When I was a teenager in Toronto, I listened to Q-107 FM religiously. At the time, Andy Frost hosted a program entitled "Psychedelic Sunday" every Sunday afternoon. In all my years, I've never encountered anyone so knowledgeable about rock music, its history, the artists, and their times. Andy had the most brilliant, sophisticated taste, eschewing the hackneyed hits, instead digging deeper to provide his listeners with an eclectic smorgasbord of the most creative music ever written.

It was Andy who introduced me to such brilliant compositions as: Boz Scaggs, Loan Me a Dime; King Crimson, Epitaph; Barry McGuire, Eve of Destruction; Eric Burdon and War, Spill the Wine; Grand Funk Railroad, I'm Your Captain; The Ugly Ducklings, Gaslight; Jethro Tull, Thick as a Brick; and many other songs you just can't hear on the radio.

But it wasn't just the music, it was the stories and the audio clips that he seasoned his show with, including vintage clips "What we have here is... failure to communicate" from Cool Hand Luke and Jim Morrison shouting "You cannot petition the Lord with prayer!!!" Each session was like a graduate course in music and culture.

And, of course, there was that magical voice. So soothing and reassuring, so confident. Like a cool older neighbour or a big brother. I spent many a Sunday afternoon with Andy from 1985 to 1990, when I moved away from the city.

I was fortunate when I arrived in Philadelphia for my doctorate in 1990 to find myself in the care of the only other radio personality that came anywhere close to Andy Frost: WMMR's Andre Gardner. Also with a golden voice and a wealth of music knowledge, Andre was the most affable radio host I've ever encountered. He seemed to love his job and interacting with his listeners, which made him seem like family. When I returned to Philly in 2016, I was grateful to hear his ageless voice and tune selections again in the afternoon, this time on WMGK.

It saddened me when both of these giants went off the air, Andy in 2018, Andre last year. We are all poorer as a consequence of these dubious business decisions

I have these exceptional classic rock tutors to thank for my eclectic taste in music. When I wrote Song Book, my short story collection loosely inspired by classic rock songs, it occurred to me how much I am indebted to them both. I was fortunate to be able to drop off a signed copy of the book to Andre at the WMGK station, not far from my home, weeks before he signed off for the last time. Andy, wherever you are, thanks for the music!