Rock Radio Scrapbook

Airchecks: 1970

Talent: KEITH HAMPSHIRE
Station: CKFH Toronto
Date: January 15, 1970
Time: 5:43

They called themselves number-two radio. But in the hearts of many Toronto radio listeners in the late '60s and early '70s CKFH was number-one.

For years, starting in 1957, CHUM radio was the dominant Top 40 powerhouse in Toronto radio. Sure CKEY gave them a good run in the early '60s, but they were gone - an MOR station - by 1965. But by 1967, another challenger had appeared, the quirky, unpredictable CKFH. They played the songs CHUM didn't play: British hits, album cuts, rhythm and blues. Their deejay lineup ranged from the offbeat Big G. Walters to one of the masters of the Top 40 format in Toronto - Dan O'Neil. And with all due respect to the legendary CHUM, it was the anti-CHUM.

One of the early on-air personalities at 'FH was Keith Hampshire, who came to the station in 1968 after a stint at Radio Caroline South, the British offshore "pirate" station. Hampshire, who was born in London, England and raised in Calgary, went on to a successful career as a recording artist and became one of  Canada's top commercial voice talents.

Keith Hampshire can be heard here.

(The Keith Hampshire Collection)

For more fabulous CKFH airchecks, visit The Tom Fulton Collection

Talent: STEVE O'BRIEN
Station: CKFH Toronto
Date: January, 1970
Time: 2:21

Toronto radio has been blessed with plenty of on-air talent that appeared only briefly in the city. Jim Nettleton, Jackson Armstrong, George Hamberger and Murray the K to name a few made appearances in Toronto radio that simply weren't long enough. One of those on the list of short-term greats is Steve O'Brien, whose long resume includes stops at CKLW, WABC, WYNY and WCBS-FM to name just a few. In 1969-1970, he spent a few months at CKFH, then Toronto's number-two rocker.

Hear Steve O'Brien here.

(Man from Mars Productions)

Talent: BOBBY STEELE
Station: CHLO St. Thomas, Ont.
Date: Early 1970
Time: 8:50

(Logo courtesy Bill Dulmage)

They couldn't go faster than a speeding bullet, weren't more powerful than a locomotive, and couldn't leap tall buildings in a single bound. But they could hit a post. They were Top 40 radio's "Men (and Women) of Steele".

Steele was a fairly common surname for jocks during the Top 40 radio era. The deejay listing site 440:Satisfaction lists nine Steeles and one Steel.

The most famous of all the Steeles is the Real Don Steele, one of the original Boss Jocks when KHJ launched the Drake format in 1965. There was also Alison Steele of WNEW-FM New York fame, and Terry Steele of CHUM, CKEY and CJEZ Toronto.

Top 40 radio listeners in London and Hamilton, Ont., had their own Steele. Bobby Steele started as a teenager at CHLO London in 1968. He spent three years there before leaving for CKOC Hamilton. Bobby Steele also spent time at CKSL London in the 1970s before leaving radio in the early 1980s to go into teaching.

Enjoy Bobby Steele at CHLO here.

(The Charlie Ritenburg Collection)

Subject: CHLO SWITCHES FROM 680 to 1570
Station: CHLO St. Thomas, Ont.
Date: February 12-13, 1970
Time: 13:00

Money talks, and when CHFI-AM offered to pay to move CHLO from 680 to 1570, the St. Thomas, Ont., station listened.

Radio historian Bill Dulmage of www.billdulmage.com has the rest of the story...

"1963 - Ted Rogers, owner of CHFI in Toronto was willing to pay CHLO St. Thomas to move from 680 kHz to 1410 kHz so that CHFI could use the 680 frequency and add night-time service. CHFI was limited to daytime-only operation on 1540 kHz because it was an American clear channel and stations such as KXEL in Waterloo, Iowa, had to be protected. CHLO’s application to move to 1410 kHz was denied and the frequency was awarded to CKSL 1290 in London. Rogers Broadcasting Ltd. decided to move ahead with its application to use 680 kHz for night-time operation only while continuing to operate on 1540 kHz during the day.

