I'm an absolute sucker for an interesting independent podcast that's produced in Toronto. There are interesting podcasts, and there are independent podcasts, and there are Toronto-based podcasts, but rarely do I find all three in one. But that doesn't stop me from searching.
As part of this search, I sample many podcasts. Yesterday, I stumbled upon a podcast called Hit Me, produced by a self-described "music historian". So I tried the first episode, quickly realized the host and producer, a chap named Robert Davis, was from Toronto, and downloaded a few episodes for my morning bike ride.
![](https://www.torontomike.com/content/images/2023/02/hitme.jpeg)
Episodes were thematic and Robert would sprinkle fun facts in the mix and share personal anecdotes about himself and his relationship with the music. For example, in one episode I learned that Robert saw The Stampeders play Innis College at U of T and that this was during their funk period. I knew very little about The Stampeders' funk period, and was intrigued as Robort spoke of how only he and a few others were paying attention to the band.
By the end of the fourth episode, I had decided I'd reach out to Robert and invite him over for an episode of Toronto Mike'd. I'm a sucker for local music historians. Off to robertdavis.ca I went in search of an email address. That's when it hit me.
In the top right corner of Robert's website was written "Robert David [sic] passed away Nov 21, 2020." I read it twice, and still didn't believe it because the host's name is Robert Davis. Who is this Robert David? So I went to his social media accounts for proof he had survived past November 21, 2020. I found no such proof. Then I realized the podcast's most recent episode is almost two years old. And finally, I found an obituary online. Robert Davis was dead.
![](https://www.torontomike.com/content/images/2023/02/Screen-Shot-2023-02-06-at-4.53.29-PM.png)
In honour of Robert, I'm going to listen to every episode of his Hit Me Podcast. I never met the man, and only learned of his existence yesterday, but I dig what he was doing with this project and I like to think we would have had a great chat about it. At least that's how I mapped it out in my mind as I biked south on Lansdowne on a chilly February morning.