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EULOGY

Born: October 28, 1945, Toronto, Ontario, Canada

After a few reincarnations 1050 CHUM quietly passed away on March 26, 2009

1050 CHUM was a legendary Top 40 powerhouse from the late 1950s through to the early 1980s.

The station had a formula no other station has been able to duplicate.

Through the formative ‘50s, the unforgettable ‘60s and the interesting ‘70s, 1050 CHUM played a major role in shaping the radio landscape in Toronto. Recording acts from Elvis Presley, The Beach Boys, The Beatles, The Guess Who, Elton John, The Eagles, The Doobie Brothers and Bob Seger not only graced the airwaves but walked the halls of 1050 CHUM.

The radio station was famous for the CHUM Chart. From 1957 to 1986, 1,512 consecutive weekly charts were published, making it the longest-running chart of its kind in the world.

Also, 1050 CHUM was noteworthy for hosting many famous rock concerts including, among others, visits to Maple Leaf Gardens by Elvis Presley (1957) and The Beatles (1964, '65, and '66).

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RECENT POSTS

Sunday, November 15, 2009

CHUM MOVES OUT OF HISTORIC BUILDING, FINAL OPEN HOUSE, SAYING GOODBYE TO LANDMARK, CHUM AUDIO, CHUM DIES FIRST DEATH

1050 CHUM HISTORICAL TEXT, AUDIO SITE

Toronto Hit Parade//Top 40 Radio 1950s and 1960s

NEW (April 7, 2001) - 1961 CHUM - THE BLACK FLAGS ARE FLYING! - AL BOLISKA
Black Flags are flying with the imminent demise of music on 1050 AM CHUM radio on May 7, 2001. In 1961 Toronto Police and CHUM cruisers flew Black Flags every time there was a new traffic fatality in Toronto - You have to hear this aircheck from 1961 to believe it!!! CLICK HERE

LINK: Toronto Hit Parade//Top 40 Radio 1950s and 1960s


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1050 CHUM HISTORICAL LOCATION NOW DEFUNCT LANDMARK (ARTICLE)

LINK: Archive Doors Open Toronto 2007
CHUM Radio Building
1331 YONGE STREET, Toronto, ON M4T 1Y1
Telephone: 416-925-6666
District: South (former City of Toronto and East York)
Architect and year:
Unknown, 1954
Subsequent architect(s)/ consultant(s):
QUADRANGLE

The CHUM Radio building was originally a book bindary and book showroom. In the late 50's the building was renovated to house the studios of 1050 CHUM radio. It has gone through a number of renovations over the years and is home to 1050 CHUM, CHUM FM, CHUM Radio Network and CHUM Limited's former corporate offices.
The original famous Radio One Dial 1050 CHUM Neon sign still hangs on the front of the building....READ MORE @ Archive Doors Open Toronto 2007

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Toronto's 1050 CHUM Final Open House


Say goodbye to CHUM on Yonge on Saturday, Nov. 15

After 50 years at 1331 Yonge St., 1050 CHUM is moving to a new location downtown in Toronto. Before the doors close for the last time, listeners and the curious have a final opportunity to walk the hallowed hallways, visit and photograph the historic studios and tour the CHUM Museum on Saturday, Nov. 15 from noon to 3 PM.

Want to hang out in the legendary CHUM studio or hang with CHUM greats past and present as they take their turn behind the mic? You betcha! To make the invitation unbeatable, management guarantees that one can shake hands with Gord James, Bob Laine, Roger Ashby and Robbie Lane.

Roger Abbott and Don Ferguson of the Royal Canadian Air Farce (who are celebrating their final season on television) will be there too, fulfilling their dream of one day doing their own show on CHUM.

Visitors are encouraged to bring a donation for the CP24 CHUM Christmas Wish, now in its 42nd year helping Toronto’s needy at Christmastime. In appreciation, each donor will receive a special souvenir gift from 1050 CHUM.