In October, CHFI-AM was given approval to add night-time service, using 680 kHz with a power of 10,000 watts. Daytime operation would continue on 1540 kHz with power of 50,000 watts.

1964 - CHFI-AM was authorized to broadcast on 680 kHz during the day as well as at night.

1965 - Souwesto Broadcasters made it clear that it had no plans to vacate the 680 frequency when rumours continued to circulate on the matter. The company said CHLO had been on 680 kHz since it signed on the air in May of 1948 and was staying there. Engineering research showed that CHLO and CHFI could both operate full-time on 680 kHz.

1966 - On March 28, CHFI Toronto ceased daytime operation on 1540 kHz and began fulltime broadcasting on 680 kHz. CHLO switched to a Top 40 format.
 
1970 - On February 13, at 12 a.m., CHLO moved from 680 kHz to 1570 kHz, CFPL London’s old frequency. Power increased from 1,000 watts full-time (one directional pattern) to 10,000 watts full-time (two directional patterns). CHLO was now operating from a transmitter site located about one mile west of Sparta on Elgin Road 27. Eight 220 foot towers were used. Ted Rogers, owner of CHFI Toronto made two agreements with CHLO. The first was in 1966, allowing CHFI to move from 1540 kHz to 680 kHz, thus causing some interference to CHLO. In the second agreement, Rogers paid for CHLO’s move from 680 kHz to 1570 kHz."

CHLO and CHFI-AM took divergent paths after the frequency switch. In 1972, faced with stiff competition from CJOE (later known as CJBK), CHLO switched to an album rock format. Later, it took a country format. By 1994, CHLO moved to FM at 103.1, was renamed CFHK and as "The Hawk", began playing classic rock. Meanwhile, CHFI-AM changed its call-letters to CFTR in 1971, switched from easy-listening to Top 40 and quickly became one of Canada's leading rockers. In 1993, CFTR moved from Top 40 to all-news.

Hear how CHLO switched from 680 to 1570 here.

(The Charlie Ritenburg Collection)

Talent: JACK ARMSTRONG
Station: WNTC Potsdam, N.Y.
Date: April, 1970
Time: 4:33

Never wait.

That was the lesson we learned in March, 2008 following the death of Top 40 radio superstar Jack Armstrong. You see, on the 21st of that month we were wondering what Armstrong had to say about his one-off appearance at WNTC Potsdam, N.Y., in April, 1970. We were going to e-mail him about it, but decided to do it later.

Well, there was no later. On March 24 we and many others learned of the passing of Armstrong at his home in High Point, N.C. Like many we were saddened but also regretful that we had not contacted him about WNTC and more of his other radio experiences over the years. After all, he was always quick to respond to our queries in the past.

WNTC was the campus station at State University College in Potsdam. In April, 1970, Armstrong was in Denver doing evenings at KTLK. At the invitation of Jon Wolfert (later of PAMS and JAM Creative Productions), Armstrong agreed to tape a show for WNTC (yes, a college radio station!) doing so one night after finishing one of his KTLK programs. You can hear the result below.

Hear Jack Armstrong on WNTC here.

(Scrapbook archives)

Talent: TERRY MANN
Station: CKLB-CKQS Oshawa, Ont.
Date: 1970-72
Times: Various

(Terry Mann at the WNDR mike - his favourite photo! Courtesy: Guy Henning)

Quick, who was the only deejay to jock at all three of CHUM, CKFH and WKBW?

If you answered Terry Mann, go to the head of the line.

Born Bill Henning in Wingham, Ont., December 21, 1936, Mann had a stellar radio career. In addition to the aforementioned stations, he also worked at WNDR in Syracuse, N.Y., and CKLB in Oshawa, Ont. (he also did spots for its FM station CKQS). All the time he never stopped cheering for his favourite team, the Cleveland Indians. His son, Guy Henning, told Rock Radio Scrapbook Mann used to drive to the west end of Toronto just so he could hear the radio broadcasts of his beloved Indians (from 1950 to 1972 the flagship station of the Indians was WERE 1300 in Cleveland). Now that's a fan!

