Get your late night twang fix at the Friday Nite Truck Stop! Old stuff, new stuff, everything in between!
Tonight
with Ray Harris
Tonight's theme: ROCKABILLY RULES!!! Gene Vincent gone 54 years! Happy dead guy b-day Eddie Cochran! Cool Canadian rockabilly! Remembering Bill Haley! + New Tami Neilson! New Slo' Tom! & More!
Midnight tonight The Deep Blue
đ źđ.đ ľđ ¸đ ˝đ ¸đđđ ´đđ ° is on tonight, guiding you through the after-hours. The lights are low, the streets hum, and somewhere between neon reflections and cigarette smoke, the rhythm keeps us awake.
Tonightâs mix slides through the sleek edges of...
More >
7:00 am Saturday Saturday Morning
Ramble with Teresa this morning for an autumnal meander through music.
12:00 pm Saturday Back 40
Legendary bluegrass singer Larry Sparks (Ralph Stanley) showcases his brand new release for Rebel Records âWay Back Whenâ, featuring some new, old and gospel songs.
N.B. Next week Al Surmachynski hosts Week 1 Funding Drive
1:00 pm Saturday The Groove
PAUL OLDER, AYYBO, THE ORB, SHABI, JKRIV
5:30 pm Saturday Spirit Of Vietnam
Community announcements, last week news related to human rights in Vietnam (DLSN), and story behind some famous autumn love songs (SBS).
8:00 pm Saturday Heavy Friends
2025 In Memoriam (Part 1). Heavy Ben pays respects to the departed in this "no styles barred" series with music from the 1950s to today.
4:00 pm Sunday Inside Jazz
On the next edition of INSIDE JAZZ the focus is on the pianist Tommy Flanagan in the trio format. In the first hour Jim presents TRINITY, recorded in 1975. In the second hour Ron plays SPEAK LOW recorded in 1981. Two trios featuring the piano of...
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8:00 pm Sunday Roots and Rhythms
Charlie Parker was one of the most influential Jazz musicians ever.
9:00 pm Sunday Black And Blues
"Talkin' Heavy" - a special birthday review of blues, R&B, and soul on shows over the last year - D.K. Harrell, Irma Thomas, Charlie Musselwhite, Carolyn Wonderland and many others. In the first hour from profiles. And in the second hour "new and...
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12:30 pm Monday Nothing To See Hear
Blooz Tunes
2:00 pm Monday Daydream Frequencies
Celebrating 1 YEAR on CKCU! âââ(ËśË áľ ËËś)ââžâž
What's This?
12:00 pm Tuesday What's This?
My Pronouns are: Rawk & Roll
3:30 pm Tuesday Stranger Songs
The theme on the October 21 edition of Stranger Songs with Mike Regenstreif is Songs Iâve Heard Missy Burgess Sing.
9:00 pm Wednesday In A Mellow Tone
Interpretations of Thelonious Monk, including an interview with Dayna Stephens about his new release, an homage to Monk.
11:00 pm Wednesday Rabble Without A Cause
All new releases show
6:00 pm Thursday Third World Players Present
Celebrating Chile, part 6 - a commemoration held in 2003 at Rasputin's cafe in Ottawa.
Midnight tonight The Deep Blue
đ źđ.đ ľđ ¸đ ˝đ ¸đđđ ´đđ ° is on tonight, guiding you through the after-hours. The lights are low, the streets hum, and somewhere between neon reflections and cigarette smoke, the rhythm keeps us awake.
Tonightâs mix slides through the sleek edges of...
More >
7:00 am Saturday Saturday Morning
Ramble with Teresa this morning for an autumnal meander through music.
For nearly 50 years, CKCU has been powered by the energy and commitment of its volunteers. Were you one of them?
If you’ve ever contributed to our sound, you might be interested to know that CKCU is about to celebrate its 50th anniversary.
CKCU first hit the airwaves on November 15, 1975 (fun facts: the first song broadcast was Joni Mitchellâs âYou Turn Me On, Iâm A Radioâ and the Arts Tower was lit up with a giant â93.1â, signalling the arrival of a new alternative voice for the community).
Planning for a 50th Anniversary Reunion Weekend is already under way. The organizers hope to invite all past and present CKCU volunteers to celebrate together, November 14-16, 2025. But to invite everyone, we first have to find everyone.
If you volunteered at CKCU â ever â and want to learn more about the 50th Anniversary Weekend and other anniversary projects (There will be a book! There will be music!), write to Bruce White at alumni@ckcufm.com. Heâll add you to his email list for updates.
