Nostalgia is a powerful experience. A story makes a song better. Knowing something about the artist, their life, and their passions makes you really understand what the song’s purpose is, and a personal connection to a song is even more impactful. A song that brings you back to the past and gives you that hit of nostalgia is a thing that cannot be replicated. Memories slip away more easily than I’d like them to, but the right song can cause those memories to materialize as if you were experiencing them again.
Just about every day, I find myself in the passenger seat of my dad’s truck asking him: “Who sings this?” “Do you know this song?” as I flip through radio stations. These sound like simple questions that would have brief answers, but I get a full story every time.
My dad can tell me just about anything about the artists of the songs he listened to in high school and all about the rock-star 80s culture. I get to experience Led Zeppelin, Pearl Jam, AC/DC, Bon Jovi, and a ton of other classic artists and timeless hits with a story from my dad. When we flip the station to CFIS and the Beneath the Grooves radio show comes on, my dad has story after story. When Way Back Radio comes on, my dad gets the same experience that I get hearing 70s and 80s music: the experience of listening to the music his parents grew up on and going all the way back to some of the first songs he listened to while growing up.
Authenticity is hard to come by. It’s overrun all too often by what’s most popular or what’s most convenient. Too many music platforms try to cater to a certain audience or play music more suited to listeners who prefer a modern touch. Right now, most people listen to the same playlist every day on their phone and miss out on the culture and community that music has to offer.
CFIS-FM is a genuinely authentic radio station. Turn it on and listen for just 10 minutes, and whatever songs or radio shows play will send you back in time. I have to wonder why so many radio stations avoid playing older music when the 60s through 90s were such a revolutionary period for music. Artists were trying new things, music became more than an industry, and some of the greatest songs ever were produced and performed. That’s genuine authenticity.
The production of songs during this time changed music not only through the songs themselves but also through culture. That’s what music is: culture. Music isn’t an app that you play on your phone. It’s an experience to be shared between a passionate artist and people who find meaning and insight in their songs.
Prince George has retained musical culture, its main lifeline being local radio stations and the dedicated, hardworking people who run them. Coldsnap Radio, hosted by Gerry Dombrowski on CFIS, is a radio show that brings local artists from Prince George into the spotlight by sharing their music on the CFIS radio station. Gerry also shares insights on the artists’ lives and music, and interviews and live performances are featured for an extra boost of connection to the artist. Coldsnap Radio and the local artists involved bring back musical culture and highlight the diversity, creativity, and passion that is so important to recognize, as it connects Prince George citizens and gives us a place to immerse ourselves in our very own local musical culture. Homegrown is another radio show from CFIS featuring music and interviews from local artists that has covered over 30 years of musical talent. A classic 90s touch to our local music and radio shows adds that nostalgic feeling. Our Prince George culture has grown with its music, and this growth displays the hard work and dedication of Prince George’s talented musicians and, of course, the hosts of radio shows like Homegrown and Coldsnap Radio, who have captivated listeners for decades with their dedication and passion for supporting local artists and sharing their stories.
I encourage you to take that trip down memory lane and enjoy some timeless hits from CFIS. Connecting to your local community and connecting with your past truly reconnects you with yourself. Rediscovering some of your favorite songs and artists that you haven’t heard in a while and being able to share that experience with other Prince George citizens is a nostalgic feeling that is truly an authentic experience. I firmly believe music should be an experience rather than a convenience. Instead of using your phone to listen to music, I advise that you take advantage of the opportunity to engage with other locals, immerse yourself in a nostalgic experience, and listen to the passion that CFIS-FM offers.
