Ken Connors: On His Terms

Tara Sands (Voiceover)  0:02  
The sound off podcast. The show about podcast and broadcast. starts now.

Matt Cundill  0:13  
Ken Connors has been on the air for 40 years, many of those in Montreal. He's worked on all the major English radio stations including shown MCs 96 q 92 940. News, and CJ ad. Ken worked at shome as the midday host throughout the 90s. And I got to work with him then and later in 2003. He's well liked wherever he works, a pop culture junkie. And he's a master at delivering content effectively, especially in those short breaks Music Radio PDS wanted, Ken has saved the best for last as we can host at CJ D, while he will be stepping away from broadcasting. He's still going to be around, which is a good thing. And now, Ken Conners joins me from Montreal to talk about his storied career. Why did you decide to call it a day?

Ken Connors  1:03  
You know, a bunch of reasons maybe a handful reasons. I like the idea of going out on 44 He wasn't good number to go out on. My wife's been retired for five years now. And she's enjoying it. I kinda look tired of the grind of even though I'm doing you know, only two days a week on my own Booker, I don't really have a content producer. So I was once this Sunday network around rolled around, I'd start thinking about okay, who am I going to book for next week and I usually booked like five or six interviews. I have my own worst enemy her times when it comes to prep like I do like to all myself in terms of cutting audio. Getting songs ready. I wanted to sound the way I wanted sound. So yeah, so I got a little tired of the grind. Mainly those were mainly the three reasons why I decided to get number one. Take

Matt Cundill  1:49  
me back to Ville St. Laurent. Yeah, what kind of radio Did you listen to Montreal radio on and what stations Did you listen to? 

Ken Connors  1:57  
Growing up in our house it was CK jam. It was the was the top 40 station everyone listened to was the youngest of six I don't think I had control of the radio dial. But it was always on CKJ always listen to Portsmouth block with legendary Morty ban at CQ gym in Montreal during the 1970s. And then as I'm older I drifted over to show him an FM 96. And of course, as a kid, I mentioned this a couple of days ago on the air that when it came to school nights my mother was pretty strict about having me go to get get to bed at a certain hour, but she would either allow me to leave the light on and read or listen to the radio. And so I used to listen to the Expos broadcasts and Canadians play by play in bed at night during the week and so they've been quarantined. Dickerman were were we're had both had big a big impact on me

Audio Clip  3:03  
expose he was gonna pick up the rebound and put it through the crease candle as a deep in the Hartford XRT fans aren't here's a shot lay out the same island again. Well, you can say the rebound may score and he cared at all. While you can think Canvas and

Matt Cundill  3:21  
when it comes time to make a decision and you graduate from high school and forgive me I don't remember the high school that you that you went to I feel like I should know all this stuff because we would talk about this stuff on the radio. I know Terry went to pure fall calm and yeah, where did you go?

Ken Connors  3:36  
I went to Father McDonald High School in Santa Clara that doesn't doesn't exist anymore. A lot of father macarons as we call them, stayed in touch and reached out to me on the air over the years. So it was kind of nice. And I still I still have been sent off five minutes from where I actually grew up.

Matt Cundill  3:50  
Did you go to McGill.

Ken Connors  3:51  
I did not go to McGill. Uh, well, I took not officially but I took various evening courses at McGill. I actually got my start behind a microphone at McGill on their campus radio station. Back in the early 1980s. I had a weekly radio show at the radio set the campus station on Tuesday nights, I think was from six to eight. And it was great. So it was my first chance to sort of get behind a microphone on a regular basis and see if I was any good at this thing. You could pick my music music to Matt, which was key.