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Toronto's 1050 CHUM Final Open House

For five decades 1331 Yonge Street has been the home of 1050 CHUM. But that's about to change. Because CHUM is moving downtown.

But before we pack up, we're giving you one last chance to see CHUM's historic studios, one final opportunity to walk the hallways, visit and photograph the historic studios and tour the CHUM Museum.

Join all of us for The 1050 CHUM Open House for the CP24 "CHUM Christmas Wish!" Saturday, November 15th, live on air from Noon to 4PM, with the last tour at 3!

You'll be in CHUM's famous on-air studio as CHUM greats past and present take turns behind the mic. Gord James, Bob Laine, Roger Ashby, Robbie Lane, Doug Beaumont, Stacey Thompson, Bob Summers, Amber Payie, Jeff Howatt, Kym Geddes, Regan Ashby and Sara Konings. Roger Abbott and Don Ferguson of the Royal Canadian Air Farce will be here too, fulfilling their dream of one day doing their own show on CHUM. And Ron Hall will be dropping in with the last box of CHUM Chart Books to sign.

When you come for the Open House, make a donation to the CP-24 "CHUM Christmas Wish". If you do, you'll be given a special souvenir gift from CHUM.

CHUM HISTORY

"1050 CHUM" was a legendary Top 40 powerhouse during the late 1950s, 1960s, 1970s, and early 1980s.

Early history and Top 40 format

CHUM AM was launched as a dawn-to-dusk radio station on October 28, 1945 by Jack Q'Part, an entrepreneur in the business of patent medicines. The station, then operating from studios in the Mutual Street Arena, was taken over in December 1954 by Allan Waters, a salesman from Q'Parts' patent medicine business. Waters' first major move was to secure a license for 24-hour-a-day broadcasting for CHUM, along with a power increase to 5,000 watts. Less than three years after Waters acquired the station, and soon after bringing the new fulltime transmitter online, a major programming change was made. On May 27 1957, Waters switched to a "Top 50" format that had proven itself popular in some U.S. cities; Elvis Presley's "All Shook Up" was the first song played. "1050 CHUM" pioneered rock and roll radio in Toronto, and was noteworthy for hosting many noteworthy rock concerts including, among others, visits to Maple Leaf Gardens by Elvis Presley (1957) and The Beatles (1964, '65, and '66). While the station was rising to the top of the popularity ratings in Toronto in the early 1960s, it also built yet another new transmitter in Mississauga, Ontario (a few miles west of the current Toronto city line) along the Lake Ontario shoreline, and raised its power once again to its current 50,000 watts around the clock.

CHUM DJs of the 1960s were zany morning man Al Boliska, who quit in late 1963 to go 'across the street' to CKEY.He was replaced by WKBW, Buffalo radio & TV personality Jay Nelson, popularly known as "Jungle Jay" from his role as host of a children's show on Buffalo's Channel 7 which was also popular among Toronto youngsters. He would be followed by housewives' jock John Spragge; singer/DJ Mike Darow; Pete Nordheimer, replaced in 1961 by witty Bob McAdorey; teen DJ Dave Johnson; and all night maven Bob Laine. Later additions to the CHUM DJ lineup included Duff Roman and Brian Skinner, both of whom came over from CKEY (then owned by Jack Kent Cooke). In the late 1960s, early 1970s, CHUM DJ's included Duke Roberts (also known as Gary Duke for a time), Johnny Mitchell (better known today as Sonny Fox), J. Michael Wilson, Tom Rivers, Scott Carpenter, Jim Van Horne, John Rode, Don Reagan, Terry Steele and Roger Ashby. Among their later mighttime hosts was John D. Roberts, who joined CHUM in 1977 and would eventually become known across North America as White House correspondent for CBS-TV and host of CNN's morning program "American Morning."

