Jonesy’s passion for mixtapes harkens back to the cassette era. She loved compiling collections for friends, or having them introduce her to a new artist. Jonesy never dreamed of playing mixtapes over the radio until coming to Cortes Island.
A Remote Island Off The West Coast
“We’re on this little remote island off the West Coast and, through the radio, we get a chance to connect with people world wide,” says Jonesy. Prior to 2003, Jonesy had been a middle school teacher in Winnipeg.
Her partner, Monica, initiated the move after attending a course at Hollyhock. She knew this was something Jonesy must do and, without asking, signed her up for the Spring Term.
Jonesy describes her first experience of Cortes as just like “coming home.”
She and Monica quit their jobs and sold their house in Winnipeg.
Sample podcast:
Playing Mixtapes Over The Radio
They started listening to Cortes Community Radio.
Monica told Jonesy, “This is something you should get involved with.”
This idea did not come to fruition until after Jonesy became a teacher at Cortes Island Elementary. Around 2008, she and a couple of friends took turns producing a show called “Still Thinking.” This led to Jonesy’s embarking on a show of her own the following year.
She explained, “Mixtapes gave me permission to put together an eclectic mix of whatever I enjoyed listening to.”
Her Inspiration
“If I’m listening to a song that I haven’t heard before and I like it, I try to find a collection of songs I can build around that one song. It can be about the weather; …current events; … how i’m feeling at the time. It can turn into a music therapy session. Sometimes I get ideas from listeners.”
“This is a great way to connect with people.”
“It is so much fun when someone calls in to the radio and requests a certain song, or says, ‘I love what you were playing’ or ‘who was that you were playing?’ … Feeling like you might have added to someone’s day, whether it lifts them up or reminds them of another time, or connects them with a new artist they resonate with. I have a regular Powell River listener who calls up just about every show, sometimes several times during a show.”
When Jonesy could not attend a recent family gathering in Ottawa, she connected with them through the radio. Jonesy chose songs she knew her family enjoyed. They responded through social media and by phone.
Listening to the Radio
Jonesy has always been surrounded by radio. Listening to the CBC brings childhood associations. In Winnipeg, she listened to Paul Simon, Queen and Dr. Demento on AM radio.
Now she also listens to Cortes Community Radio:
“I really like ‘Anything Goes’ on Saturday and I do enjoy Greg’s [Osoba] show, the [Lunchtime] Locomotion, on Fridays. And I’ve started listening to Jeremy’s show on Friday afternoons. It was my sound track to grooming the dog the other day. It was awesome. He plays these quirky jazz fusion songs that I really enjoy.”
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CKTZ’s Podcasts
Listen to Mixtapes on Cortes Community Radio, Thursdays: 4:00 PM, repeats Saturdays at 3 PM