Matt Cundill  4:22  
And I gotta You were good. Because you know, eventually you did wind up in radio. Yeah,

Ken Connors  4:26  
I'll tell you a quick story about those those days of doing shows at McGill. And because I'm such a fan of FM 96. The reason evening announcer by the name of Richard Bernal opened one night on the request line, introduce myself and I said look thinking of pursuing a career in radio and I've been a demo tape for my shows at Radio McGill. Would you listen to tell me what you think. He invited me down the day, the very next night. And now you know when you're when you're in your early 20s. And you get invited to a radio station that you listen to like it's like it's winning the lottery. So I went down, and I think he got off at 11 o'clock and came downstairs and got me propped me up. We went into a production studio, and he popped the tape into the machine and listen to it for you know, I had three minutes worth of clips. And he said, I hear some potential there. And I think he should pursue this. So give it a go, you know, there's, there's stuff there to work with. And that's all I needed, you know, as a 21 year old or whatever. So I always I find I've had thanked him over the years, every time I run into

Matt Cundill  5:26  
some from there, you got the demo tapes out? Yeah, I

Ken Connors  5:29  
said 25. At the moment, 25 demo tapes there. I think the demo was like four minutes long, because the advice was, you know, they're going to decide in the first minute whether or not, they'd like to hear sounds. So I've got plenty of sorry, we don't have any openings. At this moment. I said, it's all small market stations in Ontario. And I got one job offer and it was in northern Ontario and Kirkland lake. And they said, Would you like to do that? We'd like to have the opportunity to do our openings. At four. I went up but wasn't even sure where Kirkland lake was. Found out in a hurry. It's about 10. It's a 10 hour drive north of Toronto. Wow. They hard.

Matt Cundill  6:02  
And eventually you worked your way, sort of through some other Ontario stations before you got back to Montreal? Yeah.

Ken Connors  6:08  
My wife, my girlfriend at the time, we kind of agreed to let's see, we'll give it a little give it a five year plan. Right. Let's see if we can make back in five years. I think it was in Kirkland lake for about a year and a half. And then I worked my way down to Guelph just outside of Toronto, of course, and I did two years there to the afternoon show and wealth. And then I got a buddy I knew was working a swing shift in Ottawa at a station called 54 rock which became the bear since I'm going to go somewhere else. He says why don't you send a tape now send a tape now. And so I got his swing shift, which is I think evenings a week. A couple of shifts. I got his I got his swing shift in Ottawa, rock and I got his apartment as well. It took over the lease, it all worked out. And I think I got his couch. Who was that? That was Don Landry spent some a lot of time working in sports radio.

Matt Cundill  6:57  
So by the way, that station was owned by Standard Broadcasting was on a weird spot on the dial at 54. Because 580 was really the Juggernaut right beside it, which was which was CFRA 540 did not have as much power but it played some great songs. We

Ken Connors  7:15  
did. We did. There's terrific guy there. Gord Taylor was the program director at the time that took me under his wing. He could not have been nicer to me for the time I was there. But it was only on for six months because I started in. I guess it was January of 89 to 54 Rock.  I loved it. Another person there. I don't know if you know, Gary Aube 

Matt Cundill  7:32  
Oh, yeah. Magic. 

Ken Connors  7:34  
Yeah, magic. Yeah, exactly. Anyway, so come I guess, late May, I got a call from the program director at showman said, Hey, guys, we hear you're looking at a couple. Yeah, it was a free for me the only show but I started in June of 89.

Matt Cundill  7:48  
In McLean gives you a call. I don't know if this is public knowledge. Or I don't know if I'm, you know, speaking from hearsay, but I think Ian was at one point offered a job at 54 rockin in Ottawa to go from.

Ken Connors  8:00  
Yes. Alright. So it

Matt Cundill  8:03  
was good to know that, you know, he was, you know, within your within earshot of him and you found your way back and did a couple years of all nights there stay. It's funny as we go through this. There's things I don't remember. I don't remember you doing the all night show.

Ken Connors  8:15  
I started in June of at night. And then I guess it was June of 1990. They they bumped me up from all nights and I took over the electrical and shower intimidation.

Matt Cundill  8:25  
I seem to recall it being sort of a big day where there's a number of shifts. And I think Chris Michaels was like going and Algra. Val was like, Oh, the same day. Pete Marissa came in to do drive and you were going to do mid days. That's quite the overhaul.

