Dan MacDonald

By Joyce St. Antoine

There are certain voices everyone recognizes the moment they hear it.

The smooth narration of Morgan Freeman, Oprah Winfrey giving things away or the current Prime Minister making a speech. For Windsor, one of these iconic voices airs on 93.9 the River.

Daniel Alfred MacDonald, commonly known as “Dan MacDonald” is a radio personality born and raised in Windsor, Ont.

Born May 17, 1977, MacDonald, 41, followed his passion by staying in his hometown.

MacDonald attended W.F. Herman High School instead of Catholic Central High School to direct himself away from where everyone from his grade school was going. He then moved on to two and a half years at the University of Windsor for a double major in English literature and communications.

“I didn’t show up, I didn’t care, and I was only interested in what I was interested in,” said MacDonald about his time in university. “It didn’t work out, but university wasn’t really for me. I wanted hands on [learning] and to go out, not be stuck in a lecture hall.”

He says didn’t even think of journalism until he was failing university.

“A friend of mine’s boyfriend was a writer for a tech magazine in Toronto. I wondered how he got that job, because I loved to write. She told me that he went to college, and he took journalism,” said MacDonald.

At the time journalism was a two year program at St. Clair College’s South Campus. Three months in, MacDonald had a portfolio of published work, internships and visited local television and radio stations.

“When I’m not interested in things, I have always had a tendency to tune things out,” said MacDonald.

“Everyone says that I’m very active, busy and passionate, but it’s doing things I love. It’s being on the radio and talking about music and going to live shows and introducing bands or going to events like the Hummus Festival or MC-ing the Battle of the Hors D’oeuvres. It’s because I’m interested in it.”

He said his favourite event to MC is The Island Unplugged Music Festival on Pelee Island. Having hosted for five years, he said it’s a fun experience and it’s also exciting to see a lineup of bands.

“It’s always a great party!”

MacDonald is also a huge fan of theatre and has taken part in several Windsor productions. He says he has always wanted to be an actor and appeared in over 25 productions, at the KordaZone and Shadowbox Theatre.

His favourite play that he took part in was William Shakespeare’s Titus Andronicus and played the role of Aaron. The character was nasty and malicious and playing him was right up his alley.

“Theatre is a great and creative outlet. It’s also rewarding and a fun escape. I’ve always liked performing and diving into a character.”

His most recent role was in May of 2018. He auditioned for Stop Kiss at the Shadowbox Theatre and got the role of a party-guy living in New York, who was another character he says was fun to play.

He also enjoys watching films like Sleeping Beauty or Natural Born Killers, or listening to music like Nirvana or Lana Del Rey.

One of the benefits of studying journalism was his ability to mesh his love of music with the skills he was acquiring.

He’s now a hit radio personality for 93.9 The River. He also has his own radio show called Hear + Now. MacDonald believes everyone learns differently and that’s how he got where he is now. He’s a recognizable and personable member of the community.

“I grew up in Windsor and I was very lucky that I didn’t have to move. When I took journalism everyone said finding a job in media in the city you were born in is rare,” said MacDonald.

David Harrison is a journalism professor at St. Clair College. He taught Dan MacDonald radio reporting and television, and has known him for more than 15 years.

“He was a delight in class, very collaborative and participated a great deal,” said Harrison. “He was open to new ideas, and [took it] much further than anything I ever taught him.”

Harrison remembers MacDonald as an outstanding student. When being taught about makeup applications, Harrison reminisces, nobody participated and MacDonald stepped up to the plate and showed everyone that men shouldn’t be afraid of makeup, because it is used every day in productions.

“Dan created a niche for himself,” said Harrison. “He’s involved in the community, and he was able to be successful because of the niche he walked into. With a whole lot of hard work and talent, he paid his dues.”