CHUM was also well known for its contests, like the 1970s' "I Listen to CHUM" promotion, in which DJs would dial phone numbers at random and award $1,000 to anyone who answered the phone with that phrase.

From gold-based to oldies

By the mid-1980s, CHUM had lost ground in the Toronto ratings to competitor Top 40 station CFTR and FM-based music stations. On June 6, 1986, CHUM dropped its Top 40 format for a heavily gold-based adult contemporary format ("Favourites of Yesterday and Today"). By 1989, CHUM adopted an oldies format, drawing heavily on its previous Top 40 reputation to cater to the fans of that era's music.

Chart #1 - Monday, May 27, 1957 - TOP 50

CHART NUMBER 1

Monday, May 27, 1957

Chart Number: 1
This
Week
Last
Week
ArtistTrackTotal
Weeks
10Presley, ElvisAll Shook Up0
20Boone, PatLove Letters In The Sand0
30Williams, AndyI Like Your Kind Of Love0
40Everly Brothers, TheBye Bye Love0
50Mineo, SalStart Movin' (In My Direction)0
60Storm, GaleDark Moon0
70Robbins, MartyA White Sport Coat (And A Pink Carnation)0
80Gracie, CharlieFabulous0
90Como, PerryGirl With The Golden Braids, The0
100Ray, JohnnieYes Tonight, Josephine0
110Diamonds, TheLittle Darlin'0
120Dell-Vikings, TheCome Go With Me0
130Boone, PatWhy Baby Why0
140Husky, FerlinGone0
150Como, PerryRound And Round0
160Berry, ChuckSchool Day0
170Knox, BuddyParty Doll0
170Lawrence, SteveParty Doll0
180Dorsey Orchestra, JimmySo Rare0
190Domino, FatsI'm Walkin'0
190Nelson, RickyI'm Walkin'0
200Gracie, CharlieButterfly0
200Williams, AndyButterfly0
210Belafonte, HarryMama Look At Bubu0
220Lowe, JimFour Walls0
220Reeves, JimFour Walls0
230Dee, JohnnySittin' In The Balcony0
230Cornell, DonSittin' In The Balcony0
230Cochran, EddieSittin' In The Balcony0
240Mathis, JohnnyWonderful! Wonderful!0
250Mello-Tones, TheRosie Lee0
250Tune Drops, TheRosie Lee0
260Coasters, TheYoung Blood0
270Domino, FatsValley Of Tears0
280Draper, RustyFreight Train0
290Gilkyson, Terry & The Easy RidersMarianne0
290Hilltoppers, TheMarianne0
300Bowen, JimmyI'm Stickin' With You0
310Laine, FrankieLove Is A Golden Ring0
320Platters, TheI'm Sorry0
330Hunter, Ivory JoeEmpty Arms0
330Brewer, TeresaEmpty Arms0
340Sands, TommyTeen-Age Crush0
350Little RichardLucille0
360Sands, TommyMy Love Song0
370Starr, KayJamie Boy0
380Starr, RandyAfter School0
390Johnson, BettyLittle White Lies0
400Bennett, TonyOne For My Baby (And One More For The Road)0
410Knox, BuddyRock Your Little Baby To Sleep0
420Clooney, RosemaryMangos0
430Cornell, DonMama Guitar0
440Belloc, DanFlip Top0
450Baker, LavernJim Dandy Got Married0
460Boone, PatBernardine0
470Copeland, KenPledge Of Love0
470Torok, MitchellPledge Of Love0
480Four Lads, TheI Just Don't Know0
490Armenian Jazz SextetHarem Dance0
500Williams, BillyI'm Gonna Sit Right Down And Write Myself A Letter0

John Gilbert "No Charge"

Mike Cooper's April Fools Joke





80's PROMO





Bob Sam Robbie - 1050 CHUM Morning Show - 1992




Tom Rivers 1982


John Majhor CHUM 1050 Morning show 1986





1050 CHUM Card 1983