Septemberâs Live Off The Floor session is with rappers dannydukess and HUG MOSH, and their thoughtfully crafted, clever and conscious songs. They took the opportunity to shift their approach to presenting their music in our smaller studio setting.Â
Happy National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. On this day, Sept 30th we honour the children who were lost to the residential school system, the Survivors and their families. Let us all commit to continued learning, reflection, and action toward reconciliation. For this day and surrounding days, several CKCU Programs will highlight music and information about Indigenous issues and artists including: Stranger Songs, Coast To Coast, Alan Surmachynski and others to be announced, stay tuned/keep it locked to the Mighty 93.1FM.
It is with great sadness we announce that Joseph Alphonse AndrĂŠ, host of Renaissance HaĂŻtienne has passed after a courageous battle with cancer. Joseph Alphonse was the main and mostly sole host of Renaissance since 1999 and was even involved with the program PrĂŠsence HaĂŻtienne for a short while, which preceded the two current alternating Sunday shows. Renaissance and Rendez-Vous HaĂŻtien. His contributions to CKCU and his dedication to informing and connecting the local community will be greatly missed. Dr. Roger Adam Saint-Fleur did a lovely tribute to Alphonse on the last Renaissance.
CKCU Board of Trustees is pleased to announce the arrival of a new Station Director, Lia Kiessling.
CKCU-FM welcomes new Station Director Lia Kiessling
Lia holds a bachelorâs degree in journalism from Carleton University and is a longtime listener and supporter of CKCU FM. After 17 years in Switzerland working in communications, advocacy and membership roles at the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF), the Internet Society and MSC Cruises, she is back in her hometown of Ottawa to join the CKCU community.
Lia brings decades of experience managing large teams of volunteers and overseeing complex budgets. With a long-standing passion for grassroots media, Lia is thrilled to be returning to a field that aligns so closely with her values.
âLia also brings extensive fundraising expertise,â says Corrie Rabbe, Chair of the CKCU Board of Trustees. âThe Board was especially impressed by her transparent, collaborative leadership style and her clear, inspiring vision for CKCUâs future. Weâre confident in her ability to lead the station effectively and to navigate the challenges of todayâs rapidly evolving media and economic landscape.â
âIâm thrilled to be joining CKCU â the community radio station I grew up listening to,â said Lia. âFor 50 years, CKCU has been at the heart of Ottawa, supporting local people to be active in their community and have a voice in the media. Iâm deeply grateful to the Board for their trust and Iâm honoured to help carry that legacy forward.â
âItâs been a true privilege to serve as CKCUâs Interim Station Director,â said Anne-Marie, who has been involved in local community radio for nearly 25 years. âI leave with a full heart and immense pride, having met â and even exceeded â our fundraising goals in both 2023 and 2024. Together with our incredible staff and devoted volunteers, we reconnected CKCU with the community â from event tables to live broadcasts â and even relaunched the CKCU Kids Summer Radio Camp, a joyful mix of chaos, laughter, and learning. Iâm confident that with Lia Kiessling now leading the way, the station is in excellent hands.â
As the leadership torch passes from the Interim Station Director to a permanent one, Corrie Rabbe shared, âOn behalf of the CKCU Board, staff, and volunteers, I want to extend our heartfelt appreciation to Anne-Marie BrĂźgger, who stepped into the role in 2023, and led the station with outstanding professionalism, dedication, and integrity. Having restored a strong sense of purpose and excitement at CKCU, she leaves the organization on solid financial and operational footing. We are sincerely grateful for her efforts in raising the profile of our community radio station and strengthening its future.â
CKCU’s Live Off The Floor session for June feature sets by DJs Lamb Fatale and Fembottt. They share some of their current favorite music selections and encompass a range of moods doing so.Â
We’re very excited to share a new CKCU FM project we’ve been working on âplease welcome Live Off The Floor! This monthly series revolves around connecting with music, music makers, and the music community of the Ottawa area and beyond. Artists are invited to CKCU’s Studio B for an intimate live set that’s filmed in one take. Each month, we will be releasing new sessions of the series on the station’s YouTube channel for you to watch and enjoy. For the launch and first installment, we invited three of Ottawa’s finest DJs to the studio to kick things off with gusto and beats! Don’t miss outâcheck it out, and give the CKCU channel a follow while you’re there so you don’t miss out on upcoming new Live Off The Floor sessions!
After two amazing years on the air, we bid a heartfelt farewell to Riley Murphy, co-host of CKCU FMâs Thursday Special Blend. In the summer of 2021, Riley joined us from Georgetown, Ontario, bringing with her the curiosity, creativity, and compassion that define a great journalist âand a great co-host.
Riley Murphy hosting Thursday Special Blend on CKCU FM.
A student of Carleton Universityâs School of Journalism, Riley balanced her academic workload and volunteering her time and talent to community radio. Whether diving into local stories, sharing music, or guiding thoughtful interviews, she brought a bright energy and professionalism to the studio that made every Thursday morning better. Listeners could also hear her lending her voice to MidDay, the School of Journalism radio program. In a standout moment, Riley represented both CKCU FM and her Carleton peers, as a host of the 2024 World Radio Day live broadcast, done from Ottawa in February. The broadcast was a proud reminder of her skills, poise, and passion for community media on the world stage.
