Well, here I am again, a year after the passing of my lovely wife Sheila. She’s gone, and in the intervening year there have been many ups and downs fully laced with poignantly sad memories, and encouragingly good ones too. Like others who have gone through the same, the sense of loss is great, with a large part of our hearts missing – but also there’s been the need to stabilise, to get on with things as the world continues to move, to gently put the past with all its happinesses and regrets in the past, and make the effort to make the world good for those around us who also sense that loss. Over the year, this has bound us more closely together, and if there are any benefits in the loss of a loved one, this definitely is one of them. Sheila has been, is being, and will be, sadly missed – but her influence and love will go on in our hearts, I’m certain of that! Her endurance and her faith are a true inspiration to us all.
So, where to from now. I’m fully aware that Uplift Radio has been neglected. I tried to make various starts again after Sheila’s passing, but these petered out, I’m afraid. Of course, the station can run on autopilot, and this is what happened pretty well over the year. We made a few programmes in tribute to Sheila, and broadcast them, but really that’s all. Coincidentally, or perhaps not so much so, I came across an AI site that allowed me to write songs, to which it supplied the backing music and singers. I was sceptical at first, but the quality and professionalism of the tracks blew me away, and so over the last few months and about ninety songs later, there’s a body of work now which I’ve released in some of the major streaming channels. The range is quite phenomenal – country songs (some with an Irish flavour), gospel, big band, modern pop, sixties pop, and a surprisingly New Age Enya sounding album called Inspiration. The first two albums, “A Tribute To Sheila” and “Memories Of You” were songs with reference to Sheila, but also with a positive slant on loss. The others are more general, e.g. “Gospel Thoughts” which speaks for itself; “Darkness To Light” which contains a variety of modern pop, big band and country; three more country based albums – “Good Ol’ Country”, “Give Hope Another Day” and “Time’s Not A Given; and of course, the New Age album mentioned above, “Inspiration”, a very relaxing, evocative and uplifting sound. (The first track in this album contains Sheila’s cloned voice speaking in a nature setting, with Enya sounding music joining her in the background.) Currently I’m working on a “Blues In The Night” album with a late night sound you can well imagine. All in all, this is not meant to be an advert – of course, the songs can be purchased, but this was not my intention. It was just to have people listen, originally to songs about Sheila, but then it blossomed. If you’re on Spotify, iTunes, Apple, Amazon, Dieser, Ihart Radio, or You-Tube, they’re available there for free streaming at no cost at all. You won’t like everything, but I’m hoping you’ll be impressed at how the songs I wrote have been enhanced by AI., and perhaps find them a bit uplifting too. The artist name to look for is Don Treader’s Wisdom Ensemble.

Back to the station. After a year out, I feel it’s time now to really get things moving again. Firstly I must apologise to the DJs who’ve had to wait for so long, but I’d be overjoyed if you’d like to join me in the re-start. Your work is par excellence! There will be new programmes from September adding to the rich variety we have already. But on Sheila’s anniversary (Tuesday 26th August) I intend playing the three programmes we broadcast about her over the year.
7am, 12 noon & 8pm – A Tribute To Sheila – A Life Of Overcoming. This comprises of an interview done a year or so before her passing in which she talks about her life, plays some favourite songs, and even sings.
2pm & 10pm – Memories Of Sheila. A discussion programme with music, in which Eamonn McBride, DoctorJ, DJ Sophia and Don Treader discuss Sheila’s life and influence. It’s from the Go On series of Christian programmes which as the title suggests encourages us to ‘go on’.
9am & 7pm – Past Times. In this programme, our cloned DJ Sheila (not Sheila herself but a voice approved by her before her passing)plays some of the songs our Sheila loved, and gives a bit of background to them.
Hopefully you’ll find time to listen , but if not, they’re also available in the On Demand section on our website www.upliftfm.com, or by tapping the On Demand button on the Uplift Radio App available from the Apple, Google Play and Microsoft stores.

Finally, what next? I hope you’ll continue to listen to Uplift Radio. It has a unique variety of music, programming and DJs with an uplifting bent. We need this in this modern and sometimes dark world. Who doesn’t need uplift! Personally, however, I hope something of our experience over this past year has touched you, made you appreciate your life and those around you more, and perhaps helped you to see “the higher things of life” in a better way. I’m ending this rather long post with a link to a pertinent song (one of those mentioned above) “Time’s Not A Given”. Clicking on it should play it for you.
Thanks to all those who have helped make the last year tolerable – my special family who have made a wonderful point of keeping in touch even in their own sadness, friends and listeners whose continued support has been incredible. All of you have been so marvellous and such a blessing. Thank you!
Happy listening!