Ken Connors  8:36  
Yeah, yeah, it was a it was a big change of the session. And it's funny Pete and I reminisce about that. Because as I was doing the weekend morning. Last six or seven years, Pete was down the hall on weekend morning show. And so he'd always pop in, he pop in to see me during the 630 news. And I'd go see him after

Matt Cundill  8:54  
I think it was Christine Long, who called me up to give me that newsy. Oh, wow. That's that's pretty significant changes. But at the same time, I don't remember shown being in any particular ratings trouble in that era where when marriage changes, I think it was really just about let's bring some chemistry into the building and bring some some some new life and let's get into the 90s. Yeah,

Ken Connors  9:13  
yeah, I think I think that was the whole idea behind it. And it's funny, you mentioned Christine, because she's been a regular contributor on my weekend morning show here in Montreal. And she's been great. And she actually trained me on the board. When I first got the job at shome because she was doing she was a student at McGill at the time and she was she was occasional overnights and so seeing like a

Matt Cundill  9:32  
way back a couple of years later. 1992 you get married?

Ken Connors  9:36  
Yes. And I want to apologize for everybody. And so there's

Matt Cundill  9:39  
no reason why I should have been invited to the wedding. Absolutely no reason where you watch film at the time I was but I just started like I was I barely started, but I will tell you a story about what happened that day. Is it May or June you got married in May 22. So I remember it completely. It was a Friday, I'd gone out We'd all gone out at least those who weren't getting married the next day. Were Terry's as the limo shows up in the limo. The limo gives me a ride back to my place. I show up back at back at my place looking completely disheveled and sleep off the rest of the day and everyone else has to go to a wedding.

Ken Connors  10:18  
I always remember my the night before my wedding because it was also Carson's final night. That's right.

Audio Clip  10:25  
And so it has come to this. I am one of the lucky people in the world, I found something I always wanted to do. And I have enjoyed every single minute of it. I want to thank the gentleman who shared the stage with me for 30 years, Mr. Ed McMahon. Mr. Doc Severinsen. You people watching can only tell you that it has been an honor and a privilege to come into your homes all these years and entertain you. And I hope and I find something that I want to do and I think you will like and come back to she'll be as gracious inviting in your home as you have done. I've sent you a very heartfelt Goodnight.

Matt Cundill  11:20  
Oh yeah, I remember and you know, with with Bette Midler and remember, Ian McLean came over the next day, and we watched it a couple times with Terry and how the whole thing was executed. And then we discussed whether or not we should be adding the Red Hot Chili Peppers. Okay, so we're not kidding about this part. shome had problems when it came to adding music. It wasn't the fault of the music director. But the program director couldn't see himself through to add songs like Nirvana Smells Like Teen Spirit. And as well, that hot chili peppers under the bridge. Of course, we should add the Red Hot Chili Peppers. And we never did add the Red Hot Chili Peppers until much later it was just the bizarre conversations that we had back in in rock radio. And as the 90s went through, you know, Shawn goes through some stuff, most notably, Terry leaves. John Derringer comes in. And you and Peppermint Patty actually got together and did a great little show between 130 and two every Thursday, I think was an entertainment type show. So you know, it wasn't just rock radio and spinnin records and, you know, short, concise breaks that you were doing, but there was some other, you know, what we call the foreground back then, even though it didn't really exist, but there was there was some other programming that you began to divest into. Yeah,

Ken Connors  12:41  
we were both pop culture junkies. And so I don't know how that show came about. Maybe we pitched it to me, and we called it the bus. But a lot of clips said there was a lot of slicing audio tape at the last minute. And of course, I guess at two o'clock, we started the afternoon show. I do believe in your company, we did rock and roll news.

Matt Cundill  12:59  
Well, a lot of people think it was just, you know, 30 you're doing the midday show. It's just you know, short breaks, it was just way more than that. I will say that you taught me how to do short breaks, and to get the break down to a concise, complete thought. So thank you for teaching me that along the way. Because if not, I wouldn't have made it in radio. You

Ken Connors  13:19  
know, I like to always remind people that we were so spoiled with our location on green Avenue in Montreal, but to what's exactly a short to block block for the Montreal forum. That's why so everyone performed at the Winter before more or less walk walk down the street with the rector prep and do some brown library do.

