Music Is my medicine
Sonny Joe stands in front of his extensive vinyl collection which he uses for his radio show at K103.7. (Credit: Simona Rosenfield)
Story told by: Sonny Joe Cross
I went to the back door of K103 radio station at 10 o’clock one night. I had a Hank Williams record with me and asked, “Could I pay you $10 to play two or three songs?”
I knew it wouldn’t be allowed if I had asked at the main entrance. They would think I’m crazy. So I bribed them all - everyone except the manager.
Soon the manager got calls from people saying, “Gee, you got a nice program.” It was funny but I got nervous. I didn’t know what to do.
The manager had no idea. Next thing you know I was there every day of the week. The people loved it.
I struggled growing up and into my later years. After going through residential school, I was drinking and fighting. You know, terrible things.
I was about 37 years old when I decided to put the bottle away, and all the nonsense. The only thing that saved my life was the music. That along with my wife and three daughters - they supported me the whole time. I was more satisfied playing my music instead of spending time at the bars, you know?
Plaque awarded to Sonny Joe for his 10-year dedication to K103.7 for his show, “Memory Lane”, in 2001. (Credit: Emma McLaughlin)
When I came back from New York, I had 10,000 LPs. It was around the time people were giving up vinyls. It never cost me a cent out of my pocket.
When I started at K103, every Sunday, 50 people would call me and request different songs. They were so nice, all the people. They would tell me, “Sonny Jo, don’t get sick and stay healthy so that you can continue playing music for us.”
So I recorded all their favorite records, everything the people would want. I even had the CFCF come to my house and took a picture of me and all my records.
I had stopped playing music at the radio station in 2014 because of my knee operation. Now I record from home and put it on a cassette and reel it on Sundays. I’m thankful they let me do that because I love to play music and I do it all for free. I believe in doing things from the heart, not from the wallet.
Last October 2023, it was 33 years that I’ve been on the radio. I just love it. All the music I play is mine, not the station’s.
I loved when the listeners would tell me, “I never heard of that.” A lot of the music I played wasn’t played in Canada those times, so it made my program even better.
Today I own about 40,000 LPs. They’re everywhere around my house.
What can I say? That’s what I love.
Kanienʼkéha version
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Kanienʼkéha version ↓
Karén:na' wakitsèn:tha'
Courtesy: Sonny Joe Cross
Sonny Joe Cross ROKÁ:RATON
Énska shiwahsontá:te' oié:ri shitiohwistà:'e ohnà:ken tsi tkahnhokà:ronte' ne K103 tsi thatirihowanáhtha' niewakenónhne'. Hank Williams waterennahéhrha' khá:wahkwe' tánon' wa'keri'wanón:ton', "Aón:ton' ken oié:ri nikahwístake akwakária'khse' ne tekarén:nake tóka' ni' áhsen nikarén:nake aiesewarennà:ren'?"
Wakaterièn:tarahkwe' tsi iah thahonathontá:ton tóka' ohén:ton tsi tkahnhokà:ronte' iaonkwé:nonke'. Enhón:nehre' tsi tekanonhwarawénrie'.
Akwé:kon káti' takhehwistake'tóthahse'' - nek tsi iah ne thoniarotáhrhon.
Iah tekarì:wes sok onkwehshòn:'a iahonwatewennátahse' ne thoniarotáhrhon rón:ton, "Ótsta', karenní:io's sewarennahéhrha'." Iosteristòn:ne' nek tsi wa'tewakehnhíhseron'. Iah tewakaterièn:tarahkwe' oh nátiere'.
Iah ni' nè:'e tehoterièn:tare' ne thoniarotáhrhon. Thó:ne thia'tewenhniserá:ke tsi niiahià:khseres eh tho ítke'skwe'. Kwah tokèn:'en tsi wahonon'wéskwen' ne onkwehshòn:'a.
Tewakatatiénhton shontonkwatehiahróntie' tánon' shontontién:ta'ne'. Tsi ó:nen wakaterihwaienstákwen tsi iontientáhkhwa' ionterihwaienstáhkhwa' wakhnekihrèn:ne' tánon' katerí:ioskwe'. Iorihwatshà:ni's ki' wáhi.
