Duke Eatmon is a respected broadcaster, educator, musician, and cultural presenter, whose voice and presence have become inseparable from the entertainment coverage on CBC Radio and Television in Montreal. Often referred to as “Mr. Entertainment,” Duke combines charismatic microphone style with exceptional musical knowledge, spanning genres, generations, and cultures. He recently celebrated 21 years on CBC and A 34-year career in broadcasting, milestones that reflect both its longevity and its influence.
Duke's CBC journey began modestly before evolving into a significant and almost daily presence over the years. He is now a familiar voice on the show Let's Go! with Sabrina Marandola, a regular contributor to local CBC television broadcasts and a trusted backup host for several programs. His versatility and reliability have made him a pillar of the CBC ecosystem, able to move with ease from cultural journalism to animation to guest appearances.
His deep connection with music was forged at an early age. Born to an African Canadian father and an Aboriginal Canadian mother, both great music lovers, Duke grew up surrounded by sounds from an early age. His parents met through music, and he was named after Duke Ellington. At home, music was everywhere: new records every week, lively parties, and a very young Duke tasked with choosing songs long before he could read. These early experiences nourished both his musical memory and his intimate relationship to storytelling and transmission.
For Duke, music wasn't just something you listen to: it was a way of life. He grew up attending shows, often sitting on his parents' lap at concerts by legends like Chuck Berry or James Brown. These founding moments, marked by the power of the stage and the link with the public, left a lasting impression and confirmed what would become a true vocation.
Raised in Montreal's NDG neighborhood, Duke attended Northmount High School and first imagined a future in education, with the ambition of working in a prison environment. While taking evening classes to improve his academic record, a chance encounter changed the course of his life. A friend invited him to attend a community radio show at CHAI, where Duke's natural voice and insight quickly stood out. In just a few weeks, he was taking control of the show himself. From 1991 to 1995, he developed a program that covered a remarkable range of genres, from hip hop to blues, jazz and classical music.
His growing reputation has opened new doors for him. Duke was invited to CJAD to comment on the GRAMMY Awards, an intervention that impressed management and led to the hosting of his own show, Saturday Night in Montreal with Duke Eatmon. He then joined K103 in Kahnawake, where he hosted Street Sounds while assuming the role of director of programming, balancing management responsibilities during the day and on-air entertainment until late at night.
A single parent of two children, Duke met the challenges of demanding schedules with determination and creativity. Supported by his parents, he was able to combine family life with a fast-growing media career. His children often accompanied him during interviews, growing up in contact with artists who, thanks to Duke's rigorous and respectful approach, came to see him not only as an animator, but as a true peer. Her interviews, known for their depth, precision and sensitivity, have sometimes earned her professional opportunities beyond the broadcasting industry.
Alongside his media career, Duke shared his passion for teaching. He taught courses at John Abbott College and McGill University in the mid-2000s, inspiring his students to explore musical history and its cultural contexts. For him, inspiring young people to a new way of listening to and thinking about music remains one of the most rewarding aspects of his career.
In 2004, Duke officially joined CBC, initially with a weekly music column on the show Home Run (today Let's Go!). His relationship with the public broadcaster grew over time, as he assumed an ever wider range of responsibilities, including occasional replacements in news and public affairs. His adaptability and professionalism led him to become a full-time staff member.
Duke's contributions have been widely recognized. In 2017, he received the very first Montreal Dynasty Award — English Radio Personality of the Year, awarded as part of Black History Month. In the same year, he curated a major exhibition dedicated to Prince, commissioned by the Black History Month Round Table: an internationally acclaimed project, bringing together artists, musicians and audiences, and which remains his most significant professional achievement to date.
Beyond his career, Duke is deeply proud of his role as a father. His daughter is pursuing a career in education, while his son shows exceptional potential as a top athlete. Balancing parenting and a demanding media career has never been easy, but Duke's commitment, creativity, and resilience have shaped both his career path and his home life.
Over the decades, Duke Eatmon has become much more than a broadcaster: he is a cultural bridge builder, storyteller, and trusted voice whose passion for music and community continues to inspire audiences of all generations.