Matt Cundill  13:37  
As Patty said, the two best jobs in the city where you play for the Canadians are your work to show?

Ken Connors  13:41  
Yeah, absolutely. Absolutely. And a great era to

Matt Cundill  13:45  
you know, between 92 and 95 expos did, we're doing well. Sean was doing well. The Canadians won the Stanley Cup. I got to work at showman that particular period with with you Pete Terry Derringer comes in for a time Patty's there Paul Beauregard evenings and I just, I added, I started to add up all the people and how long they were for too tall included. We'll throw in his 39 years in radio. Sure. It's a combined 350 years of radio experience with all these people,

Ken Connors  14:18  
a lot of great people a lot of stories of just some a lot of talent in that building over the years. But yeah, when I got back from my honeymoon, I got a phone call from blurb, Archer, who was what's the use of military had left was going down the streets of competition. Change things up a little bit in 1992 that

Matt Cundill  14:39  
changed the trajectory of shown for the next decade and eventually led to it being sold to standard I think in 1999 ish. Yeah. When did you leave shome

Ken Connors  14:52  
I left CHOM in 1997, I believe and then started working there after that. Have at least 96 and took over the midday slot their days in the mornings and I did mornings for about three years with get Spencer

Matt Cundill  15:11  
and how accepted was it just to go to the next tarried already done it so there's a bit of a blueprint, but now you're doing it. Listen There's just tons of shared listening between CHOM and Mix 96 at the time - how'd you find it?

Ken Connors  15:25  
It was there was a little more scrutiny I think with with your brakes and how tight they wanted them to be a lot of talking over ramps and so but I managed to to adjust and enjoy my time there immensely. It was Blair Batrem who became our program director at Mix 96.  

Matt Cundill  15:42  
Well that would suck. 

Ken Connors  15:43  
It was that was great. We had a history together of course we started out... 

Matt Cundill  15:50  
you know some unusual combinations that I would never think of but that's why Blair's Blair whoever thought this up but you and Cat Spencer together. Wow. 

Ken Connors  16:00  
Yeah, you don't want to I was doing middays from 10 to three and the cat was doing is three to seven in the afternoons. But we do a little crossover break Blair Blair told us when he offered us the job. He says, You guys were great. Just on those three minutes crossing over into great, you're both funny. So I want to just you know those minutes. Impressive. You know, I

Matt Cundill  16:20  
mean, it's a hot AC station. And it was two guys. And a lot of people just think in their heads. Well, we have to sort of maybe get a third we maybe we'll mix it up in this particular way. But here are two school jocks who have it but the chemistry of the two of you together just worked so why did it work so well with him?

Ken Connors  16:41  
I think we're we were great friends because even as we we did had our separate shifts, we would always go out together for lunch and talk radio just really hit it off. Still great friends now and it's too long. And I have to mention to what really helped us because our ratings were good. And we had up we had a blast too in the morning show was that Maureen Holloway was doing I think three segments a morning or two segments a morning with us. Maureen

Matt Cundill  17:06  
Holloway was going across the country and you got three breaks there would be two for instance, in in Halifax there would be we had one in Winnipeg to Edmonton and as well just doing the work in Toronto as well. And she would go across the across company so she was she didn't have to be I think she was working for course at the time actually but you know she would do breaks and standards so that was contract or you pay cash to to have more you know on the show. I wouldn't know about that. I did because I for years kept saying I need one more and more in Holloway break. But I could never get it somebody else in another market would have to give their break up right in order for me to get it so I was trying to squeeze you out of a break with Maureen. 

Ken Connors  17:51  
She was Gold! 

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Matt Cundill  18:22  
I think there was only one other change that happened. And I think it was in 2002 when the purchase of shome to standard happened. Did you get moved out of morning's I

Ken Connors  18:35  
got no not put that changed. They brought a new program director I think in 2003 2004 and he made some changes to so I they let me go there and so I bumped though I was picked up by Mark Dickey property over to 940 News, which was an upstart radio station to talk to you use talk radio station to sort of challenge CJD. Okay,

Matt Cundill  19:01  
I'm not letting the moment go count, because you got fired. And I was like, who fires Ken Connors? Well, someone did. Yeah. But it was the exchange as far as I heard a no. And I just wanted to confirm it was You're firing me. And you were firing me? It was one of those things that just didn't make sense.

