CKLW Radio Exec Rosalie Trombley to Receive Juno Award

Rosalie Trombley, a former switchboard operator at the Canadian radio giant CKLW that went on to be come the station’s Music Director, will receive the Walt Grealis Special Achievement Award at the April Juno ceremony in Calgary.

In a statement, Trombley said she’s “deeply moved and honoured by the tremendous honour”.

“The girl with the golden ear” is known for helping such legends as, Gordon Lightfoot, The Guess Who, Bachman Turner Overdrive, among others get play stateside.  Meanwhile, she helped American artists – Bob Seger, KISS and Queen – to get on the top 40 charts.

She said she’s fortunate “to have played a role in such a significant era of music and proud of the exposure CKLW afforded many, now legendary and superbly talented, Canadian artists.”

Throughout her career, which got her stints in Detroit and locally, in Toronto at CKEY 590, Trombley has been honoured with a Lifetime Achievement Award by the Motor City Music Awards and even has an award named after her. The Rosalie Trombley Award is given to women who have made a mark in broadcasting, presented during Canadian Music Week.

Bob Seger immortalized Trombley in his 1973 tune, “Rosalie”... “She’s got the tower/she’s got the power/Rosalie.”

Seger penned the track in frustration about not being able to get his songs played on the Canadian rocker, CKLW. The station never played the track, but the song did receive airplay on Detroit stations, as well other CHR stations as far away as Idaho.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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