Sadly, Terry Mann left us too soon, passing away in June, 1973 of diabetes-related complications. He was only 36.

(Photo courtesy Guy Henning)

We have some very entertaining commercials and promos Terry Mann did back in his CKLB-CKQS days:

Hear Terry Mann's Dodsworth Printing "Super Printer" commercial #1 here. (1:12)

Hear Terry Mann's Dodsworth Printing "Super Printer" commercial #2 here. (1:15)

Hear Terry Mann's promo for "The Last Goon Show of All" here. (0:58)

Hear four Terry Mann commercials for Seigneur's Sportswear here. (2:22)

(The David Lennick Collection)

(Graphic courtesy Guy Henning)

Talent: J. MICHAEL WILSON
Station: CHUM Toronto
Date: June 9, 1970
Time: 7:34

CHUM had a mouse long before personal computers came along, but he was the kind that eats cheese. And that particular "rodent" was all the creation of one CHUM's most entertaining jocks of the Drake era, J. Michael Wilson.

Wilson had big shoes to fill when he arrived at CHUM in the afternoon drive shift in the fall of 1968. After all, he was replacing one of southern Ontario's most popular deejays, Bob McAdorey, who had moved to middays at CFGM. But Wilson won 'em over with his corny jokes and his trusty sidekick, "Rodney The Rodent".

Wilson spent about two years at CHUM before heading to CKFH for a brief Saturday morning stint in 1971. He also had a short stay at WGR Buffalo in the 1970s.

Rock Radio Scrapbook presents J. Michael Wilson here.

(The Bill Dulmage Collection)

For more classic CHUM airchecks, visit The CHUM Archives

Talent: DARYL B.
Station: CKLW Windsor, Ont.
Date: June 20, 1970
Time: 12:06

Any deejay would have been honoured to work at just one of CHUM, CFUN or CKLW - but Daryl B. jocked at all three!

Daryl B. was at Windsor's CKLW (1969-70), had three separate stints at CFUN Vancouver (1965-67, 1973-77 and 1979-87), and two go-arounds at Toronto's CHUM (1977-79, 1987-92). In addition, he also rocked the airwaves at such stations as CKLG Vancouver, CKRC Winnipeg and CFQC Saskatoon. It was quite a radio resume for Daryl B., who died February 27, 2001.

Hear Daryl B. on CKLW here.

(The Don Shuttleworth Collection)

Talent: TOM RIVERS
Station: CHUM Toronto
Date: July 29, 1970
Time: 11:20

A new golden era at CHUM had dawned by 1970. Gone were 1960s stars like Brian Skinner, Bob McAdorey and Mike Darow.  Replacing them was another memorable bunch that as the '70s progressed would include the likes of Terry Steele, Scott Carpenter, Mike Cooper, Jim Van Horne, John Majhor, John Rode, Roger Ashby, Mark Edwards and Duke Roberts. It was a special era of high-energy radio.

One of the most remembered CHUM jocks from this period was "Shotgun" Tom Rivers, who arrived at 1050 CHUM in the early evening shift in 1970. He later would host a memorable morning show at CHUM in the early 1980s. After a stop in Edmonton, he returned to the Toronto airwaves in the 1990s at CKFM, CJEZ and CHOG. He died of cancer November 20, 2004.

Hear Tom Rivers on CHUM here.

(The Bill Dulmage Collection)

Talent: TOM RIVERS (a.k.a. ROCKETMAN)
Station: X-100
Date: Unknown (believed to be 1970s)
Time: 7:48

Tom Rivers tells the story of one of Top 40 radio's greatest parody airchecks here.

Hear X-100 with Tom Rivers as "Rocketman" here.

(The Charlie Ritenburg Collection)

Talent: JOHN RODE
Station: CHUM Toronto
Date: July 30, 1970
Time: 10:46

John Rode is living proof that you can have fun on the radio within the tight confines of the Top 40 format. It is a task not easily done but Rode has played the format to fit his personality like a maestro.

