Tom Roden: Radio Royalty

Tom Roden, the host and producer of “What’s Next” on CHLY 101.7 FM, shares insights on maintaining an active lifestyle and achieving longevity.

At 93 years old, Tom, an online business pioneer, emphasizes the significance of family, close friendships, and humour. As a recovered cancer survivor, he attributes his positive outlook to his daily appreciation of life.

Born in Ireland in 1931, then emigrating to Canada in 1954, Tom started off at Canadian Westinghouse in Winnipeg, Manitoba as a television technician; a new exciting technology at that time.

He met and fell in love with 18-year-old Yvonne in 1957 in Regina, Saskatchewan. She had been raised by supportive parents and enjoyed happy childhood memories.

Following their marriage on October 10, 1959, they welcomed five children while residing in Regina. Subsequently, seizing a new career opportunity, the couple relocated to British Columbia. Their final child was born in Kelowna before they moved to an oceanside property in Yellow Point, Vancouver Island.

Eventually, they settled in an oceanfront neighborhood in Nanaimo. Yvonne managed the household as Tom pursued his career with London Life and later Beltone.

Tom ended up working a 25-year stint with Motorola before retiring at the age of 62. After raising their family, Yvonne embarked on a career with two appraisal firms, remaining with the same employer for over 35 years.

Asked about the past decades spent with Tom, wife and radio co-producer Yvonne says, “I just love having a family like we have. It’s been the best thing in my life. He’s the most generous, wonderful person that I could ever have met. I’m very fortunate. He’s a wonderful father.”

Tom was the local golf club president and the dedicated couple has spent time together traveling as golf captains, into the USA and even globally. According to Tom, the couple’s secret to a long happy marriage is their love for one another.

Because he was ambidextrous, he was chosen at 11 years old by his teacher to play the French horn and the trumpet in his brass and reed band.

Since then, his “secret to life” and his love for music has never stopped.

Tom began collecting records at age 16. As a radio show host Tom is still an avid vinyl collector with over 25,000 records.

Encouraged and persuaded by his best friend, the late Gordon Theedom, Tom Roden started radio broadcasting at age 79. Gordon had been broadcasting at CHLY (Radio Malaspina) and had been the number one Nanaimo radio broadcaster at Nanaimo’s first radio station in 1948, CHUB.

Gord and Tom first met in 1969 collecting vinyl together at the local Goodwill store. Tom has now been on the air at CHLY for 14 years.

“I started on May 3rd, 2010. I was just new on the air. I was so open to it and to many different things. My programs were very different back then than they are now. I’ve somehow got into a groove.”

Indeed, Tom has enjoyed creating over 250 radio podcast shows, over 750 “What’s Next” radio programs, programming occasionally for the local Nanaimo Songsters. He loves to play early jazz music and finds seniors a receptive audience. His yearly Irish extravaganza special on St. Patrick’s Day is always a hit.

“All my life I have been a fatalist, that things are planned out for you. Your whole life is as it begins,” says Tom. “I was destined to become a programmer with Radio Malaspina.”

Tom features all music styles on his radio program including the greats from early jazz like Coleman Hawkins, to obscure country curiosities. Tom is a Benny Goodman, Harry James, Billie Holiday, and Ella Fitzgerald fan.

His shows feature the finest opera virtuosos like Luciano Pavarotti and Placido Domingo, and he loves to highlight the great jazz and contemporary vocal artists.

Tom is known for his eclectic approach and rare one-of-a-kind vintage records, made even more potent with his gripping radio stories in the fine art and skilled tradition of the historic Irish storyteller.

Before the days of radio and television, he explains, there was the art of story.

Tom once had the pleasure of meeting the great Lester Young. He was introduced to the great saxophonist by his favourite chanteuse, Sarah Vaughan, in 1957. He had even convinced Sarah to autograph six of her own rare records for him as a collector.

“She said to me, ‘Before we start the second show, would you like to meet Lester?’ I said, ‘Are you kidding me?’ ‘Yeah, he’s out there on the stage right now waiting for the curtain to open.’ I went out and Lester was standing on the stage behind the garden with his saxophone. She introduced me to him. And that was another of the great thrills of my life,” says Tom, the vinyl collector and jazz aficionado.

Tom has met some significant challenges. He has completely recovered from a battle with cancer that started in 1999, and he’s a recent stroke survivor. Focus on a positive attitude has been his biggest secret weapon in coping with life’s obstacles.

“Even when I was diagnosed with cancer, I kept a positive mental attitude that I would be okay. Always be positive in your outlook, because things will happen that are good for you.”

In the early 1990s and post-retirement, Tom was an online business pioneer on Gem with his business, Roden’s Rare Records. For seven years, he sold records online all over the world to Japan, Europe, the United States, and of course in Canada.

About to celebrate his 65th marriage anniversary, the 93-year-old producer enjoys the accomplishments of his wonderful family and says that his greatest accomplishment has been being a good father.

“I think both Yvonne and I are most grateful to God for the fact that everything has gone so well for years. We now have 11 grandchildren, six great-grandchildren, and a lot of great-granddaughters and great-grandsons. Our kids are so loving towards each other and so loving towards the world and to their own kids. Those qualities we see [also] in our grandkids and our great-grandkids. We see the effect that Yvonne had on our family to start out with. It carries on down through the generations. We’ve been blessed.”

Tom is known for assisting the disabled and the vulnerable at non-profit organizations such as Nanaimo Citizens Advocacy, the Recycling Exchange, and the United Way.

“Being able to find ways to help others will definitely be my priority. Because no matter how much time you spend helping others, it’s still not enough. I’ve always had a feeling that when you’re helping somebody who needs help, it’s the best thing you can be doing.”

You may bump into Tom scouting the thrift shops and stores of Nanaimo vinyl-hunting, or out with Yvonne for a fine meal.

Better yet, catch him on the radio airwaves on Mondays at 11 am at CHLY 101.7 FM in Nanaimo, BC on “What’s Next”.