Ken Connors  19:19  
No, I guess I guess at the time being the new program director wanted to put a stamp on station and he decided that stamp would involve changing the morning show on the morning show personnel. But it was too bad because the ratings are really strong. I mean, some of this I remember some of the salespeople were coming up and telling me like, you know, we're not number one, but we're really strong. Number two, we're making money. There's no need for this, but that's ready for you.

Matt Cundill  19:43  
I mentioned it because it was a big takeaway for me as I later became a program director, in terms of you know, when you make a change, and how expensive it is, yeah, and it doesn't always have to be at at moving somebody out of the building. It will very, very Very likely doesn't even have to happen at all. It doesn't have to be radio could be baseball, it could be hockey, we see a lot of times in hockey, where you're going to move the center, we need a third line, whatever, we got to fix the power play. And you know, managerially the rush line is if you choose not to decide you still made a choice.

And the best thing, I just looked at that thing going, like, just don't touch it. It's fine. Yeah. Oh, so I don't know why we feel the need to change things and move the pen from the left side to the right side of the desk. We're gonna change the whole morning show today. I mentioned that. Just to point out that that had an impact on my career and making decisions as program directors. We don't always have to do what we think we need to do.

Ken Connors  20:47  
Yeah, yeah. Don't reinvent the wheel, leave well enough alone, and just run with it.

Matt Cundill  20:52  
And Mark Dickey, who we've worked with at shome, at the time was over at Corazon 940. And listen, not the worst thing in the world because I wound up working for course to There you are 940, which was a news wheel. Yeah. And I mentioned earlier, the segments that you've done, you know, where you're writing rock and roll news and the buzz but now it's an easier transition over to the news. We'll I

Ken Connors  21:15  
don't know if it was necessarily an easier transition. It was a lot of work. And it kind of opened your eyes to how much work is involved. But it was an education. I learned a lot. He did the morning. Show there for a couple of years, I believe, and that we were working in plus Bonaventure. And there was a lot of different changes with ownerships and what have you, I worked at 940 News. And then I got bumped over by the company to take over the afternoon show a cue 92 And then finally, q 92. And 940 Chorus sold all their English radio properties to coach and 92 Five or 92 suddenly became the beat 92 fine there. So I was in that building really? under that roof for about 11 years. What

Matt Cundill  21:57  
was it like working over there? That's the only building in Montreal that I really don't have any experience working in although, you know, it was course I've only I've only been in there one time. says What was your you're talking about? Right? Yeah. And at the course office in class, Bonaventure, what was that culture like? And that station like because you worked at Shum, you worked at MCs, and now you're on what we always thought was the dark side.

Ken Connors  22:25  
It was it was a little different. It was a certainly a bigger building. It is a cozy feel. But it was it was it was fine. I enjoyed my time there.

Matt Cundill  22:36  
It's a great building. And your next move after that.

Ken Connors  22:38  
I was happy at the beat 92 Five I was doing weekend mornings. And you know, I was the older guy at kind of a younger hipper station and so but they appreciated my radio experience. And so I was I became basically the Assistant Program Director Nipper under a comfort of having your own office man, when the door closes, which it got a lot of work done. I I enjoyed it. Everything that was happening at the radio station came by my desk one day I was at the airport in 2016. And Chris berry at CJD, the program director he called, he said, Hey, Dave Fisher's retiring the longtime weekend morning post. Let's see what you feel about coming over and talking to us about it. And so I started in August of 2016. And I was very flattered. You know, he gets a certain age in this business, and not a lot of people are offering new jobs. I thought it'd be a good fit, take over and fill those shoes because this guy was loved. And he is a broadcast legend David Fincher, tell

Matt Cundill  23:34  
me about working weekends. Because I've always thought I'd love to do weekends. But I also like to stay out late Fridays and Saturdays. So I'm not sure that that would ever work for me, but it works for you. It

Ken Connors  23:45  
didn't work for me. Well, you know, you just you just have to do it. And that wasn't a stranger doing the boring show, as it was with Dave Fisher as opposed to all the other announcers that CJD, all the other shows, I did not have a booker. And so that was a big part of the job, part of the contract negotiations and salary. And so it's a lot of work. It's a lot of work, but I enjoyed it. And it was a nice reminder about the power of community radio, working at CJD 800, you know that there's a very, very strong, loyal audience there. And it's, it's a historic station. And

Matt Cundill  24:18  
then when you get in there, you're now seeing all the people that you either replaced were replaced by or worked against. I know in one place.