Arriving in Toronto in 1969 after a stint at WRKO Boston, Rode first entertained Toronto audiences at CKFH "The Big 143" in morning drive. It was a memorable show. After that it was on to CHUM, where Rode spent much of the '70s mostly in daytime slots. By the late 1980s, Rode was at KEY-590 Toronto where he did a well-received morning show. The 1990s found Rode back at CHUM as the regular fill-in on the morning show.

Rock Radio Scrapbook presents John Rode here.

(The Bill Dulmage Collection)

Talent: ROGER ASHBY
Station: CHUM Toronto
Date: August, 1970
Time: 5:34

It's difficult to say what is Roger Ashby's greatest radio legacy. After all, he has had so many of them.

Will it be the Sunday Morning Oldies Show? Ashby debuted this wonderful program November 20, 1980 and it remained on the air in one form or another - on CHUM or CHUM-FM at different times - until the demise of CHUM-AM as a music station in March, 2009.

Or perhaps it will be his role in Roger, Rick (later Darren) and Marilyn. The CHUM-FM morning show began just after Labour Day 1985 with Ashby as the sole host. Rick Hodge (replaced by Darren Lamb in 2007) and Marilyn Denis both joined within a year and the show has gone on to become of the most popular and longest-running morning shows in the history of Toronto radio.

Then again, maybe Ashby's best legacy is his early years as a jock on CHUM-AM. Ashby came to CHUM September 2, 1969 from CKOC Hamilton. He spent two-and-a-half years on the all-night show at CHUM before moving to the coveted midday shift in 1972 where he stayed until moving into programming later in the decade.

Ashby's passion for radio goes back to his childhood. His father built a mock studio in his basement, and from the ages of 10 to 17 young Roger broadcast to the radios in his parent's house. Ashby, who spent his early years in the southern Ontario communities of Brantford, Orangeville and Waterloo, got his first paying job as an operator at CKKW Waterloo. He got his first on-air gig in 1967 when CKKW-FM was launched. In November, 1968, Ashby moved to CKOC where he stayed until the move to CHUM in the late summer of 1969.

Enjoy Roger Ashby on CHUM here.

(The Gary J. Peterson and Donald Major Collections)

Talent: WALT "BABY" LOVE
Station: CKLW Windsor, Ont.
Date: August 29, 1970
Time: 8:12

(Chart scan courtesy Tom Howard)

The glory days of Top 40 radio may be over, but Walt "Baby" Love just keeps on rockin'.

Love entertained at many of the biggest stations in Top 40 radio history, including CKLW, KHJ, KFI, KILT, WNBC, WXLO and WOR-FM. Along the way, he became the first African-American to work for both Lin Broadcasting in the south and the RKO chain. But in 1983, Love went into a new direction as he began hosting "The Countdown with Walt "Baby" Love." The show has gone on to become the longest-running syndicated R&B show in radio and has won Billboard's Best R&B Syndicated Radio Show award multiple times. He also hosts the syndicated shows "Gospel Traxx", "The Urban AC Countdown" and "African-Americans Making It Happen." In addition to his radio work, Love was Urban Radio and Music editor at Radio and Records for 21 years.   

While he calls himself Walt "Baby" Love on air, the Pennsylvania native is known off-air as Rev. Walter Shaw. In 1997, he was ordained in the ministry at the First House of Prayer in Chicago. Later he was ordained as a Deacon in the African Methodist Episcopal (AME) denomination at FAME, First African Methodist Episcopal Church of Los Angeles. He earned the designation of local elder in the AME Church in 2003 and is now an associate minister at FAME.

Hear Walt "Baby" Love on CKLW here.

(The Tom Howard Collection)

For more great 'CK airchecks, visit The CKLW Years

Talent: CHUCK WILLIAMS
Station: CKLW Windsor, Ont.
Date: September 2, 1970
Time: 17:25

Long before his well-remembered final show as Chuck McKay in 1975, this jock was known on the Big Eight as Chuck Williams.

