Long, lively career for Mustard

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This article was published 16/10/2017 (2938 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

If anyone wants a pump organ, Laurie Mustard can help you.

Mustard, 69, who’s lived in Headingley since 1986, said he loves to rescue unappreciated antiques and find new owners for them. He has a second pump organ and a player piano that he also collected and incorporated into his décor.

“I love rescuing old stuff that’s going to end up in the dump and preserving stuff,” he said.

Mustard has come across old vehicles that he’s moved onto his property and either restored himself or passed on to someone who can restore them. One of his finds, a 1959 Buick is sitting behind his house.

“I found it in a farmer’s field near Fisher Branch,” he said. “It’s an iconic car. My brother had one.”

He also collects books published between the mid-1800s to about 1970, which he refers to for information and inspiration for public speaking engagements.

As well as rescuing antique furniture and cars, Mustard is passionate about animal rights and saving animals. He lives his passion as he has two dogs and four cats, one of whom is Buddy, a feral cat that Mustard gradually tamed enough to get him neutered and bring him into his home.

He’s proud of a column he wrote that helped raise $10,000 to support a local no-kill animal shelter.

Mustard now writes a weekly column in the Homes section of the Winnipeg Free Press’ Saturday edition. He may be best known by older Manitobans as the young sidekick of long-time CJOB radio host Red Alix. The pair anchored the station’s morning show, Wake Up Winnipeg, from 1980 to 1991.

“I was brought in to raise hell,” Mustard said. “We had a great time together.”

He said he got the job in an unconventional way — bringing in an audio tape he’d made that contained his imitation of another well-known CJOB radio personality Peter Warren speaking with some on-air callers. After being hired, he basically learned on the job.

Mustard graduated from St. James Collegiate. After studying at the University of Winnipeg, he left to pursue his passions as a singer with Winnipeg band, The Eleventh Hour, and acting in local productions. After he married in 1975, he realized that he needed a job that offered a regular paycheque, hence his move into broadcasting.

“Singing in a band and acting didn’t seem like a great, permanent option,” he said.

As well as radio, Mustard has spent time in front of the camera, most notably as host of CBC-TV’s Switchback, a Sunday morning children’s show, for about five years in the 1980s.

He faced a tough decision when Alix was about to retire — should he stay with CJOB in another capacity or try something different?

“I thought about it for almost a week,” he recalled, then opted to leave the station. “I’d been there long enough.”

He had a brief stint working at Palmer Jarvis Advertising, then was hired to write a Faces and Places column for the Winnipeg Sun.

“I had to learn how to write in a creative way that was entertaining. I had to write like I talk.”

Over his 20 years at the Sun, he said he was never troubled by a lack of ideas. “I’ve written about all of my passions at one time or another.”

Mustard is on the board of Jim’s Vintage Garages in Headingley and Winnipeg’s Riverview Health Centre Foundation. He said he supports the local automotive and garages museum because of his love of classic car memorabilia. His desire to support Riverview comes from his personal experience of having a parent with dementia.

Asked who has influenced him in his career, Mustard said it was editorial commentator at CJOB and long-time journalist Eric Wells who was a mentor.

“He showed me that the media can have integrity.”

He also cites TV talk show host Johnny Carson as someone who was smart and entertaining.

Mustard has no plans of winding down his media career, but said he wants to write a book.

“I’ve been procrastinating on writing a book for about five years.”

He’d also like to revive his musical hobby and start having local musicians play in his basement.

“I am a performer, is basically what I am,” he said.

He also wants to keep supporting his favourite causes, speaking for those who don’t have a voice.

“It’s not about me; it’s about who I can help.”