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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

Monday, January 31, 2011

Early history and DJs including Roger Ashby & Mike Holland Morning Show / John Majhor / Tom Rivers / Phil Stone / Duke Roberts / Jim Van Horne / Bob Magee and more

NOTE: PREVOIUSLY POSTED EDITED MATERIAL

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Early history and Top 40 format DJs

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 and 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, John Majhor, Mike Cooper, Daryl B, Terry Steele and Roger Ashby. Among their later night-time hosts was J. D. Roberts, who joined CHUM in 1977, went on to co-host CTV's Canada AM in the early 1990s, and would eventually become known across North America as White House correspondent for CBS-TV and today hosts CNN's morning program American Morning.
- Boston University School of Theology Archives


LINK TO TEXT AND AIRCHECK: Roger Ashby & Mike Holland Morning Show on 1050 CHUM April 26,

Roger Ashby & Mike Holland Morning Show on 1050 CHUM April 26, 1985
From Adam Greenberg in Toronto comes this vintage 1985 CHR ‘check of “HitRadio” 1050 CHUM. The HitRadio monikker was used at a lot of U.S. stations in the 80s, and here’s Canada’s first Top 40 station also using it.

One of the great things about CHUM was the fact that they stayed with CHR for a long time after most American AM stations had moved on to other things. Part of it likely was the fact that Canada’s version of the FCC, the CTRC, really kept the AM band going… for one thing, the government licenses FORMATS to stations, something the free market-minded USA wouldn’t ever go for. Canadian listeners can elaborate further by commenting on this aircheck.

LINK TO SITE AND AIRCHECK (AUDIO TRACKS):

Roger Ashby & Mike Holland Morning Show on 1050 CHUM April 26 ...

Jackson Armstrong, 1050 CHUM Toronto June, 1968

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1050 CHUM DJ JOHN MAJHOR

RELATED LINK: 1050 CHUM - 1050 CHUM John Majhor

LINK TO THE FOLLOWING: http://www.thestar.com/News/article/174224

YouTube Link: City TV Toronto Rocks promo 1984


TORONTO STAR
Jan 24, 2007 04:30 AM
Be the first to comment on this article...
Tamara Cherry
Staff reporter

To a generation of Torontonians that came of age before MuchMusic, John Majhor was the iconic voice – and also face – of rock and roll.

Majhor was the rare charismatic radio personality who was able to make the transition easily to television. Quick on his bare feet – he disdained wearing shoes, finding "they bug me for some reason" – and sporting a silver hoop earring in his left lobe, his shining brown hair and flirtatious smile made him a commanding television presence.

He died yesterday morning, surrounded by family in his suburban Minnesota home following a five-month battle with cancer. He was 53.

During the '80s, he was CHUM's prime rock interviewer, rubbing shoulders with Elton John, Meat Loaf and George Harrison, to name a few. But to his family, he was all that and then some. ...http://www.thestar.com/News/article/174224

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1050 CHUM JOCK "TOM RIVERS'

Tom Rivers on 1050 CHUM May 8, 1981


LINK: Jock Lounge

Tom Rivers
Tom Rivers, who died Friday (11-19-04) of cancer, was a true Top 40 icon. He spent four decades in Top 40 radio, with stops at KFRC San Francisco, WIBG Philadelphia, CKLW Windsor, CFTR Toronto and several other top stations. But he is perhaps best remembered for his many years at CHUM Toronto, where he came and went several times between 1970 and 2004. Catch a net full of Tom's airchecks at the Rock Radio Scrapbook.

Toronto Star
Rivers loved rocking the boat
Former CHUM deejay used to rule the AM dial in Toronto Last of the rebels drove his listeners wild and his bosses up the wall

By Peter Goddard

Everything about Tom Rivers was big: His size (6-foot-8 "in round figures," as he'd say), his genuine talent for mayhem and his impact on Toronto.

His death yesterday, aged 57, after a battle against cancer, comes with a big reminder attached. The biker-like deejay was also one of the last great AM radio rock jocks here or in any rock 'n' roll town.

His greatest blast of publicity came in true rebel Rivers fashion in 1984 when the Canadian Labour Board ruled that CHUM unjustly fired him from his $65,000-a-year job in September 1982.

He wasn't entirely exonerated, though.

In her decision, adjudicator Jane Devlin took note of the rock deejay's unruly behaviour and apparent wilful inability to follow rules that led to his highly publicized dismissal - on his 35th birthday, yet - from the local Top 40 station. ...Jock Lounge

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1050 CHUM JOCK PHIL STONE

LINK: TheStar.com Obituary Phil Stone, 94: Brought rock 'n' roll to ...

