R.I.P.: Rosalie Trombley, CKLW's Girl With The Golden Ear

It is with heavy hearts that the family of  Rosalie Trombley, a pioneer in Canadian radio broadcasting, announces her peaceful passing on November 23. She was 82.

Trombley began her career at the AM Top 40 powerhouse, CKLW – The BIG 8 in Windsor, Ontario as a switchboard operator, but before long her talented ear for discovering hit songs made her one of the most influential individuals in radio history. Although CKLW was based in Windsor, it programmed for the Detroit market and the station’s 50,000-watt signal reached across North America.

Known as “the girl with the golden ear” due to her keen ability to choose hit songs and create music programming that appealed to wide-ranging audiences, Trombley’s tenure as a music director and one of the few female executives in radio at the time lasted over twenty years.

Rosalie Trombley - 1973

Recording artists, both established and aspiring, visited Trombley to promote their latest single releases. Artists she is credited with breaking onto the Top 40 CHR charts are: The Guess Who, Gordon Lightfoot, Paul Anka, Bachman-Turner Overdrive, Bob Seger, Kiss, Alice Cooper, Andy Kim, The O’Jays, Chicago, Earth, Wind & Fire, Parliament–Funkadelic, Queen, Aerosmith and more. In addition, Bob Seger immortalized Rosalie in his 1973 song “Rosalie” from his Back in '72 album.

In 2016, Trombley was honored with the Walt Grealis Special Achievement Award at the 45th annual JUNO Awards, the first woman to receive the honor. An annual “Rosalie Award” is presented in her name to women trailblazers in radio during Canadian Music Week. Beyond her many achievements, Trombley will also be remembered for her passion for music, her support for talented artists and her unwavering integrity.

“Mom possessed an innate sense for music and could hear a hit from a mile away” said her son, Tim Trombley. “But more than that, she had the ability to connect with music from a multitude of artists across many genres. Although we are heartbroken, we are comforted by the fact that her legacy and her influence will live on”.

Trombley will be greatly missed by many and is survived by her three children, Timothy (Renée), Todd, and Diane (David) and by her grandson, Robert.