Talent: DAVE INNESS
Station: CHNS Halifax
Date: April 1, 1974
Time: 55:04/59:40 (unscoped)
           13:09/33:12 (scoped)

"The Music Sounds Best on CHNS"

Nova Scotia's oldest radio station, CHNS was one of two leading Top 40 stations in Halifax during the '60s and '70s (the other was CJCH). Many well-known broadcasters worked at CHNS, including Knowlton Nash, Mike Duffy, Stan Carew and Ian Hanomansing. CHNS became an oldies outlet in 1992, and then ended 80 years of operation on the AM band when it moved to FM in 2006. The station is now known as CHNS-FM at 88.9 kHz as "The Wave."

Dave Inness jocked at CHNS then moved to CKCL Truro, Nova Scotia, before retiring from radio to become a funeral director. He passed away in 2017 at the age of 65.

Enjoy Dave Inness on CHNS (Pt. 1, UNSCOPED) here. 

Enjoy Dave Inness on CHNS (Pt. 1, SCOPED) here. 

Talent: PETER BELL
Station: CKOM Saskatoon
Date: April 6, 1974
Time: 30:50 (unscoped)
           13:47 (scoped)

The golden days of full-service AM radio are long gone but they will live forever on Rock Radio Scrapbook.

On this aircheck from Canada's heartland, Peter Bell is heard playing a mix of country and light rock, Bob Lundy presents the news and Tom Christian has the latest in sports. It's the Peter Bell Breakfast Club on CKOM, which launched operations as "the Friendly Station" in 1951.

Enjoy Peter Bell on CKOM (UNSCOPED) here.

Enjoy Peter Bell on CKOM (SCOPED) here.


(The Don Shuttleworth Collection)

Talent: JIM VAN HORNE
Station: CHUM Toronto
Date: April 19, 1974
Time: 1:00:18 (unscoped)

(Doug Thompson/The CHUM Archives)

Jim Van Horne was a jock in more ways than one.

The Toronto-born broadcaster was a Top 40 jock on CHUM from 1972 to 1980 after coming to the station from CKMP Midland, Ontario. Billboard named Van Horne Disc Jockey of the Year in 1972 - the only time a Canadian jock has ever won the honour.

After CHUM, Van Horne became a sports jock. He hosted the late-night sportscast on CFAC from 1980 to 1984, while also hosting the Calgary Flames NHL broadcasts. In 1984 he moved to the sports anchor seat at TSN, which had just launched programming as Canada's first national all-sports television network. Van Horne covered many sports at TSN, including NHL hockey, golf, bowling, skiing, boxing, tennis, swimming and equestrian.

Van Horne left TSN in 2001 to return to CHUM, which had just launched an all-sports format as The Team. After that format was cancelled in 2002, he returned to sports anchoring at TSN rival Sportsnet.

Van Horne, who has broadcast from four Olympics, is currently television co-ordinator at the College of Sports Media. He also hosts Champions of Conservation and Nature Bites on the Oasis HD channel and provides described video for the Toronto Blue Jays for AMI TV, which provides general entertainment programming for the visually or hearing impaired.

This aircheck of Jim Van Horne was sent to us by Rick Murray Hunter, who was operating his last show at CHUM before heading to the air chair at CKWS Kingston. Hunter later jocked at CFTR Toronto, The Oldies Channel, WOMC Detroit and WRBQ-FM Tampa. He left CBS radio in 2014 to produce his music blog. Thanks Rick, and kudos also to Doug Thompson who digitized this aircheck.

Enjoy Jim Van Horne on CHUM (UNSCOPED) here.
 

(Doug Thompson/The CHUM Archives)

(The Rick Murray Hunter Collection (digitized by Doug Thompson)

Talent: CHRISTIAN THIBAULT
Station: CJRP Québec City
Date: April 21/May 1, 1974
Times: 5:09/4:51

Cliquez ici pour les descriptions en français.

(Description by Pierre Tremblay)

In the summer of 1969, Raymond Crépault, owner of CJMS-1280 and the fledgling Radiomutuel network,  bought CJLR-1060 from Jacques LaRoche and changed its call letters to CJRP, RP standing for Radio Provincial. In addition, Crépault bought CJTR-1150 (later 1040) in Trois-Rivières and opened new stations in Ottawa CJRC-1150 and CJRS-1510 in Sherbrooke.

As was the case for all Radiomutuel stations, CJRP put the emphasis on news and personalities. All Radiomutuel outlets were top 40 stations. Featured in this aircheck is Christian Thibault, who we can hear elsewhere on Rock Radio Scrapbook as a CHRC disc-jockey. CJRP was a tough contender for CHRC in the Quebec City market and even went on top in the ratings for a few years when the station lured morning man André Arthur away from CHRC.