Áhsen niwáhsen tsá:ta tóka' shitewátien' shia'tewakerihwaién:ta'se' akathnekátka'we', tánon' akátka'we' ne tho nikarihò:ten's. Karén:na' khók wake'niakénhton tsi kónhnhe'. Nok ò:ni' tiakenì:teron' tánon' ne áhsen nikón:ti kheien'okòn:'a - onónha taionkhswanéta' norihwakwé:kon. Sénha ki' onkerien'tí:io' tsi wakerennà:ren' akerenna'shòn:'a né:ne iá:we' tsi tiohswen'karèn:ton akatenhniseraká:ionhste' ki' wáhi.
Sonny Joe demonstrates one of the numerous honours given to him for his volunteer work at K103.7. (Credit: Simona Rosenfield)
Kanón:no sha'tontá:ke', oié:ri niiohsénhserote' LPs watién:tahkwe'. Ákta ne tho shontakahá:wi onkwehshòn:'a iakotka'wenhátiene' ne waterennahéhrha'. Iah nonwén:ton tha'teiotonhontsohòn:ne' akkária'ke'.
Shontakatáhsawen' ne K103 tsi thatirihowanáhtha', tsi ní:kon enwentatokénhta'ne', wísk niwáhsen niiá:kon entionkwatewennátahse' tánon' enieri'wanón:ton' ne thikarennaténion akerennahrónnion'. Akwé:kon tiakorihwaié:ri ne onkwehshòn:'a. Enionkhró:ri', "Sonny Jo, tóhsa ki' sanonhwákten tánon' sata'karí:tek oh naiá:wen'ne' iahsatahsónteren' ahskwarennahéhrhahse'."
Wa'kerennarahstánion' ká:ti' akwé:kon naonhà:'a thatirennanòn:we's, akwé:kon tsi nahò:ten' ón:kwe teniakotonhóntsohse'. Akwé:kon ne CFCF tsi tewakenónhsote' thonenónhne' tánon' wa'ontià:taren' nì:'i tánon' wahatí:rahste' akwé:kon akerenna'shòn:'a waterennahéhrha'.
Tékeni tewen'niáwe kaié:ri iawén:re shiiohserá:te' wakatorishén:tahkwe' tsi kerennahéhrha' tsi thatirihowanáhtha' ase'kénh wa'onkkwitshà:rene'. Ok nòn:wa tsi tewakenónhsote' kerennaráhstha' tánon' ka'nheksotáhrhon enkéta' sok Awentatokenhtì:ke enkerennà:ren'. Wakerien'tí:io's tsi ionkerihwá:wi ne tho nátiere' nè:'e tsi ísi' nón: niwakon'wéskwani akerennà:ren' tánon' iah thé:nen tekena'tónhkhwa'. Tewakehtáhkwen akwerià:ne naontá:we' tsi néntiere', iah ne tsi khwistaráhkhwa'.
Tewáhsen tewen'niáwe tewáhsen áhsen shiiohserá:te' Kenténha shiwenhni'tò:ten áhsen niwáhsen áhsen niiohserá:ke wa'tkohserí:ia'ke' tsi owerà:ke watió'te'. Akwah nek wakon'wéskwani. Akwé:kon ní: akerenna'shòn:'a tsi ní:kon enkerennà:ren', iah tsi thatirihowanátha'.
Wakon'weskwaníhahkwe' nó:nen ne iakotahónhsate' enionkhró:ri', "Iah nonwén:ton nè:'e tewakerennahrón:ken." É:so karén:nake wa'kerennà:ren' ne Koráhne iah tehatirennahéhrhahkwe' ne tho shontakahá:wi, ne káti' sénha wa'kaiánerenhste' tsi kerennahéhrha'.
Nòn:wa ka'k nón: ákta kaié:ri niwáhsen niiohsénhserote' LPs niwátien'. Kanonhsakwé:kon nitkakè:ron.
Oh nahò:ten' akì:ron'? Né: ki' kenorónhkhwa'.
Translated by: Sahawisó:ko’ Arquette