Honky Tonk Queen, The REAL MeI've been a part of the living world since 1968, sometime during that
summer. My parents, Roger & May, did the very best they could, especially
since I was their first trial at parenthood. According to my father (a.k.a.
Bad Dad), they discovered that regular eating times were crucial to their
sanity. If my meal was so much as 2 minutes late, all hell broke loose,
and I would scream bloody murder. This is one of the many stories they
hold against me, and successfully repeat in order to embarrass me.
My ancestral heritage and culture are Acadian, which would account for my French-speaking background, my down-home attitude, and my love for Country & Western music. The Acadian history is quite interesting, but very lengthy. I have finally found a few sites that explains it well, and you can check them out here. The short version is that I am related to, but not quite a part of, the Cajuns in Louisiana.
So, for the last time, I AM NOT FROM ANY SOUTHERN STATE IN THE U.S.A.
In 1986, I graduated from high school, Polyvalente Mathieu-Martin, in Dieppe. Then I attended the Universite de Moncton for 2 1/2 years, in Political Science. When I left, I had lost direction in life, as well as motivation. I went from job to job, unhappy about my situation. I worked in a bowling center for about 2 years, which let my then-boyfriend and I plan our wedding. Shortly after I married, I found work with a union as a telephone operator. Later that year, a friend married, and while at the wedding reception, I met someone who worked as a radio D.J. Before the night was out, I finally had found my direction in a career. It took more than a year before I managed to attend Community College, but once there, I learned the craft I had been seeking most of my life. This was a turning point in my life, in both my musical tastes and my career. For the first time in a long time, I was open to French music, something I really enjoy, and something I don't listen to, unfortunately, very much any more. After I graduated, I found work in a music store for a few months. This job was the single event that brought me back to Country & Western music. Garth Brooks's The Hits CD was the best album I had heard since I had turned my back on that kind of music, about a decade before. All of a sudden, I couldn't get enough of this type of music. I still like Adult Contemporary rock, but Country & Western rules my musical tastes, once again.
Soon after the New Year of '95, I began my radio career as an Advertising Director at a very cool station, CHMA-FM, at Mount Allison University, in Sackville, New Brunswick. Long may they live, and continue their often unappreciated and misunderstood work. When the students left for the summer, I finally had the opportunity to go on-air. I hosted a morning show, called Honky Tonk Attitude. Campus stations are not known for playing Mainstream music, but I ruined that theory. For the next 6 months, I really enjoyed that show. It was my first real experience to the world of radio.
In November, my (now ex) husband and I decided to venture into the unknown. I knew if I were going to make a name for myself in radio, I needed experience, and heading West was the best way to do that. We packed our belongings in a Ryder truck and headed West, to BC. I kept a journal of our trip, and I typed it up for family members to read. Follow the diesel vapour trails to that letter.
After a few months of canvassing and begging for work, I finally landed my first commercial job at AV 1240, in a little city named Port Alberni, on Vancouver Island. However, due to automation, I didn't have the opportunity to stay there very long. To the folks in Port Alberni, 1996 will always be with me. And that's a good thing.
To all in Port Alberni who knew me, please take the time to read my message to you.
Then I worked in Campbell River, at CFWB/CJGR-FM, during the afternoons for the better part of 1997. In August of 1997, I left there because I left my ex-husband. The reasons for leaving are plentiful, but they don't really matter here.
A lot of who and what I am, you have now just read. There's more, since I am much more than the sum of my parts. If you want to know more, follow the shag carpet to my living room, and you'll have a way to get more dirt from me.
There Must Be More To Life Than This....
