February 2019’s Centre Stage with Andre Wilcox
Written by Hanna Fridhed, Engagement Coordinator
Many of us recognize his voice from the radio or have seen him at events around town as the energetic
emcee – Andrew Wilcox is the Program Director for Mix 103.7 and 100.5 Cruz FM. Originally from a farm
outside Camrose, Andrew moved to Fort McMurray five years ago. The things that made him fall in love
with the Wood Buffalo region are the strength and diversity, and the welcoming nature of the people
here. In 2018, Andrew launched his new podcast Wander w/ Andrew Wilcox, where he interviews
people who explore unique ways of looking at particular things.
“It's a podcast for minds that like to wander,” says Andrew. “The topic can be almost anything, but the
hope is that it creates new perspectives from meaningful conversations. One thing I have always loved
about radio is its ability to have fun, human conversations between the songs, to say things that make
you think and reflect. The podcast format seems like a natural progression of that aspect.”
Topics covered on Wandering w/ Andrew Wilcox so far are open-mindedness, self-control, and living
with wildlife. In “How to look back to help moving forward”, an episode about Greek history, philosophy
and democracy, Andrew and Matthew Sears of the University of New Brunswick talked about how
taking a deeper, more well-rounded look at the past can help us approach the future.
The podcast ties into his love for radio, both being great mediums for promoting other artists: “My
artistic background is a healthy mix of trying and failing. I’m a huge fan of music and film and I love to be
a part of it any way I can, but it took me a long time to find where I fit in,” he says. “I have attempted
everything from theatre to roadie to stand-up comedy and found the best place for me was professional
fan. I like giving a platform or voice to people more talented than myself.”
His love and support for the local music scene, and our community, is evident: “The YMM Music scene is
a close-knit group of incredibly talented musicians who are working very hard to keep live music going in
Fort McMurray. We have many local pubs that are very supportive of having live music in their venue,
which is great. I would love to see more artists come here and experience our great community,” says
Andrew. “I think that Fort McMurray has an incredible arts community that too many people are missing
out on.”
There are many ways to be an artist. Sometimes, by being an arts enthusiast, you become an artist
yourself. “What I love about Fort McMurray is that it attracts hard working people who want to create,”
says Andrew. “If you are one of those people, and I believe we all are in our own way, do your thing,
make your art, and get out there.”
The podcast Wander w/ Andrew Wilcox is available through iTunes, Google Play, and Spotify. Tune into
local radio to keep up with what’s going on in your community, for local information and support, and –
of course – music.
