BOB BURNS
August 21, 1934 - October 25, 2010
Peacefully on Monday, October 25, 2010, at
the Health Sciences Centre, Bob Burns
passed away at the age of 76.
He is survived by his wife Idola, his
brother Donald, son George, son Richard,
daughter Lisa (Kevin) and son Damian
(Hannah) as well as grandchildren
Jennifer, Samantha (Jeremy), Noelle,
Olivia, Abigail, Elijah, Bridgit, Lauren
and Eric.
In keeping with Bob's wishes, cremation
and a private service have taken place. In
lieu of flowers, donations can be made to
CancerCare Manitoba or Heart and Stroke
Foundation.
May the music live on.
As
published in Winnipeg Free Press on
October 30, 2010
In the early 1950s, Burns entertained as
house emcee and vocalist at Rancho Don
Carlos in Winnipeg. In 1955, he left for
Timmins, Ontario and a position as junior
announcer at CKGB Radio. After being there
for four years, he moved on to Thunder Bay
as program director at CFTA Radio. In
1960, on hearing about a new television
station coming to Winnipeg, he wrote a
letter to CJAY-TV’s new general manager
Jack Davidson, got an interview with Stew
MacPherson, and was hired as a staff
announcer.
He hosted the popular show “Teen Dance
Party” on CJAY-TV from the early 1960s
until its final episode in August 1968.
“The most important part of the show was
the kids”, said Burns. “Their love of
music and their desire to have a good
time”. Cheerfully calling himself
Manitoba’s oldest “rocky rolly,” he was
always delighted to share his memories of
music and artists from the 1950s, ‘60s and
‘70s.
When The Beatles flew into Winnipeg in
1964 for a brief stopover on their way to
a concert engagement in the USA,
29-year-old Burns was on the scene,
interviewing each member of the band for
CJAY-TV. Also in the 1960s, he was the
Canadian Record Music Association’s
representative for Manitoba and
Saskatchewan, with the goal of arranging
as many recording contracts as possible.
Back then, the CRMA produced the Junos as
well.
Much of his career was dedicated to
helping young, local performers and
writers launch their careers. He produced
“Shakin’ All Over” for Chad Allen and the
Expressions, and was the manager/producer
for The Guess Who in their early years.
Winnipeg’s Murphy sisters formed a group
called Sugar and Spice, and Burns produced
their hit “The Cruel War”. Local performer
Joey Gregorash was on his list as well.
After his “Teen Dance Party” years, Burns
produced the television show “Young As You
Are”, then became program director at CKY
FM in the mid 1970s. In 1978, Videon’s Sid
Boiling asked him to put together a
company to help local talent in the
performing arts and sciences – doing full
recording sessions and marketing them. It
was a successful venture. Burn’s next
challenge from Boiling was to start up a
television station at Kenora, Ontario. He
remained deeply involved in the performing
arts and, by the mid-1980s, he had
returned to Winnipeg. Throughout his final
years, he shared his favorite music over
the airwaves on CJNU 107.9 FM.
His last gig on stage was at the Winnipeg
Super Oldies Rock and Roll Reunion in
September 2009, where he shared the emcee
duties with other local DJs from past
decades. That night, he was able to
reconnect for one final time with the
grateful musicians and aging fans who were
once “his kids.”
By Wendy Hart for the Manitoba
Historical Society Archives
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