REGINA, Sask. — Gloria Evans, a longtime broadcaster, community advocate and radio lifer, will be inducted into the Saskatchewan Association of Broadcasters Hall of Fame on Oct. 7.
Evans was raised on a farm near Findlater, Sask., just off Highway 11 between Regina and Saskatoon. Farm life instilled a strong work ethic and an authentic, down-to-earth rural perspective that would later define her radio persona.
Her fascination with broadcasting started early, from DJing school dances at Lumsden High School (where she earned the nickname ‘Ace Frehley’) to staying up late listening to distant signals like Minneapolis-St. Paul’s KSTP.
She initially aspired to become a recording engineer but abandoned the idea when she realized it required advanced chemistry. She completed her broadcasting studies in Regina and officially launched her career on May 10, 1986, at 620 CKCK Radio in Regina.
For four decades, Evans has been the voice waking up listeners, steering them through their commutes, and rallying support for local causes across Saskatchewan and Alberta. As Brad Bazin, Harvard Media’s VP of programming and brand strategy said, the submission Cindy Michel presented to the SAB committee, “reads as a textbook on how on-air talent, and everyone, can help their community grow.”
What Evans is most proud of is the longevity, sticking with it even when the fit wasn’t perfect, as well as the quieter contributions such as mentoring young announcers, introducing new people around the station so they don’t stay in a “safety bubble,” helping put people at ease, and being part of the community.
“They don’t sound like big things but they’re the little things that are just there, in the background,” said Evans.
On-air hijinks and the Alberta years
In the early 1990s, Evans moved west to Alberta and over the next 19 years honed her craft at stations in Calgary, Lethbridge, High River, Taber, Stettler, Red Deer and Lacombe.
During her time in Alberta, Evans proved that great radio required a willingness to be a little spontaneous — and a lot wacky. From delivering grilled-cheese sandwiches toasted in the office kitchen to staging surprise on-air moments, including hiding in a listener’s shower, Evans built an unforgettable connection with her audience.
The chemistry of Saskatchewan roots
Evans’ pairing with co-host Troy Schaab, better known by his on-air handle Troy Stevens, became legendary across Central Alberta. The secret to their chemistry was simple. It was mutual respect, shared rural roots, and an absence of ego.
“Our chemistry was immediate,” said Schaab on Aug. 31. “We always found it amusing that Red Deer's rock station hired two Saskatchewan farm kids to host their morning show. Gloria was raised outside of Findlater, and I grew up on a grain farm south of Unity. We had a similar upbringing, and I think we did a pretty good job of having those memories resonate throughout our show.”
What listeners heard wasn’t a performance but an authentic friendship.
“We laughed a lot on the air but laughed even more when the microphones were turned off,” said Schaab. “We were just really good friends who enjoyed being around each other.”
That friendship allowed for a spontaneity that defined their era, before the rise of social media influencers. Their radio personalities were the connection between communities in Central Alberta and its people. From breaking news during local emergencies, such as mobilizing community support during a major accident in January 2011 that left Jason Lunn a quadriplegic, to telling a husband, live on air, to turn his car around and go home because his wife was going into labour, Evans was present for the defining moments of her listeners’ lives.
“Troy was a one-in-a-million to work with,” said Evans. “Troy is just very easygoing, just a good guy, and we just jived. We liked the same kind of stuff, hockey, growing up on the farm. He’s like family to me.”
Schaab says much of the show’s success came from Evans’ ability to pivot.
“When you have a personality like Gloria Evans with the ability to manage content changes on such short notice, it was a real positive attribute for the show,” he said. “However, there were also days when we arrived at the station minutes before our show started, severely sleep-deprived due to an event the night before. That was when we relied heavily on Gloria to get us through the show. I was a puddle, but she never skipped a beat.”
He described her as witty and quick.
“You knew when Gloria was on the radio. She had a very distinctive personality and the ability to make an ordinary conversation funny. There was no character for Gloria to play, she was as real as it gets.”
Schaab said Evans connected with listeners.
“Gloria strongly understood listener connection and was extremely good at it,” he said. “I believe she genuinely cared more about the people than the ratings, and that sincerity was evident in her delivery. I found it so inspiring to listen to her every morning; the way she connected was remarkable.”
