Wayne Vernon

Wayne Vernon was born in Montego Bay, Jamaica. He joined the Jamaica Broadcasting Corporation as a DJ in 1980 hosting his own radio show called The Capsule. In 1981, he immigrated to Vancouver, BC, Canada where he volunteered for 16 years at the community radio station, CFRO 102.7FM, hosting Caribbean Sounds on Saturday nights and later producing his own program called Super Mix.

On September 7th, 1997, Fairchild Radio acquired a new commercial multicultural station on 96.1 FM and hired Wayne to produce and host Caribbean Express, a popular and dynamic morning show serving the Caribbean communities of Canada and world music lovers everywhere. The show plays Reggae, Soca, Dancehall, Oldies and Lovers Rock from all over the Caribbean and by artists who have gone abroad from the homeland, but still turn out the styles of music of the beloved Islands.

Wayne is selective in the music he chooses for the program avoiding songs with degrading lyrics and music that does not fit with the easy-going spirit of his program. He is committed to playing Canadian content and has promoted several Canadian artists over the years such as Leroy Brown, Steele, Sonia Collymore, Tanya Mullings, Nana Mclean, Belinda, Mr. Cool, Ellsworth James, Jay Douglas, Garnett Challenger, Shadrock, Shellane, Daddy Roy, Phase 3 Steel Band, Jahranimo, Zukie Joseph, Sam Hope and Tropical Breeze, Cordell and Out of Many Band and Lil Precious.

Caribbean Express has become an immensely popular program with devoted listeners worldwide. Wayne has become known as Mr. Sunshine, as on a cold or rainy day he brings warmth and sunlight to his listeners no matter what climate they live in. Aside from playing the sunshine music that cant help but make you feel good, Mr. Sunshine updates listeners on news, sports, traffic and weather as well as providing endless support to local event promoters and artists with air time to talk about their latest projects.

Wayne has also been the MC for various functions and international shows featuring some of the brightest talent from the Caribbean Islands including Beres Hammond, Morgan Heritage, Third World, Inner Circle, Culture, Lucky Dube,Freddie McGregor, Burning Spear, Beenie Man, Buju Banton, Toots & The Maytals, Glen Washington, Sean Paul, Shaggy, Maxi Priest, Ziggy, Damian and Stephen Marley, Byron Lee and The Dragonaires, Square One, Burning Flames and many more. He offers DJ service, spinning Caribbean tunes at local functions and maintains an informative web site containing everything about Caribbean music playing music all day at "http://www.caribbeanexpress.ca". He has done numerous live interviews and reviews with various artists and has been the recipient of several international and community awards for outstanding service.

Waynes devotion to promoting the Caribbean does not stop with the music. He has also became the spokesperson for tourism to the Caribbean namely Air Canada Vacations, Sandals and Beaches Resorts. Having taken Caribbean Express on the road numerous times promoting for Air Canada Vacations, Jamaica Tourist Board, Super Clubs, Sandals and Beaches Resorts in Jamaica and other Caribbean Islands such as St. Lucia, Antigua. Wayne has also broadcast the show in support of the Jamaica Tourist Board from Sunset Jamaica Grande in Ocho Rios. In addition, he has broadcast live from Trinidad Carnival, Jamaica Carnival, Barbados Crop Over, Antigua Carnival, St. Vincent Carnival and St. Kitts Music Festival. Everywhere he goes he's always links up the Caribbean experience with the latest hit music of the region and the artists who are making it.

In 2000, he was recognized by TIDCO Canada, a branch of the Trinidad and Tobago Ministry of Tourism for increasing tourism from Canada to Trinidad and Tobago by 7% during Carnival time; then in 2005, he was awarded by the Consulate of Jamaica for Contribution to the International Community as a Jamaican living abroad promoting tourism to Jamaica; and he has been joined on the air by top Caribbean dignitaries including former Prime Minister of Jamaica, Hon. Portia Simpson-Miller, Prime Minister of Barbados Hon. Owen Arthur and Antigua and Barbuda Prime Minister Hon. Winston Baldwin Spencer, Hon. Edmund Bartlett Minister of Tourism for Jamaica. In 2008 at the 2nd Reggae Music Awards held in Toronto he was the recipient of the Community Appreciation and International DJ Awards and 2010 WRCMA best Radio Program all genre DJ and Life Time Achievement Award in Radio.

In addition have taken part in Celebrities Rally for their favorite charities amongst many well know Radio and Television personalities such as Tony Parson, Tamara Taggart, Zack Spencer and many more in 2002. Recipient of other numerous community awards from various organizations over the last 15 years. Caribbean Express became the most popular listened to show Mondays to Fridays between the hours of 9am-11am.