Year Born: 1923
Year Died: 2013
Year of Induction: 2005
Pioneer – Member of CAB Hall of Fame
Miller-Day, Peggy (1923-2013)
Peggy Miller’s introduction to the world of radio occurred early in 1945 in Edmonton when she became a receptionist and telephone operator at CJCA . Within a few short weeks, she was surprised to find that listeners would phone the station with all manner of strange queries. One day, for her own amusement, she expressed her amazement in a rhyme she wrote. Unbeknownst to her, someone sent it to Dick Lewis, proprietor of the trade magazine “The Canadian Broadcaster”. He published it. Fate took over.
CJCA management, recognizing that they had within their midst a budding if not a gifted creative talent, moved Peggy from Reception to the Continuity Department, and she soon was writing scripts for programs and commercials for sponsors. It wasn’t much later that she was appointed Continuity Editor. That opened the door to Manager of Commercial Production, and Community Liaison. In the latter capacity, Peggy worked on CJCA’s behalf with a number of community organizations – promoting their good causes, and even, for several of them, sitting on committees.
All the while, Peggy was becoming recognized among her associates at CJCA as a lyric writer. Comic ditties were created for any special occasion around the station. Her unique creativity reached the ears of Harold Carson at the head office of Taylor, Pearson and Carson Limited in Calgary, at a time when he was planning his annual meeting with his radio station managers from across Canada. He asked her to create an “after dinner show” that would entertain his executives. This involved Peggy researching the careers of the attending broadcasters for “send-up” material.
Later, she found herself involved in writing and directing similar “after banquet” shows at Western Association of Broadcasters’ conventions, and at general meetings of the Canadian Associations of Broadcasters. Two of her regular “star performers” were Dalt Elton (CJOC/CJCA/CKWX) and George Brown (CJOC/ CFAC), both accomplished singers, with several appearances by Bill Walker(CKRM/CKRC), Orv Kope (CHAT), Alden Diehl (CJCA/CKLG) and Conrad Lavigne, the popular radio/TV entrepreneur of Northern Ontario. Harry Boon (CJVI/CJCA/CKWX) was usually in charge of music. Of all of the broadcasting-oriented lyrics that Peggy composed, the best known was “Up Your B.B.M.”.
Apart from broadcasting, Peggy wrote the lyrics for the Eskimo Football Club’s “Fight Song” which continued to be sung at all home games. She was also asked to come up with words for a football song for the B.C. Lions, which she did – “Roar Lions, Roar”. Both were recorded by Canadian Talent Library, along with other CFL songs.
In 1968, while continuing her involvement with the WAB and the CAB, Peggy moved to CKWX in Vancouver as Manager of Station Promotion. Even after retirement with her husband, Louis Day, in Edmonton, her relationship with the broadcasting industry continued well into the 90s.
In 1998, Peggy Miller-Day helped to found the Edmonton Broadcasters Club and chaired the coordinating committee. Semi-annual get-togethers were begun to give long-time broadcasters an opportunity to renew acquaintanceships with colleagues and friends, and to make new ones. By 2004, the club could boast of having over 100 members. 2005 saw the year that the club established its own website -(www.edmontonbroadcastersclub.ca)
In 1964, Peggy was named by the Western Association of Broadcasters their First Lady Honorary Lifetime Member.
Peggy Miller-Day was inducted into the Canadian Association of Broadcasters’ Hall of Fame in 2005. She died on October 5th 2013, at the age of 89.
Written by Lyman Potts
Updated by Pip Wedge – October, 2013