Not All Talk

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Morning-show DJ Joe Aiello gives his voice to causes and charities all over the city

Joe Aiello was almost known as Joe Capone.

Back when the 46-year-old Winnipegger got into the radio business in the late 1980s, ethnic names such as Aiello weren't the norm. He had to fight to keep his Italian surname.

"It was from a lesson I learned from my grandfather about respecting your name. At that point in broadcasting, everything was so Anglo, like Joe Jones or Joe Johnson or Joe Smith. I don't look like any of those.

"I said, 'Look, I've got to have an Italian name.' "

Eventually, he was told, 'OK, Aiello is too soft sounding; how about …