Riley’s final show on CKCU FM airs April 24, 2025, as she hosts her last Thursday Special Blend. Though we will miss her behind the mic and at CKCU, we know her future is full of promise.
Congratulations on your graduation and all you have accomplished in the past few years, Riley! Thank you for making CKCU FM such a significant part of your journey. You have given countless hours and brightened the 93.1 FM airwaves on Thursday mornings with much success. You learned with us and grew immensely. We canât wait to see where your storytelling takes you next.
As we celebrate 25 years of Asian Sounds, I find myself reflecting on my journey with CKCU, which began in the late ’70s when I was a journalism student at Carleton University. At the time, CKCU served as a training ground for journalism students, offering a hands-on experience that was both exciting and transformative. I fell in love with radio and its power to inform, connect, and inspire.
My journey in broadcasting started with producing radio shows for Dr. Dehejiaâs Indian Morning. His knowledge and engaging presentations sparked my passion for radio, leading me to explore opportunities in Singapore and India. Radio was in my bloodâmy aunt was a producer and anchor at All India Radio, and together, we produced a drama in Pushto. That experience was both challenging and rewarding, as I wasnât fluent in the language, but it was a memorable and enriching endeavor.
Fast forward to the mid-’80s, I returned to CKCU, picking up where I had left off. Volunteering for the Tuesday show, I received immense support and encouragement from the community. A few years later, I set out to create my own programâAsian Sounds. My initial vision was to move away from traditional Bollywood music and focus on a talk-show format. However, listener feedback made it clear that music was an essential part of the experience, so we adapted, finding a balance between engaging discussions and a rich musical selection.
Jagjeet and Surinder Sharma, hosts of Asian Sounds
Over these 25 years, my husband, our children, Meenakshi and Tejeshwar (TJ) and I have had the privilege of meeting a diverse array of peopleâfrom jazz musicians to Indian celebrities visiting Canada, and young talents eager to share their artistry. The community has always embraced Asian Sounds, whether to promote events or simply experience the thrill of being on air. We often invited guests to co-host, providing a platform for many emerging voices.
Beyond entertainment, Asian Sounds has remained committed to supporting the community, actively participating in fundraising efforts for mainstream charities such as the Cancer Society, Diabetes Canada, and the Heart Institute. Whenever the community needed a voice, we were there.
As we mark this milestone, I am deeply grateful for the journey, the friendships, and the unwavering support that have made Asian Sounds what it is today. Here’s to many more years of sharing stories, music, and connections.
HEY KIDS! WANT TO TAKE OVER THE AIRWAVES AND EXPLORE THE WORLD OF RADIO?!?
Have you ever wondered about the world of radio and what goes on behind the scenes during live broadcasts? Do you think it would be cool to interview guests, create a radio ad, learn about audio recording and use special effects, or host a live radio show?
Kids, ages 10 – 14, can spend a week at CKCU Radio Camp this summer and get to do all these things! You can learn the skills and secrets of the world of radio using professional broadcast equipment to record and create your very own content. But that’s not all! In addition to learning audio recording and editing skills, and developing your radio skills, CKCU Radio Camp attendees host a live two hour radio show on the final day of camp! Read more.
Radio Camp has been a huge success! Listen to the Radio Campers amazing programs here.
Oct 17 Rainbow Bistro
Oct 17 Irene's Pub
Oct 18 Glebe Halloween Village
Oct 18 US. Embassy
Oct 18 National Arts Centre - Southam Hall
Oct 18 Dominion Tavern
Oct 18 House Of TARG
Oct 19 Motel Chelsea
Oct 21 Avant-Garde Bar
Oct 23-26 La Fab Sur Mill Arts Centre
Oct 24 - Nov 9 NideyinĂ n
Oct 24 The Record Centre
Oct 24 Carleton-Dominion Chalmers Centre, after party Woodside Hall
Oct 24 Irene's Pub
Oct 25 Dominion Tavern
Oct 25 House Of TARG
Oct 26 Club SAW
Oct 26 Dominion Tavern
Oct 31 - Nov 8 Studio Cimetière & Gavan's Hotel
Oct 31 Beyond The Pale - City Centre
Nov 1 House Of TARG
Nov 2 Red Bird Live
Nov 4 House Of TARG
Nov 6 House Of TARG
Nov 8 The Lafayette
Nov 8 Red Bird Live
Nov 13 House Of TARG
Nov 14-16 CKCU-FM 93.1, 1st & 5th Floors, NideyinĂ n
Nov 15 Rainbow Bistro
Nov 16 Bronson Centre Music Theatre
Nov 21 Club SAW
Nov 28 Club SAW
Nov 29 Atomic Rooster