Phil Stone, 94: Brought rock 'n' roll to Toronto

Before he spun the disc 'Rock Around the Clock' on CHUM, Canada had never heard such radio

May 06, 2008 04:30 AM
Philip Mascoll
Toronto Star

On May 27, 1957, at 4:23 p.m. in Toronto, CHUM broadcaster Phil Stone changed Canadian radio forever.

"Ladies and gentlemen, we have a new sound for you and I hope you like it," he told his listeners.

"It goes like this ..."

He played "Rock Around the Clock" by Bill Haley and His Comets, the first rock 'n' roll piece ever played on radio in Canada.

Stone, who died last week aged 94, was a pioneer in many ways, his son Glen said in a telephone interview.

"The rock 'n' roll thing turned out to be a good idea," Glen Stone said. ...

Glen Stone said his father had been part of CHUM radio since the late 1940s and was there when it became a 24-hour Top 40 station..... Read more @ TheStar.com Obituary Phil Stone, 94: Brought rock 'n' roll to ...

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1050 CHUM THE RETURN OF DUKE ROBERTS - OVER 3 HOURS OF AUDIO - DIRECT LINKS BELOW

LINK: Duke Roberts Remembers - 1050-CHUM Jock 1969-1973 - Gary Duke ...

Duke Roberts has been heard across North America since the mid-60's, on radio stations, television ads & voiceovers, doing commercials, corporate presentations, narrations & documentaries.

He's also been heard on Armed Forces Radio & Television around the world.

Duke took time away from the microphone to build, buy, run, and sell six Florida radio stations.

Duke Roberts, the voice talent, is back - doing what he does best; with a fresh, well-trained, clean voice.

The voice says it all! Listen to the demos or Duke Roberts Remembers...

READ MORE AND/OR LISTEN TO A PIECE OF THE OLD 1050 CHUM  Duke Roberts Remembers - 1050-CHUM Jock 1969-1973 - Gary Duke ...

AUDIO LINKS 3 HOURS OF UNEDITED AUDIO FROM 'DUKE ROBERTS LIVE' AND 'DUKE ROBERTS REMEMBERS':

AUDIO LINK: Hear Duke Roberts "Live" 3 hour (unedited) show from 2007 on 1050-CHUM, Toronto

TO SITE WITH AUDIO LINKS: "DukeRobertsRemembers" CHUM, Toronto

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1050 CHUM HISTORICAL SITES - 1050 CHUM DJ

Jim Van Horne (born David Melnyk on December 15, 1950 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada) is a Canadian sports anchor.

Van Horne began his broadcasting career on CKMP in Midland, Ontario, in 1971. From 1972 to 1980, Van Horne was one of the top disc jockeys in Canada at 1050 CHUM in Toronto. He was named Billboard Magazine's Disc Jockey of the year in 1972, the only Canadian to ever claim the honour. From 1980 to 1984, he was the late night sports anchor for CFAC television in Calgary, while hosting the Calgary Flames' NHL broadcasts.

He moved on to a long career with TSN where he was a sportsanchor from the beginning of that sports network's history in 1984 until 2001. He took a couple years off television and returned to TSN's rival sports network Rogers Sportsnet in 2003.

LINK: Wapedia - Wiki: Jim Van Horne

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1050 CHUM EX-JOCK - BOB MAGEE

SITE LINK: CHUM (AM) at AllExperts

LINK: Bob Magee

Bob Magee (born December 13, 1949) is the professional name of Denny O'Neil, a Canadian radio personality and host of the afternoon drive time show on Toronto's CHFI-FM since 2003. From late 1999 to 2003, he co-hosted CHFI's morning show with Erin Davis.

Magee first joined Toronto's legendary top 40 powerhouse 1050 CHUM briefly in the early 1970s, before heading to Western Canada. He returned to CHUM in 1979, and became the station's morning host when it moved to full-time oldies in 1989. He was fired from that post in 1997.

For CHUM's fortieth anniversary as a top 40 station, Magee produced a documentary that aired on co-owned television station Citytv Toronto.

Magee subsequently joined the adult contemporary outlet CHFI, starting as a substitute host on swing shifts. He permanently replaced Don Daynard as Erin Davis' morning co-host on Magee's fiftieth birthday in 1999.

Magee was formerly married to the high-profile fashion journalist and broadcaster Jeanne Beker .

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LINK: John Gilbert (broadcaster) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

John Gilbert (14 September 1930 – 14 September 1998) was a Canadian radio broadcaster.