What Evans brought to Central Alberta radio stations was community radio excellence, said Schaab.
“Gloria was simply the ‘Connor McDavid’ of community radio,” he said. “She was so good at it. She was also very mobile; she wouldn't hesitate to leave the studio mid-show and drive to an event she had just heard about. And it was authentic. She wasn't interested in simply turning on the microphone and talking about it — she wanted to be a part of it. It was very special to be a part of.”
Listeners grew deeply attached to Troy and Gloria. Both hosts remembered the positive connection they felt as kids listening to their own favourites (Schaab to Brent and Penny of 65 CKOM and Evans to Regina radio) and wanted to give the same feeling to their audience.
“There was rarely a day where Gloria didn't surprise me on air,” said Schaab. “Gloria was very ‘off the cuff’ at times, which made for some exciting radio. That spontaneity made Gloria special and why she was so popular in Central Alberta."
When Evans told Schaab she was returning to Saskatchewan, he first jokingly blamed the Roughriders.
But he said he understood the pull of family.
“I understood how important family was to Gloria. She came to Red Deer in 1999 and quickly became the region's most beloved radio personality. I think after a dozen years she was ready to go home. Although it was the end of a very special era for me and the entire region, I understood and I know it was a positive move for Gloria.
“When you set aside the emotions of Gloria's decision to return to Regina, it's important to remember that Regina represented a very strong career opportunity,” added Schaab. “I believe being at the legendary CKRM was a definite step up in her career. Add to that, Regina is a great radio market. I always look forward to returning home to the farm and flipping the station to hear my dear friend in the morning. She has never missed a beat.”
Returning home: 620 CKRM and Cody Glydon
In 2011, driven by a desire to spend quality time with her aging mother (who lived to be 103 and a half), Evans returned to Regina. She accepted a morning post at 620 CKRM, coming full circle to the airwaves of Saskatchewan right as the station approached its milestone history.
Returning felt seamless because she said she had been back frequently for family visits and Rider games. A welcome-back message from now the late Regina broadcaster Doug Alexander meant a lot to her. When Alexander later passed away, a request from him led her to take over Legion Remembrance Day services at the Brandt Centre.
Being back in Saskatchewan with her old call letters felt right, even as she wondered how a station was supposed to cover such a vast province.
“So far, it’s worked out pretty well,” said Evans.
At CKRM, Evans partnered with co-host Cody Glydon, creating a balanced dynamic.
Evans said Schaab and Glydon are a lot alike.
“Both Troy and Cody are like the straight guys to the edgy end of things,” she said. “What works well is I’m all over the map. I’m spur of the moment and those guys are solid.”
She said she is sure Glydon has “every in and out of a break written down.”
“But I don’t,” she added. “I can just throw stuff in there that will totally catch him off guard, and I think that is what makes it fun. It’s unexpected, and even I don’t know what I’m going to say half the time.”
Evans described Glydon as the “king of the puns and the knower of all things when it comes to elevators and his communities across Saskatchewan.”
She added that he’s an excellent communicator and lots of fun to work with.
She said she is still learning, often from Glydon, who encourages her on phone issues and TikTok while she resists cluttering her device.
Glydon described Evans as witty and unpredictable, able to turn a simple break into something memorable with a one-liner or a relatable angle.
“Those are the things that separate an announcer from a personality on the radio," he said.
Asked for specific instances of Evans making early mornings enjoyable, Glydon said there are too many.
“I’d have to go through six years of morning shows because every day she says and does something that makes going to work at an ungodly early time of the day very enjoyable.”
He said he has learned a lot from Gloria.
“She taught me that teamwork can go a long way in the community. We have hosted many events together and attend concerts, parades, fairs, and festivals together as a morning team and as friends. Her sense of adventure is infectious.”
Rider Nation and community service
Returning to CKRM also meant returning to Rider Nation. Evans has been involved with the Saskatchewan Roughriders for decades, volunteering during multiple Grey Cups, serving on parade committees, assisting with Access Television’s coverage, and supporting the pep band. She has emceed concerts and even played cymbals when needed.
