By Red Robinson
March 9th, 2015
Fearless Freddie Signs Off
Years ago when I was Program Director at C-FUN someone asked me about Fred Latremouille. My response was “Once in a lifetime someone comes along with great talent, great looks and an all round professional who could do just about everything. But why did he have to come along in my lifetime?” It was a joke because Fred and I were friends and I could get away with it.
Read More: HERE
Red includes a classic aircheck of Fred on CFUN during the 70’s.
Thanks Red. That’s also a great aircheck of Fred. I remember the song by Songbird was out in about 73/74? Looking at the the CFUN Good Guys photo, I recognize Fred and Brian ‘Frosty’ Forest top two on right, and Red with the late Tom Peacock. Not sure of the two jocks on the top left. Anyone?
Top from left to right is Ed Kargl, Al Jordan, Fred, Frosty
bottom, Red and Tom Peacock
It was John Skelly, owner of CKYL in Peace River, who gave Fred his first break. John always felt he’d caught lightning in a bottle as, even at age 16, Fred seemed destined for great things. He also knew (correctly) that Fred would soon decamp for bigger markets.
Interestingly, a few years later, John also hired Wayne Cox at CHNL Kamloops. Wayne, too, quickly moved on to Vancouver where he became one of Fred’s closest friends.
Amid the understandable mourning over the loss of this broadcasting great, we should also be thankful that we got to enjoy Fred for so many years after his gruelling bout with cancer back in the ’70s.
I was a music journalist back then and, at least in my circle, there was great concern that Fred would succumb from his illness. He persevered and, buoyed by the unflinching support of CHUM Radio management, returned to the airwaves on, I believe, CFUN and then its sister FM station. I understand he also contacted other media folk suffering from cancer to boost their spirits.