock radio stations. He played Top-40 pop hits on his weekday afternoon show as well as at “record hops” or “platter parties” on Friday and Saturday nights. He would host these events in various towns and villages around central Alberta, cruising in his big white 1955 Cadillac.

At least 30 couples who met at his dances got married in the 1960s and they all invited him to their weddings.

Boyd was also a singer/songwriter who had a minor Canadian radio hit, Wishing, in 1963. He left CJCA the next year for bigger radio markets in California, returning to Edmonton and CFRN in 1976.

During his career he was instrumental in bringing many top rock artists to Edmonton, including Roy Orbison. He also hosted the performances of more than 250 other rock and country recording stars including Gene Pitney, The Champs, The Beatles, and The Rolling Stones.

Boyd, who wouldn’t divulge his age, was believed to be in his late 60s when he died at Misericordia Hospital on Jan. 12th 2001.
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Re: Remembering Barry Boydtil

Postby Promotions Guy » Sun Feb 23, 2014 1:09 pm

I grew up listening to Barry. I remember his last shift at CJCA before heading south. It was a sad day for radio in Edmonton, as all the teens listened is disbelief. The Bouncin' B was leaving. Incredible the influence radio had on our lives back then. Later after my 20 years of radio were over I was privileged to call Barry my friend. The nights at the Lounge, the coffee klatches, the morning coffee at the Westwood with you and Cousin Bruce, sometimes the legendary Ed Kay. After all these years you are still missed my friend.
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Re: Remembering Barry Boyd

Postby SSEliot » Tue Feb 13, 2018 12:44 pm

Over the past couple of years, I periodically have searched the web for info regarding Barry and his whereabouts. I’ve wanted to write him over the years to let him know how much of influence he had on my life and my early years as a radio broadcaster.

I first met Barry about 54 years ago (If I remember correctly, 1964.) when Barry was with KFXM in San Bernardino, California. I was 13 years old at the time and had lived in San Bernardino during my childhood. I had been listening to KFXM for many years, as Top40 was my favorite genre of music. I called Barry during one of his shows and asked if he would MC at one of our Temple dances. He showed up with a box of 45’s, handed me the records and said, “I’ll MC, and you play the records!” That evening he invited me to the KFXM studios to sit in on one his shows, and history was made; I became Barry’s intern for the next year and a half.

I spent the next 20 years working various stations in Ohio and California until I left the industry to pursue other interests. As of this writing, I’m 66 years old, retired, and still a Top40 and EDM fanatic.

I recently discovered that Barry had passed in 2001 and am sadden by the fact that I never got to send this to him. RIP Barry!
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