Yesterday, Rob Duckworth hosted a radio show on one of Kevin Blyton’s stations, Canberra’s 2CA.
He found out about the passing of his old mate and Capital Radio Network founder just prior to his shift.
Gutted by the news, Rob tells Radio Today “It was one of the toughest shows I’ve had to navigate in my long career on air.”
“Kev and I were good buddies at Max Rowley’s Radio School. After our evening classes he and I would head to Maccas and dissect the night including impressions of other students. SORRY.”
Kevin landed a job at 2XL in Cooma. Rob drove him there the weekend before he was due to start, getting him acquainted with his new and spartan surrounds.
“It was a tiny flat and all he had was a suitcase and a pillow and blanket,” Rob remembers.
“A couple of months later I too grabbed a suitcase, pillow and blanket to start my radio journey at 2LF in Young and we sort of went our separate ways for decades.”
By the age of just nineteen, Kevin not only worked at 2XL, he owned it.
“It’s been an honour to have worked for him periodically over the last decade or so,” said Duckworth. “A wonderful guy and I’ll miss him incredibly.”
News of Kevin’s death has evoked many similar fond memories and generated a tidal wave of industry tributes.
Former 2XL Program Director Marc McCreadie remembers Kevin as a true radio person who loved the medium and was genuinely excited by it.
“He was good enough to give me a job three times during my radio career and I’ll always be grateful for that.”
A favourite memory for Marc was Kevin’s generosity to young announcers who were rostered on to work over Christmas and would miss seeing their families.
“He invited us to dinner at his place and then proceeded to screen a movie via a massive projector beamed onto the side of his house.”
While seasoned radio announcer Cathy Dinn describes Kevin Blyton as a visionary.
“There was truly no-one in the industry quite like Kevin.”