The Oppenheimer Report - 8/17/15

I never imagined myself getting involved in a community radio station, but less than two years from my introduction to Hunters Bay Radio, both Shauna and I have become two of their biggest supporters. It all began with my live performance on a cold winter’s day in 2013. I remember there was a terrific snowstorm the day I drove in to Huntsville to perform. A few days earlier, I’d had to cancel a recording session on nearby Bay Lake because it was -30F and my car battery was dead. I tried to open the hood in order to give the battery a boost, and the hood latch was frozen. Anyhow, for my debut performance at HBR, the weather was atrocious, and as I got out of the car, there were tornadoes of snow, and my guitar practically blew out of my hand as I braced myself for the 20 yard walk to the station. Clearly Mother Nature was testing my resolve. But I persevered, and once in the warm station, I remember my first impressions were good. Everyone was friendly and welcoming, and although I had never performed live on air before, I felt as if I was among friends, and it was somehow not all that daunting. Then host of the show, Talent on the Bay, Christine Heron, put me at ease as I bumbled through my six or seven songs and answered her questions. After that day, I began to attend Hunters Bay Radio sponsored events and saw how much the station was doing for the community, and especially for the local musicians. From Talent on the Bay, to the Live Drive show on Thursday nights before my show, HBR provides an open mic to many artists in the area who might not otherwise be heard. Some of these musicians are better than others, but what is notable is that here is a radio station playing what no one else is playing.

 

Another thing I like about HBR is that the programming is so diverse. Barry "Bazza" Hayward hosts a show featuring world Music, Musica Del Mundo, Scott Gilson hosts Neoteric, featuring new music, fellow songwriter Doug McLean hosts a show, which I am listening to as I write this, Blue Monday, that showcases Folk and Blues. Every day, I am exposed to some artist I really like and have never before heard. I’m watching less television these days – I still have to watch the news and reality television from time to time, to remind myself that the world really is coming to an end soon—and I’m listening to more radio broadcasts.    

 

Next weekend marks Hunters Bay Radio’s first Radiothon, and there will be events all weekend. Volunteers will be manning the phones at HBR to take pledges. Money raised during this event will go to fund an emergency generator in order to ensure that HBR can broadcast in the event of a power outage. Musicians will be performing all weekend long outside and inside the HBR studio, and a long list of volunteers including yours truly, as well as radio personalities will be manning the phones and talking about the station on-air. Our good friend and gifted singer/songwriter, Bobby Cameron will be coming in to visit that weekend, fresh off a short concert tour in the Maritimes, and we have arranged for him to play at one of the better local venues on Saturday night. Always a big supporter of radio, Bobby wants to show his gratitude to the station for airing his music. With him on the bill that night is local musician (and the producer of my soon-to-be-released album) Juan Barbosa. Shauna and I have been looking forward to putting these two remarkable talents together in the same room. Last week, I was running around from Bracebridge to Burk’s Falls hanging posters for the event. Shauna is really the promotions expert, and she has knocked herself out to ensure that the show is properly advertised. I do the grunt work. Bobby has a pretty strong following Canada wide, so we’re hoping for a good crowd. If you find yourself anywhere near Huntsville on Saturday night, I can guarantee this will be an entertaining concert. Thank you Hunter’s Bay Radio for all you do in this community!

  

-Written by Jamie Oppenheimer c2015 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED-