1994 Builder Inductee 

Ray Callahan

(1928 - 1975)

      Ray Callahan was born in Ottawa, into a family of fourteen.  He spent nineteen years as a fire-fighter and then, with a little prodding from his family, gave it all up to take a chance on his first love, “radio”. 

    CJET radio station in Smiths Falls was happy to have him start with them, and he followed that job with a stint at CKPM Ottawa.  His ultimate dream came true when Ted Daigle asked him to join CKBY, Ottawa’s country music station.  Ray’s deep voice, his sense of humour and his charisma attracted many fans and made him one of ‘BY’s most popular DJs.

     Ray’s love of country music led him to form Ramblin’ Roads Bus Tours, and literally thousands of people have wonderful memories of many trips to Nashville, Tennessee and Wheeling, West Virginia.  This was Ray’s way of promoting country music, and he was assisted by a number of local musicians and others who acted as coordinators on the various buses and kept the music and laughter flowing.  Ray was always very proud of the talent in the Ottawa Valley.

     Ray and his wife, Pat, were blessed with two lovely daughters, Sam and Kim, and two stepsons, Chris and Ted.  Sadly, Ray died of lung cancer on September 26, 1975, at the age of 47.