Ken Connors  24:27  
I know that because they brought me in for a big announcer a staff meeting to introduce me and it was like, it was like going to a high school reunion. You know, I said, five people, I'm not a stranger to any of them. So it was it was kind of like going home in a way, which was nice. Yeah.

Matt Cundill  24:41  
Aaron Rand would be there. Andrew Carter. Andrew Carter. Thomas rocker. Yeah, yeah, I mean, it'd become sort of it's somewhat it's like almost like the Hall of Fame. Right?

Ken Connors  24:52  
Oh, yeah. Oh, yeah. Montreal radio. Yeah, there's some there's some legends. Trudy Mason, of course, Trudy has been there for forever and she's glue that holds that place together in that newsroom. I

Matt Cundill  25:02  
got four years in that building. That's the thing. Can I was there from 2002 to 2006? Doing? I was a PD at shome. Oh, right, right, of course, right. And then somewhere like 2003 or four ish, you know, you got like, oh, that happened, like, right across the hallway from me. I might. Okay. So that's why, again, that had an impact. Because, you know, I was talking with the salespeople and dealing with, you know, everyone in the building who had, you know, had comments about that sort of thing. So, I played therapist, counselor. Yeah, one person, one guy goes who fires can Connors. Just, that's, that's what, that's what that was like. But again, you know, I was, you know, door open door shut, I had the office across the hall, you know, from there. But again, sometimes that can speak to too many offices and too many doors. It's great to have one. But, you know, there, it felt like there was a lot of doors in that hallway at that time. And it was a strange time as well, because it takes it takes amount of time for it to come real for a merger to come together. I had to let friends go over a job that you and I are cordial with and friendships went in the garbage. And that's what you know, that's what happens. But you know, as time goes by, we all find a way to get back together, which I think is really nice. Yeah. And

Ken Connors  26:18  
I tell people to, because I've gone through it a couple of times over 40 years that you know, it's it's, it's, it's getting, like any hit by a bus and you don't expect it and you have to sort of bounce back. And when you least expected someone comes knocking on your door and offers you a job. How's

Matt Cundill  26:32  
Montreal radio different than any other market in Canada?

Ken Connors  26:37  
Was Montreal radio different from any other? Well, yeah, we're unique here. We have our own set of problems in this province. I always I always defend the city, from people who've gone and moved away. You know, a lot of us have still stayed here at our home setting. The Metro radio is unique, you know, we we have a certain bond with the Francophone community as well. I don't think there's another market in Canada, she's just not sure how to explain it. She's got a certain genetic why you allow me that phrase?

Matt Cundill  27:12  
What are you going to miss the most about radio?

Ken Connors  27:16  
The fact that you know, when something happens, you can't wait to get on the air to talk about it. You know, that outlet? I think they'll miss that most the most. You know, I was telling someone the other day, I don't think there was ever a day where I didn't want to go into work. You know, you're a little under the weather you're in a bad mood. But I never never not want to go into work or didn't look forward to the show you put that in you know, is you put the essential put the headphones on crack them like the adrenaline starts to rush and you're off and running. I'll miss that. I'll miss that little charge.

Matt Cundill  27:49  
I didn't know you played golf.

Ken Connors  27:50  
I when I turned 40 Both my wife and I decided we were spending much too much time in the malls. And so we took up golf around the corner from our house, there was a golf course. Right? So we took it up and we love it. We're not best golfers, but we just love the outdoors. Love the game. Together. We travel together on vacations. It's been a real enjoyment. I

Matt Cundill  28:17  
feel like something I should know, is what Marina did for work. I know. I've heard that she's retired now. But what did she do? Out

Ken Connors  28:25  
of McGill. She landed a job at IBM and she was a project manager there for close to four years. We lived on nun's island together for a while and bought a house here in scelera.

