Bobby Gale had a burning desire to turn everyone onto music and that made his pursuit to be on air relentless.

He was a consummate music man with a smooth voice and razor sharp ears who had a personality larger than life  - and he dedicated it to championing for musicians.

Reaction to the news of the broadcaster and music industry veterans’ death was rocked with waves of sorrow as many took to social media over the weekend to mourn his loss and build upon his legacy.

Gale was travelling home to Prince Edward County early Saturday when he appeared to have car trouble and left his vehicle.  The 62-year-old was struck by a tractor-trailer on Highway 401 in Kingston and was pronounced dead at the scene.  OPP said the transport driver remained at the scene and they don’t anticipate charges will be laid.

“Bobby Gale, the legend, a friend of thousands and a personal friend for 45 years was killed last night on the highway back from a concert in Montreal,” Gale’s friend and colleague at County FM, Jim JJ Johnson wrote on Facebook Saturday breaking the tragic news.

“He was devoted to music right to the end.”

It was a love that Gale credited to the encouragement of his mother Kathleen from a young age.  She faithfully bought the latest vinyl, watched American Bandstand along with the Ed Sullivan Show and listened to The Big 8 CKLW with him in his hometown of Windsor.  

Gale carried music in his heart as he saved money he earned from his paper route to start up a high school radio station at the age of 14.  His passion for music and natural gift to entertain dazzled audiences in the coming years throughout his stints with CHOM-FM Montréal, CJOM Windsor, W4 Detroit, Q107 Toronto and Q94 Winnipeg.  

Gary Slaight, who hired him away from CHOM in Montreal to join the Q107 team in Toronto, described him as “unique,” and a “gale force who was a great communicator with velvet pipes and a deep knowledge of music,” FYI Music News reported.

Gale was PolyGram promotions and publicity rep for Ontario and Manitoba in the 1980s before starting his own independent radio promotions company plug (MUSIC) Inc. in 1992, and later Global Live Artist Direction (GLAD), providing artist management, media relations, and bookings.  Over the course of his career, Gale worked with countless artists including Randy Bachman, Matthew Good, The Cowboy Junkies and Sarah McLachlan.

“He was so passionate about the artists that he represented and there are so many artists in this country and around the world that owe deep gratitude to Bobby for launching their careers and getting their music played in the mainstream,” Johnson said Sunday afternoon in an on air tribute to Gale.

Gale moved to the County 15 years ago where Johnson said he became an ambassador for the arts community.

Johnson and the County FM family took to the airwaves in honour of the afternoon ‘Sunday Glide’ host who generated large audiences that faithfully tuned in to be entertained by Gale’s music and personality.

Looking back on his voluminous career, in a sit-down interview with Lynn Pickering at Mount Tabor in 2014 Gale said working in Montreal was the highlight but it was the people he cherished most calling it a privilege to work with ‘so many characters.’

“Most importantly I connected with the artists that I would get to meet and squire around to radio stations... I was working with people like Sir Bob Geldof  I remember him and  Johnnie Fingers singing in my car between Kingston and Toronto before we were doing TV and radio interviews.  Those memories with those artists will stay with me til my grave.  They are my happiest memories,” Gale reminisced with Pickering.

He also offered advice to young artists admitting there ‘is no blueprint for success.’

“The more networking you can do, the more experts you can seek advice from and the more you get out of the County is probably healthy as well,” he told Pickering.  “Those people know and understand the need for a critical path.  You need somebody to kind of identify what things you need to do -the steps you take to be successful because they have at least had a number of successes and they know usually by instinct at least I do how to get to a better place.”

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“I had the pleasure of working with Bobby years ago.  He was someone who never gave up if he believed in ya.  Such a great loss.  May he keep playing music on the other side,” Luba, Canadian musician, singer, songwriter and recording artist.

“I can’t believe he is gone.  I just had lunch with him a few weeks ago. He was always full of information about what music I should be listening to and Bobby was just about always right.  You just had to ask him if he was right and he would tell you he was right.  I was at least tied for first as the biggest fan of his great show on County radio.  Back in the day, I hired Bobby to work a Bruce Cockburn record for True North.  It was Bruce’s album for Charity of Night - and the single we worked was Night Train.  Bobby was a great Indy promo man and got that record on the radio and went on to get a gold album in Canada.  I love talking music and music business with him.  I’m so sorry he’s left us.  He will be missed.  RIP Bobby.,” Bernie Finkelstein, founder of True North Records.

“This is very hard to take in.  Bobby and I worked together so much in the Much Music days.  We bonded over Brian Ferry.  He was a sweet sensitive man and a big part of my musical life,” Laurie Brown, Canadian television journalist.

“I met you several years ago when we were promoting Kenny Shield’s CD.   What a whirlwind week and I gained a deep appreciation for his joyful passion for music and deep knowledge about the history for the music he loved.  I truly enjoyed meeting him, travelling with him and learning from him,” Jeff Neill, Streetheart guitarist.

“Devastating.  Bobby was instrumental working MGB’s early independent singles.  More recently he worked 54-40's lost in the city cycle. A true original with razor sharp ears and a magnetic bedside manner.  Thank you Bobby,” Dave Genn, guitarist 54-40.

“What tragic news.  I don’t remember where I met Bobby.  But he was always there and always Bobby.  One of a kind.  It’s going to be hard to continue on in this industry without a guy like Bobby around,” Steve Cain, president of Warner Music.

“Bobby had such a wonderful, big personality.  Larger than life.  I can see his beautiful wide smile, gentle eyes.  He was a kind gifted soul.  With such a passion for music, he will truly be missed.  Thinking of Kathleen and family.  RIP Bobby,” Sarah Norris, former Universal Music Canada executive.

“Not many had the passion for music of Bobby, nor the eyes or ears for talent.  He seemed to be able to identify talent in young artists very early.  In 2002, Bobby introduced me to a young pop artist named Jessie Farrell.  He brought her into the radio station along with her debut album.  Listening to the songs I found that Bobby was right.  It was some of the strongest music that I had heard from an artist that I didn’t know and a few years later she emerged in a country format and wouldn’t you know it won the County Music Association Female of the Year Award in 2008.  That was Bobby that got that going," Paul Ferguson, Program & Music Director, Cool 100 and 95.5 Hits FM in Belleville.  "Bobby was so passionate about his artists and their songs that would fight for them harder than anyone I dealt with and nobody fought harder than Bobby Gale to get music played on the radio...Bobby always seemed to be able to identify diamonds in the rough and had some of the best ears for a great song."

“Music was his passion. I can't quite absorb this news right now.  Anyone who knew us in he 80s knows that Bobby and I worked in the promotion office at PolyGram in Toronto together, a relationship that was often fraught, but also full of fun at times as well...After we were both out of there, we became friends.. and had some deep and meaningful conversations. I'm shocked and can't quite believe its true.. I'm hoping there's a rock'n'roll heaven because I'd like to imagine that he's up there now looking for Bowie, and Elvis, and Freddy.. and so many others,” Karen Gorden, Polygram Music.