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You may think of the gigantic Coke can, Stride Place, or the Island when you think of Portage la Prairie. Another thing that most people relate to Portage is 920 CFRY.
Today, CFRY turns 66 years old. The station was started by Digby Hughes in 1956 and broadcast from its studios in the basement of the Portage Hotel. It then became the first-ever privately owned simulcast station when broadcasts started on both 920AM and 93.1 FM in the early 90s. 93.1 separated into what is now is Country 93 in 2015. Many of the things that CFRY started with are still on the air today, like the Saturday Night Polka Party and the Sunday Request Show.
Since then, there have been several moves around the city and the station is now located on Sissons Drive, along with Mix 96, Country 93, Portageonline, and Homefield. Through all the moves and changes, the focus has always been on the community and the surrounding area.
While other types of music have been played over the years as part of special programming, country music has been the focus since day 1, making CFRY Manitoba's longest-running country music station. Other stations have been around longer, but the focus has not always been this format exclusively.
Today, we take a look back at some of the alumni and their favourite moments at the station.
Cody Buhler -"I got to meet so many cool people and talk about so many different things. I remember once we had a black belt come in the studio and he was just showing us some moves and I got to do a lot of neat things that I, otherwise, would not have been able to do."
René Jobin - "All my time on CFRY was pretty great, but some of my favorite moments would have to be hosting talent shows out in the Interlake and small communities around Manitoba."
Barry Moroz - "Obviously, the Portage Terriers winning the Centennial Cup for the first time in 1972/73 in which I had the opportunity to be the play-by-play announcer."
Rae Hathaway - "The thing I enjoyed the most sounds kind of hokey, getting up early in the morning, coming in, and telling the folks what was going on in town."
Ryan Simpson - "Being able to meet so many great people, listening to great music, and, of course, Terriers Win... Terriers win!"
Although CFRY has been around for 66 years, it would not be possible without all of the dedicated listeners that we still have today.
If you'd like to hear some nostalgia, you can listen now at 920 AM on your dial or right here. Also, you can here some old jingles below!