Roger Dey – He isn’t just another voice, he is a force of nature

BY SIMONE J. SMITH

Close your eyes for a moment. Imagine a voice that resonates not just in your ears, but deep within your soul. A voice that vibrates with energy, with passion, with unwavering conviction. A voice that commands attention not through volume, but through sheer presence.

There’s no shortage of noise in the world, but genuine voices? They’re a rare commodity. Voices that cut through the clutter, that offer a fresh take, that challenge the status quo. Voices that make you think, that make you feel, that make you listen. That type of voice belongs to our Classic Man. In a world of echoes, he creates a symphony. He understands that a powerful voice is more than just sound; it’s a conduit for ideas, for emotions, for connection.

Radio still holds a unique charm in the era of streaming and on-demand content. The voices behind our favorite radio shows have the power to: influence, entertain, and inspire. Who wants to listen to a boring person? The last thing anyone wants to hear on the radio is a dull personality. Instead, they should paint pictures with words to captivate their audience.

“I was influenced by these cartoon characters, and that was when I started imitating their voices.”

This isn’t just another voice on the airwaves – this is a force of nature. This edition’s Classic Man doesn’t just talk at you, he connects with you. He takes the mundane and makes it magnificent. He ignites your imagination with a perspective you won’t find anywhere else. Forget the beige, forget the bland, forget everything you thought you knew about radio.

For over 30 years our Classic Man has experienced life in radio as: a Production Manager, Music Director, Staff Announcer, Copywriter, Imaging and swing swift announcer at various Toronto radio area radio stations including: G98.7 FM, Power 88.5 FM, Energy 108/Dance108 FM, CHIN AM and FM, CKO and CKLN 88.1FM.

He is the voice for at least 10 other terrestrial radio stations in the: US, UK, Africa and the Caribbean. From booming bass drops that ignite the dancefloor to the smooth, resonant voice that commands the airwaves, he is the sonic architect for a global audience. Bridging continents from Canada to the Caribbean, the US to the UK, and across Africa, his voice defines the sound of a generation. We are proud to present to you, the one and only Roger Dey.

Roger Dey was born in Trinidad and came to Canada when he was three years old. Although he was brought up in a Trinidadian household, and was largely Trinidadian cultured, he shared with me that there were not a lot of Trinidadians in Toronto at that time. So, instead, he did all the traditional Canadian kid things, including watching Saturday rising cartoons.

“For a lot of kids growing up, you had your Saturday morning cartoons,” Roger shares. “All of these great cartoons were on. I was influenced by these cartoon characters, and that was when I started imitating their voices. I had also started listening to the radio at that time. I was about eight years old, but I knew I wanted to get into radio.”

“My family was very traditional, meaning my dad was out working, and my mom was at home with us. She noticed that there was something unique about me; what she saw was my childlike creativity. One day I brought home a project, and she was like ‘Wow! One day you could be an architect!’”

Low and behold, he tried it. He attempted to go into the world of architecture, but just wasn’t for him.

“I went to Humber and did a three-year program, and right out of college, I got a job in radio at CKO. I moved on to CKLN, and this was where I started to develop my chops on air.”

“I remember it like it was yesterday. SocaCalypso Sounds was my first show. I had a show there on Friday nights for 10 years. Now, I was working at CKO, and CKLN, and I was offered a show on CHIN Radio. I went over and started volunteering, and that is when I started voicing ads, and producing, as well as covering shows from time to time. This was between 1988 -1992.”

“During that time, I got a call from FM 108 in Burlington. I was like sure, I will come for an interview, and I got the job. The show was called “Daytime Light, Rhythm at Night. “It eventually became Dance 108, and then Energy 108. I now was the producer of commercials and doing voice overs there. I worked there for seven years, and then I moved on.”

Roger paid his dues in the radio world, making his rounds across Ontario. Then, it was time to really establish himself.

“In 1998 Roger Dey Productions was born. That was my business for a little while. In 2008, 2009 G98.7 was born, and I got the call. I was hired as the music director. I had recorded a series of demos during their test broadcast, and when it was time to launch, I had to make adjustments to the music content due to Canadian regulations. There was a lot of politics, and I did my best when I was there.”

“CRTC really was dragging their feet. You have no idea how perfect the timing was to bring something new and fresh to Toronto. The timing was perfect. We needed it in Toronto; why were they not playing our music? It was extremely frustrating.”

“2012 was the last time I worked at a radio station, and here I am doing what I love. I am the voice for CIBC Caribbean. I am the voice of 96.1 We FM (Trinidad), and you can hear me in: Dominica, Bahamas, Jamaica, and Irie FM in Bermuda.”

“There is just something about doing what you love that makes work easy, and this is why after all these years, I am still very invested in creating content, providing my voice as a service to the Caribbean diaspora.”