Matt Cundill  28:37  
Remember that I remember your place in nun's Island.

Ken Connors  28:40  
And yeah, it was yeah, i we i enjoyed living on this island. I mean, it's, it was, you know, it's a five minute drive into town. But we want to be closer to my mom who was living in Celeron eating so we bought a house and sailor, wonderful.

Matt Cundill  28:56  
Are you nervous at all about the time? Are you going to just have too much to do? Because everybody I talked to who's retired, like I'm busier than ever. Are you planning on being busier than ever? Are you worried that you're gonna have too much time on your hands? No, I'm

Ken Connors  29:08  
gonna find like, just find a middle ground there. I don't think I'll be I'll be very busy. But I'm just going to have it's going to take a nice and easy I mean, I'm going to get involved in I think a couple of different things that keep me busy. We're going to travel a lot. Yeah. Looking forward to that. And, you know, I'm still, I'm still gonna do a little bit of honor work over the next year or two at CJD, just to fill in ease into retirement.

Matt Cundill  29:32  
I think that's great, because it's like, oh, Ken is retiring, but he's still going to be around which is perfect, right?

Ken Connors  29:38  
Yeah. Well, yeah, probably. They always say you know, you need to find something that you you can focus on once you retire and it's something you enjoy. Well, that you can do every now and then and so it was staring us right under your nose. Well, I like being on the air. So I came to the room where I like fill in every now and then just to stick my toe back in the water. I think travel

Matt Cundill  29:57  
destinations. Oh funny. Yeah, well,

Ken Connors  30:00  
we got a we. My wife's brother lives in California he has for about 20 years now in Long Beach and so we, a lot of computers go to Florida, we got to go to California. And we discovered Palm Springs. We love the desert. We love it there and it's a great place to golf. It's a two hour drive outside of LA Ah,

Matt Cundill  30:20  
well, we have a direct flight to Palm Springs from Winnipeg.

Ken Connors  30:24  
I know. I know. Well, that's that's the thing that we when we golf and we get paired up with people, nine times out of 10. They're Canadians that you'd love. You'd love it in Palm Springs, because the casinos are full of what they call the heritage music acts, you know? Oh, yeah, yeah. Yeah. Like, hey, if you want, you know, Richard Marx is playing at the casino tonight. Anyone who was from the 80s or 90s?

Matt Cundill  30:47  
Well, yeah, you can get sticks with front with lacing or gallon. That's right. Absolutely. I know what's happening. But it's most of the Hard Rock X people with long hair, who we used to champion on show him in the early 90s are now playing in the casinos. They've got no hair, but half the members that they had before.

Ken Connors  31:08  
Yeah, absolutely. There's always someone to see they gotta they gotta they got a lot of talent there. So we're planning a trip to Portugal. What else Argentina is on my wife's list. We might even tackle a trip to Japan

Matt Cundill  31:23  
can it's good to know that you're that you're retiring but you're still going to be around the radio and you're not completely leaving it and we'll always be able to give you a lesson on CJD when you're filling in and whatnot so I guess correct congratulations are in order because most of the time I start the shows with where you pushed or did you jump it's nice to know that this is on your own volition.

Ken Connors  31:46  
Yeah, that's that's come up a lot for people who have reached out in the the response from the listeners or my colleagues has been overwhelming. One common thread that keeps coming up. You know, it's great to see a better leave on your own turn to something always want this year.

Matt Cundill  32:02  
Thanks so much for doing this. Can I appreciate it? Oh, Matt,

Ken Connors  32:05  
you're welcome. Great to talk to you. Great to see you. Thanks for the invitation.

Tara Sands (Voiceover)  32:08  
The sound off podcast is written and hosted by Matt Cundill produced by Evan Surminski edited by Chloe Emond-Lane, social media by Aidan Glassey, another great creation from the sound off media company, there's always more of sound off podcast.com