Thursday, August 10th, 2017
CALGARY, AB – Two members of Calgary’s most successful Morning Radio show, Don, Joanne & the Coach on XL 103, are hanging up their headphones for good.
As December will mark 25 years of Don, Joanne & the Coach being on the air as a trio, it also seems fitting that their last show together will be the same month it all started. After their show on December 8th, Don Stevens and Joanne Johnson will be retiring. The pair announced their plans during the 23rd annual Golf-A-Kid to Camp golf tournament on Thursday, August 10th.
“I am honoured simply by being welcomed into the homes and lives of our listeners for so long. They have been so good to us and made us part of their routine,” said Don Stevens. “And their generosity has helped us do some amazing things.”
In their 23 years of Golf-A-Kid to Camp golf tournaments they have helped raise over three-million dollars towards the Kids Cancer Care, for many years they have helped keep Calgary’s food banks stocked with their annual Stuff-A-Bus campaign, and they have built up a long list of local and national awards for their work. The phrase “Don, Joanne & The Coach” has become synonymous with Calgary.
“While I’m excited to start this new chapter in my life, it won’t be easy to say goodbye to our amazing listeners,” said Joanne Johnson. “Over the years, on so many occasions, the people of Calgary have amazed me. Through booms and busts, floods and fires, this city always comes together. We’ve been so lucky to share in it.”
“Hey, what about me?” asked Coach. “I’m not retiring. I’m not nearly as old as them.”
With Don & Joanne both retiring, two very large pairs of shoes are left to be filled. Coach will have more to share on what will happen with the XL 103 Morning Show in the coming months, but for now is the time to remember the many great things that Don & Joanne have done for our city… before they start golfing even more.
Thank you Don & Joanne for 25 great years of waking up Canada’s greatest city!
Don Stevens a legend…Calgary’s gonna miss him. An amazing career from Edmonton to Vancouver to Calgary. I started listening to him in the seventies. Good ol Saskatoon guy done well. I met Joanne once in Saskatoon when she still worked at 66 CFR. Nice lady who will also be missed. I wish them both well and will treasure their air-checks.
Worked with Joanne at 66CFR in Calgary. One of the nicest people I have ever known let alone worked with. Enjoy your retirement squash. Or was it pumpkin? Sorry, inside joke.