Dauphin radio personality championed local musicians

The news of Bruce Leperre’s death this week felt like listening to the last track on a favourite album — the ending was inevitable, but the silence still came as a surprise.

For decades, he was the familiar voice on CKDM in Dauphin whose enthusiasm was genuine and infectious. He talked about music in a way that made you feel it.

But in recent years, his voice grew quieter; the stories of artists he met or mentored were harder to recall. And in 2018, at the age of 57, Leperre was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s. Even as the disease progressed and made conversations harder, his eyes lit up when he heard a familiar song or saw a familiar face.

Leperre died on Tuesday in Ste. Rose General Hospital from complications related to Alzheimer’s. He was 65.

There is no shortage of stories about the impact he made on the bands, fans and festival-goers he met.

As music and program director of the radio station, he used his platform to promote unknown talent and touted Canadian artists before it was fashionably patriotic.

For many artists, hearing their song on CKDM for the first time was a milestone. For others, his encouragement helped them believe they could make a life in music.

For Chris Thorsteinson and Dave Wasyliw of country act Doc Walker, Leperre was “a trusted ear to bounce new ideas off of.”

“Bruce was an early champion of ours. He made us feel ‘seen’ — like we weren’t just spinning our tires, playing six nights a week in smoky bars across Canada. It was an invaluable confidence and morale booster that helped propel us on to bigger and better things,” they posted in a tribute on social media.

Before the accolades and tributes, before the festival stages and industry awards, there was simply a young broadcaster with an ear for great music.

After graduating from Toronto’s National Institute of Broadcasting in 1979, Leperre returned home to begin his career at CKDM. In the years that followed, he hosted weekly roots and alt-country shows, wrote about music for the Free Press and Ottawa’s Country Music News, and earned a reputation for spotting rising stars long before the rest of the industry caught on.

He supported local art and culture, and shared his knowledge enthusiasm as freely as he would offer a cold one to anyone eager to hear his stories.

If a concert was within driving distance, he was there — arriving on his motorcycle, blending in with fans yet instantly recognizable, especially at Dauphin’s Countryfest.

The festival remembered him on its Facebook page this week: “He knew every artist that walked our stage, and he knew every band that should hit our stage. He was a huge asset to our festival as well as our community. Dauphin’s Countryfest is what it is because of people like Bruce. His passion for music, his support of up-and-coming talent, and his presence in this industry will never be forgotten.”

“I met Bruce probably close to 30 years ago at Countryfest. He was such a character. He knew every band that played that year,” says friend Jennifer Berube. “Every year, I would look for him and get his picks on the best shows to watch. And he was always right.”

That kind of presence stayed with him throughout his life.

In 2023, his sister, Diantha Miller, organized Bruce-a-Palooza, a daylong musical tribute at the Watson Art Centre in Dauphin that was part retirement celebration and part fundraiser to help cover costs for his care not met by the health-care system. It brought together dozens of performers and many friends — a testament to how deeply connected he was to the music community.

A lifelong fan, he inherited his passion from his parents. The family would often pile into the car and drive to Winnipeg to see legends perform, such as Dolly Parton, Charlie Pride and Johnny Cash. He even had his Cash ticket tattooed on his arm as a permanent keepsake of the night.

That same passion that carried him from tiny bars to full arenas was recognized by his peers in the industry. He received multiple honours, including the Canadian Country Music Association’s Music Director of the Year and On-Air Personality of the Year awards, as well as the Manitoba Country Music Association’s Radio Personality of the Year.

In 2021, he achieved the MCMA’s highest honour and was inducted into their Hall of Fame.

But his legacy is more than the playlists he curated or awards he collected. It’s in the community he helped grow, the fans who became friends and the countless musicians who got their start because he believed in them.

arts@freepress.mb.ca