Her memories of the Grey Cup stretch all the way back to 1989. She was part of the Rowdy Gang, which was pure fun. It was an off-grounds Buffalo Days/Exhibition committee group dressed as cowboys with gun belts and starter pistols, riding an old cut-down milk truck nicknamed Clyde. They handcuffed parade-watchers for short rides. They visited seniors’ homes, and carried a cooler of vodka and iced tea. They had a budget but spent a lot of their own money. The truck even made a trip to Minot, North Dakota.
She recalled broadcasting the 2013 Grey Cup Parade for Access TV with Doug Alexander, staying in the same hotel as the team after a Toronto win, and celebrating with players in the lobby. She has made recent connections with players who have become friends. Last year she and her sister drove to Winnipeg after players asked if she would be there for the game.
Evans has served with the Royal Canadian Legion, the Regina Humane Society, Souls Harbour Rescue Mission, the Salvation Army Red Kettle Campaign, the Ovarian Cancer Walk of Hope, Terry Fox Run, Kinsmen Clubs, the Regina Downtowners Optimist Club, and the Saint David’s Welsh Society. In Alberta, she served on boards for the Red Deer Youth and Volunteer Centre, the Red Deer and District Food Bank, and the Red Deer United Way, and mentored youth through Big Brothers Big Sisters. She has volunteered at parades, festivals, telethons, charity events, marathons, and fundraisers.
“Whether she’s emceeing a banquet, promoting a charity event, fundraising for a worthy cause, or simply helping spread the word, Gloria is always ready to contribute her time and energy,” her nomination reads. “Through her work at 620 CKRM, her deep roots in Rider Nation, and decades of volunteer service, she continues to make a lasting impact across Saskatchewan and beyond.”
Legacy of a ‘radio lifer’
What keeps Evans walking into the studio after 40 years is the unpredictability and the knowledge that you never know whose life you might affect.
She has attended funerals of listeners she came to know well, and the families are amazed the on-air people care.
She said she likes the people she works with. The morning team is a close bunch of long-timers who know their jobs and share a mindset.
If she could talk to a young Gloria starting out, she has some advice.
“Perhaps be a little bit more assertive and don’t be afraid to speak out because your voice does matter.”
She has been told she had no right to be in radio, once by a program director, and later from someone no longer at a station. She learned to recognize when the problem belonged to the other person.
“Another thing I would probably say, ‘just don’t be so defensive, if you’re not doing something right it's because you have to learn something all the time. You didn’t come into this job knowing everything.’”
When she learned of her Hall of Fame induction, her reaction was characteristically modest.
“I just sort of was like, ‘oh OK.’”
She said others had to point out the significance before she fully absorbed it.
Her current co-host, Cody Glydon said she deserves to be in the SAB Hall of Fame because of her commitment.
“She's committed to the community she serves by volunteering countless hours and helping out where she can. She's also committed to the listeners by going the extra mile to ensure they get their tickets, their prize, or digging up information a listener requires without hesitation."
Schaab, who spent 24 years in radio and wrote a memoir about it, said Evans represents what local radio should be.
“Gloria's impact went far beyond simply being a good radio personality,” he said. “She is a pioneer who cultivated a theory that the power of radio isn't just through a microphone, but through authentic visibility within her community. She is so good at it. I was so fortunate to sit in the same room with her morning after morning and witness the true meaning of radio. She is so deserving to have this. I am so happy for her.
“Gloria is superwoman,” he added. “She could do anything. But what a voice. Congratulations to Saskatchewan's finest radio broadcaster.”
Michel’s submission to the SAB described Evans as one of Saskatchewan's most recognized radio personalities, bringing decades of broadcasting experience, community involvement, and hometown pride to the airwaves of 620 CKRM.
“A true ‘radio lifer,’ Gloria has built her career on connecting with listeners, celebrating local stories, and championing the people and organizations that make Saskatchewan a better place,” said Michel. “She is known for her warm, authentic style, her passion for community service, and her unwavering belief that everyone can make a difference by lending a hand.”
ljoy@sasktoday.ca
