'So long for now'

Two former Sault residents have shared their recollections of Stuart McLean, the popular CBC radio host who passed away Feb. 15.

McLean, 68, died after a battle with skin cancer.

A master storyteller, McLean hosted CBC’s 'The Vinyl Cafe' — the show’s stories revolving around the character of Dave, a second-hand record store owner, his wife, their two children, friends and neighbours.

The Vinyl Cafe also appeared in book form and as a touring show, appearing before live audiences across Canada.

“It was Christmas 2003, when I was 16, that I first appreciated Stuart McLean and the Vinyl Cafe for the first time,” wrote Sault native Devon Clark in an email to SooToday.

“I subscribed to the Vinyl Cafe podcast online and every week, whether I caught the show on the radio or not, I was able to catch up and hear the latest stories of Dave and Morley and their kids, Sam and Stephanie.” 

“Birthday and Christmas gifts started to be books and CDs by Stuart McLean and when reading aloud from them to others (one of my favourite things to do, especially around Christmas) I would do everything I could to properly intone Stuart's voice. His use of dramatic pauses, over enunciation, and characteristic voice were what made the stories so wonderful,” Clark wrote.

Clark, who now lives and works as an electrical engineer in Nova Scotia, first met McLean at a Vinyl Cafe show at the Kiwanis Community Theatre Centre in 2010.

“In June of that year I was to move to Cape Breton Island to begin my career. Knowing that Stuart's main character, Dave, was from Big Narrows, Cape Breton - a fictional town - I asked Stuart how to get there. As he signed my new CD he wrote, "The best way to find Big Narrows is by listening at noon on Sunday to CBC!"

At another Vinyl Cafe show in Nova Scotia, Clark recalls “during one of his stories he mentioned meeting a hitch-hiker who was making his way around the Cabot Trail and had come all the way from Ontario.”

“He began his journey in Sault Ste. Marie on a Saturday, Stuart began.” 

“I couldn't help but let out a ‘Woo!’ before I realized that I was the only person in that theatre from the Sault.”

“Weeks later, when listening to that episode on the radio, if you cranked the volume to the top you could hear a ‘Woo!’ come through on the audio. This may have been my only time on national radio!” Clark wrote.

“I was able to see Stuart twice more…before he announced the abrupt end of his Christmas tour due to the desire to focus on cancer treatment right away. That show in Halifax (in 2015) was the largest concert he had ever done and the only one to take place in an arena to the best of my knowledge.  After thanking his crew and production team he would always shout out, ‘now go home to your families! So long for now!’” 

“Even in that last concert, it was never ‘goodbye.’ Just ‘so long for now.’” 

“So long, Stuart. So long,” Clark wrote.

Clark’s sister Julia Nyaga, a missionary who lives and works in Kenya, wrote “I never had the pleasure of meeting Stuart personally, or even going to one of his live shows. I've just been an avid fan for years, reading his books and listening to the Vinyl Cafe either on the radio or in podcast version.”

“Our family really loves him, and usually listens to a story or two of his when we're together. So even though I have no personal memories of him, I feel like he's an old friend from all these years, probably 15, of hearing his voice…he meant a lot to me, even from a distance.”