Who was Doug Barron aka Hal Harbour? Tributes pour in as radio veteran dies aged 71

Doug Barron recently died at the age of 71 (Image via 1236/Twitter)

On August 9, renowned radio star Doug Barron passed away at the age of 71. He was well-known for his work on CFNY-FM, which helped him accumulate a huge fanbase over the years. Barron's family announced the news of his demise, however, the cause of death has not yet been made public.

His daughter Sophie shared a statement on Facebook, writing that her father's "spirit was indomitable to the end," but his body failed to cooperate for the same. She wrote that the family members are at peace now, imagining that he has returned to surfing and enjoying the sand and sun as he did throughout his life.

Doug's colleague Bob Bauer also wrote in a Facebook post that he was a very talented, creative, and energetic person.

"Together with Stan Carew, the three of us had such a fabulous time playing around with CBC radio's Weekend Mornings program. Most of the zaniest ideas that took place on the show were from Doug's fertile mind," he continued.

Bauer also praised Barron's voiceover work, writing that he once worked on a video game. Bauer added that Doug was a producer, musician, and "nice guy."

Doug Barron pursued a successful career in the world of radio over the years

According to the obituary post shared by Doug Barron's daughter Sophie, he was born on October 14, 1951. He spent his childhood in Kitchener-Waterloo, Ontario. Barron went to Waterloo Lutheran University, where he studied business and economics and later purchased a motorcycle.

"His entrepreneurial spirit was undamaged, and his affinity for wheels persisted, as anyone who decades later saw him wearing a leopard print helmet and zipping around on his scooter "Purple Hazel" could attest," the obituary stated.

Barron then came to Halifax during the 1970s and met his future wife, Jennifer Allen-Barron. Dough and Jennifer started spending a lot of time together and hosted their family and friends on various occasions, including the summer and winter solstices.

Doug Barron developed an interest in going on adventures, and he used to spend a lot of time in the waves. He slowly became a popular face in Halifax and Toronto, and his last appearance was on Weekend Mornings, which aired on CBC Radio One.

He also shared his music with his community throughout his career. He was the announcer and director for Canadian talent development at CFNY-FM. He then joined as the associate producer and host for Weekend Mornings on CBC Radio One and retired in 2016.

Netizens pay tribute on social media

Doug Barron was popular for his work on CBC Radio One over the years. He accumulated a huge fan base over the years. Social media was flooded with tributes from the public when they heard about his demise.

Doug Barron's survivors include his wife Jennifer Allen-Barron, brother Don, sister Jane Allen, children Amanda and Sophie, and grandchildren Cillian and Tristan. Anyone willing to make donations can send them to their local music and arts organization or Hospice Halifax.

Edited by Dev Sharma