He not only played the music, he shaped it
Nevin Grant influenced musical tastes in the city and throughout Canada
Hamilton broadcast legend Nevin Grant has died hardly two weeks before he would have received the coveted Allan Waters Lifetime Achievement Award for his contribution to radio.
Grant, 80, who was a great shaping force of the medium — and of musical tastes in general, not just in Hamilton, but nationally —was scheduled to receive the honour at the Canadian Broadcast Industry Hall of Fame induction ceremony scheduled for May 21. The ceremony was cancelled, of course, due to the pandemic.
Grant knew in December that he had been chosen for the award and that he was also being inducted into the broadcast industry’s Hall of Fame. He died on Wednesday, May 6, following a long illness.
He was music director of CKOC from 1968 until his retirement in 2003 and was nick- named ‘The Hitmaker’ as he was widely recognized as one of the best and most intuitive music programmers in the country. An avid record collector since the 1950s (15,000 45 RPM singles and that’s not counting LPs), Grant lived and breathed popular music.
He adapted to changing times and, in some ways, steered the changes.
He was instrumental in the great success and popularity of Hamilton punk band Teenage Head in the late 1970s.
“Nevin was a real gentleman, and there’s not a band or musician in this town who doesn’t have a story about him,” says
Faye Therrien Grasley, of Hamilton’s music community.
“He took them under his wing and guided them. Nevin was the first one to promote and play their songs. Canadian radio wouldn’t be what it is today without what he did, pushing and promoting Canadian music. He put on shows and concerts and was an integral part of the Hamilton music scene for many years. Nevin knew more about music than anyone I know. He never bragged or boasted.
“Nevin and Heather (Grant’s widow) opened their hearts and home to everyone. He will be missed by thousands upon thousands.”
His passion and depth of knowledge stood him in good stead when it came to breaking new hits and putting his finger on what would be the latest and greatest in developing pop music.
He graduated in radio and television arts from Toronto’s Ryerson University, and started at CKOC in 1966 as a copywriter, quickly rising through the ranks to became creative director, music director, assistant program director and then program director.
Grant helped bring along many broadcasters who went on to illustrious radio careers — DJs such as Roger Ashby, Ronald J. Morey, Gord James, Dave Charles, Brent Sleighthom, Bob Steele, Mike Jaycock and Bob Bratina.
The 2020 Canadian Music and Broadcast Industry Awards had been scheduled for May 21, at the Bluma Appel Theatre (St. Lawrence Centre for the Arts) in Toronto.
Neill Dixon, president of Canadian Music Week and producer of the awards, had said, on the announcement of Grant winning the award, “There’s a personal connection here. He always had time for the ‘record guys’ dropping off vinyl 45s to the station including myself as newbie RCA rep. back in the day.”