Hear Chuck Williams here.

(The Tom Howard Collection)

Talent: JOHNNY ONN
Station: CJME Regina
Date: October 16, 1970
Time: 19:36

Wanted poster from the "October Crisis"

It was one of the darkest periods in Canadian history, a time of terror and tension. It has come to be known as the "October Crisis".

The nightmare began October 5, 1970 when armed gunmen burst into the Montreal home of senior British trade commissioner James Cross and kidnapped him. It was the first political kidnapping by the FLQ (Front de Libération du Québec), a radical separatist group that first made headlines in the 1960s with a campaign of violence to promote their cause of separation of the province of Quebec from Canada. They left a ransom note demanding the release of 23 so-called political prisoners, $500,000 in gold and safe transport out of the country.

On October 10, another FLQ cell kidnapped Quebec labour minister Pierre Laporte from in front of his home in Saint-Lambert, Que. Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau responded by declaring the War Measures Act, which outlawed the FLQ and gave police sweeping powers to search, arrest and detain without warrant. But on October 17 there was shocking news from the FLQ: they had murdered Laporte and left his body in a trunk of a car near a military base in St. Hubert, Que.

Pierre Laporte (1921-1970)

Cross avoided a similar fate when he was released December 4 after negotiations with his captors, who were given safe passage to Cuba. They later returned to Canada to serve relatively light jail sentences. Laporte's kidnappers were tracked down and jailed but all were free by the early 1980s.

This aircheck of CJME Regina was made on the day the War Measures Act was declared. You'll hear Bruce Northum with the news and Johnny Onn spinning the hits on his midday Top 40 radio show.

Hear CJME from October 16, 1970 here.

(The Don Shuttleworth Collection)

Talent: JAMES WATT
Station: Armed Forces Vietnam Network (AFVN), Saigon
Date: 1970
Time: 10:30

(Photo credit/The AFVN History Page)

The first time I heard this aircheck - on Joe Donovan's all-night show on WHAS Louisville in 1987 - I couldn't believe it. Here was a deejay mixing every format in the book and sounding like he'd just fallen out of bed. First a Robert Goulet song, then Linda Ronstadt, then Red Sovine followed by Christie and even a Spike Jones record. Then the deejay, Army Specialist James Watt, sounding like - well - he'd rather be somewhere else.

This is certainly an offbeat tape - there's something surreal about the thought of "On A Clear Night You Can See Forever" being played at eight o'clock on a Vietnam morning while a war rages.

James Watt can be heard here.

(The Dale R. Patterson Collection)

Subject: THE CRUISIN' MEDLEY
Station: N/A
Time: 11:48

For many, it was their introduction to classic Top 40 radio. It was the Cruisin' Series, a collection of records that re-created the sound of several of the great Top 40 radio stations of the past. The brainchild of KHJ programming legend Ron Jacobs, each record featured a deejay from a particular year. The re-created albums contained jingles, commercials and music from that time.

Among those featured in the original albums released in the early '70s were Joe Niagara on WIBG (Cruisin' 1957), Dick Biondi on WKBW (Cruisin' 1960), B. Mitchell Reed on WMCA (Cruisin' 1963) and Robert W.  Morgan on KHJ (Cruisin' 1965).

The first series of albums were released in 1970 and encompassed the years 1956 to 1962. In 1972, the years 1955 and 1963 were added and the following year Cruisin' albums for 1964 through 1967 were added. That marked the end of Jacobs' involvement. Albums for 1968 and 1969 were released in the late '80s. A special Porky Chedwick Cruisin' CD came out in 1993 (the only one not attached to a year). Cruisin' 1970 - the last in the series so far - was released in 1995.

This medley covers the Cruisin' 1955 to Cruisin' 1969 albums. Hear it here.

We have a short interview with Ron Jacobs here.

View some of the great cover art on the Cruisin' series here.

(The Dale R. Patterson Collection)

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