Leon Cole; 1940-2019
Our good friend, Halifax-based broadcaster Leon Cole recently passed away at the age of 79 with his loving family and friends by his side. Leon
left an indelible impression upon a generation of Canadian radio lovers as the
long-time host of CBC’s premier classical music program RSVP.
Later, and with help from his wife Jacqui Good, he collected his on-air experiences,
along with letters from listeners, into a warm and wonderful anthology called Dear RSVP.
In 2012, he shared some of his thoughts with Arts East. Today, we are rerunning
that piece in honour of "The Piano Man" and all of those who knew him.
What attracted you to radio in the first place? When I was growing up in Halifax, radio was a very important part of my life. TV wasn't even an option until I was 15. So, the family gathered around the radio on Sunday evenings listening to shows like Our Miss Brooks and Amos and Andy. I avidly tuned into late night baseball games in my bedroom. That interest in sports led to…
What attracted you to radio in the first place? When I was growing up in Halifax, radio was a very important part of my life. TV wasn't even an option until I was 15. So, the family gathered around the radio on Sunday evenings listening to shows like Our Miss Brooks and Amos and Andy. I avidly tuned into late night baseball games in my bedroom. That interest in sports led to…