Gilbert was a broadcaster with CJCH Halifax until Toronto's 1050 CHUM radio announced in February 1971 that he would succeed Larry Solway as host of the talk show Speak Your Mind. In 1973, he became the most successful radio talk show host in Canada with 120 000 measured listeners, more than Vancouver media legend Jack Webster. Gilbert's term with CHUM ended in 1977.

In 1980, Gilbert hosted Night Talk, a weekday late night program planned as a national talk show. However, the CRTC ordered that the network of stations broadcasting the programme be cut back to the six stations then owned by Maclean-Hunter: CFCN Calgary, CFCO Chatham, CHNS Halifax, CKGL-FM Kitchener, CKOY Ottawa and CKEY Toronto. However, this effort was short-lived. ....John Gilbert (broadcaster) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

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LINK:Kevin Nelson - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Kevin's father, known to many as national radio legend Jungle Jay Nelson, worked at 1050 CHUM for 20 years.

LINK: Jay Nelson -
http://www.spock.com/Jay-Nelson
Jay Nelson (a.k.a. Frank Coxe and Jungle Jay Nelson) (July 12, 1936 – February 18, 1994) spent most of his career in radio, although he did a brief stint on television in the early 1960s. He was married twice and had four children. His son Kevin is one of the morning hosts on Majic 100 in Ottawa, Ontario.

He started in radio at WRIT in Milwaukee, Wisconsin in 1955. He then moved on to WARM in Scranton, Pennsylvania in 1956; WHLO in Akron, Ohio in 1957; and WBNY in Buffalo, New York in 1960. He switched briefly to television, appearing on WKBW-TV, also in Buffalo, where he hosted an afternoon children's show in 1963.

On this show he appeared wearing a pith helmet and a faux leopard-skin costume, often working with a chimpanzee. It was at this time that he took the professional name Jungle Jay Nelson, a name that stuck for the rest of his career.

In the fall of 1963, CHUM radio was looking for a new morning host. It has been reported that Irene Ryan also auditioned for this position. However, CHUM selected Jay Nelson for the job.

From May 27, 1957 until June 6, 1986, CHUM printed a weekly list of top songs and distributed it through local record stores. Jay Nelson's picture first appeared on the cover of a CHUM Chart in issue Number 351 on Monday, December 2, 1963. By coincidence, the first Beatles song ever to appear on a CHUM Chart, She Loves You, was listed at position 42 in that very same issue. However, Jay Nelson did not actually start working at CHUM until the following Monday, December 9 and the Beatles did not appear on the Ed Sullivan Show that made them famous until February 9, 1964.

Jay Nelson remained at CHUM for the next 17 years, leaving in 1980.. http://www.spock.com/Jay-Nelson

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Thursday, March 15, 2007 BROADCAST DIALOGUE

SIGN-OFF: Allen Farrell, 70, in Toronto after a heart attack. Farrell was among the originals who had a huge hand in shaping the 1050 CHUM Toronto mythology from the early Top 50 days.

Farrell, who joined the station a year after its launch as its Creative Writer/Promotion Director, went on to become the third Al – after founder Allan Waters and PD Allan Slaight. More recently, Allen Farrell wrote The CHUM Story, a book about the broadcast icon’s early days.



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CHUM DJs of the 1960s

Al Boliska
Jay Nelson
John Spragge
Mike Darow
Pete Nordheimer
Bob McAdorey
Dave Johnson
Bob Laine.
Duff Roman
Brian Skinner


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 HorneJim Van Horne
Jim Van Horne
John Rode
Don Reagan
Terry Steele
Roger Ashby

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GORD JAMES

LINK: MEMBER ANNOUNCEMENT…

CELEBRATING BUSINESS EXCELLENCE
2007 Business Achievement Awards
CONGRATULATIONS
AWARD RECIPIENTS

...Special thanks…
to Gord James, Broadcaster for 1050 Chum, for being
the Master of Ceremonies, the Judges and the Business
Achievement Awards Committee for their time and
expertise. Your efforts are greatly appreciated..

----

LINK: Soul Drums TALKING DRUM July 2007

'Book Launch Media Event This Fall - You're Invited!!
Soul Drums Ltd. invites you to attend the press release media event and community drum circle launch of Doug Sole's highly anticipated new book "Human Rhythmic Energy -- Transformational Leadership for Classrooms, Communities and Corporations" Sept 18th at the Lula Lounge -- Hosted by Gord James from "Mornings 1050 AM CHUM Radio" with special guests Lance Secretan, The Soul Drummers, and you! RSVP by email to Soul Drums (sales@souldrums.com) to reserve your "No Charge" guest list ticket. Limited Space available. $20 general admission without reservation. ...'

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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