One of Ron Tarrant's earliest memories from his time in SAIT's Radio, Broadcast and Television News program is his Audio Production instructor Richard Stroobant's opening speech. Stroobant asked the class, "How badly do you want this career?" It was a question that resonates with Tarrant even today. "I was always taught that if you want something, you have to get up off your rear and make it happen," he says.
Remembering this lesson has since paid off for Tarrant — he is regarded as one of the best radio producers in the industry. Now working in New York City as the head imaging and sound designer for the Howard Stern Show — "the HBO of radio," Tarrant says — he writes scripts, produces bits, and creates sound design for a show that boasts an audience of 30 million subscribers. Though he feels he's under the most pressure he's ever dealt with, the "pay-off" for Tarrant's hard work is having the opportunity to work with the legendary Stern himself.
"For us Canadians, imagine going into work every day with Sidney Crosby, Wayne Gretzky and Gordie Howe. You're surrounded by the best professionals in the world," Tarrant says. "Some people would do anything to be in a room with Howard. At the end of the day, I'm an extremely lucky guy from Calgary."
2017 update
Ron Tarrant, Head Imaging and Sound Designer/Voice of the Howard Stern Show on Sirius/XM Satellite Radio
"It's been a very gratifying year since receiving this award. It's just coming on a year that I have been working on the Howard Stern Show in New York City. I'm finally feeling settled into the creative parts of the gig. It's very challenging and rewarding.
This job is different from most production roles in Canada where a producer would assemble and produce the sounds heard on the radio. With Howard, I look after all the imaging and brand design myself. The challenging part is when I create something, I do it all, from writing the initial idea, to crafting the music from scratch, inventing the sounds, then producing and voicing it myself. Hearing my voice next to Howard Stern on the radio every day in front of 30 million people is quite the experience. The pressure is grand but equally rewarding.
You do have to think of the audience, even though the person I strive to impress every single day is not a listener, it's Howard. He is such a big influence to me and he's why I got into radio. I want to make him laugh, or say, 'Wow, what a great sound on that piece.' Everyone working here is extremely talented and Howard is the focus point. If he thinks it's great, chances are the listeners are going to think that as well."