Eventually Arthur came back to CHRC as a co-owner in addition to returning as a morning man. But in 1974 CJRP was battling out against CFLS for the No. 2 spot in the ratings.

Enjoy Christian Thibault on April 21, 1974 here.

Hear Christian Thibault on May 1, 1974 here.
 

(The Christian Thibault Collection)

*Special thanks to Marc Denis for his superb audio editing

Talent: BILL ANDERSON
Station: CFGM Richmond Hill. Ont.
Date: May 10, 1974
Time: 57:28 (unscoped)
            9:47 (scoped)

The CFGM Country Gentleman in 1969. L-r - Gerry McColeman, Ken Hodge, Al Fisher, Don Daynard, Bob Livingston. (Courtesy: Bill Dulmage)

It was to country music in Canada what CHUM was to Top 40. For nearly 30 years CFGM was the place to be for true Country Gentlemen (ladies too).

In 1961, CJRH in Richmond Hill, Ontario - after four years on the air - changed its call letters to CFGM (the GM stood for Greater Metro though some of the jocks took it as Country Folks Good (or Great) Music) In 1963, CFGM became Canada's first full-time country music station. For the next three decades, country music fans got to hear all their favourites in a Top 40-style presentation. In fact many of those who took their turn at the CFGM mic were well-known to Top 40 audiences, including Bob Laine, Don Daynard, Dave Johnson, Bob McAdorey, John Donabie and Jim Brady.

Another of the great CFGM personalities was Bill Anderson, who in a career that began in 1965 at CJCB Sydney, Nova Scotia, has done numerous formats including pop, country, rock, easy-listening and classical. Anderson's radio stops have also included CHML Hamilton, CKBB-CKCB Barrie, Ontario, CFOX Montreal, the Pelmorex Radio Network and Toronto stations CKYC (Country 59), CFRB, CKFM, CJEZ and CFMX (Classical 96).

Rock Radio Scrapbook remembers CFGM and Bill Anderson from May 10, 1974 (UNSCOPED) here.

Rock Radio Scrapbook remembers CFGM and Bill Anderson from May 10, 1974 (SCOPED) here.
 

(The Art Rockwood Collection)

Talent: BOB STEELE
Station: CKOC Hamilton, Ont.
Date: May 27, 1974
Time: 46:21 (unscoped)

Bob Steele never identifies himself here, but this is the same jock who spent many years at CHLO London as Bobby Steele.

Steele also jocked at London stations CKSL and CFPL and Ottawa's CFRA before leaving radio to go into teaching.

Enjoy Bob Steele on CKOC here.
 

(The Charlie Ritenburg Collection)

Talent: DON BERNS
Station: WKBW Buffalo, N.Y.
Date: June 6, 1974
Time: 11:07 (Upgraded 1-8-15)

The best person to describe Don Berns is Don Berns himself.

Several years ago, we came across a book in a used book store called The Program Directors Handbook by Bob Paiva. Cost: $1.00. What a bargain! On the surface it seemed like a dull technical tome, but closer inspection revealed it was anything but. Inside were several fascinating interviews with leading deejays and programmers of the time (the book was published in 1983). Among those interviewed: Terry Young, Tom Shovan and Don Berns. I obtained Mr. Paiva's permission to reprint a portion of his interview with Berns and have carried it in Rock Radio Articles for several years. For those of you who have not read it, here it is.

Rock Radio Scrapbook is proud to present Don Berns at his best, on WKBW in 1974 here.

(Scrapbook archives)

Talent: DR. BROCK
Station: WCFL Chicago
Date: Summer 1974
Time: 9:46

"The Ugliest Mutha in Rock 'n' Roll"

Dr. Grady Brock came in three sizes - loud, LOUDER and LOUDEST.

The fast-talking Brock literally burned out the transmitters with his ear-splitting, high-energy performances at various stations including WINZ Miami, WAYS Charlotte, North Carolina, WNOE New Orleans, KSTP St. Paul, Minnesota, and the subject of this aircheck - the Super CFL, WCFL.

Brock's energy level was astounding - he simply never let up for a second in establishing his legend as one of the greatest screamers in Top 40 radio history. Since he billed himself as "The Ugliest Mutha in Rock 'n' Roll", the station even ran a contest offering listeners $500 if they could correctly answer the question "What Does Dr. Brock Look Like?" Turns out he wasn't very ugly at all.

Dr. Grady Brock died June 28, 2015 at the age of 66.

Enjoy Dr. Brock on WCFL here.
 

(The Bill Dulmage Collection)

Donovan told Rock Radio Scrapbook he was hired by CHUM in the early '70s, but decided to stay at WABC.

The native of Poughkeepsie, New York, spent 43 years at WABC beginning in 1972. He spent his first 10 years there as a jock, then became a staff announcer and Production Director when
WABC switched to talk in 1982. As Production Director, he created hundreds of radio specials and contributed his voice to thousand of commercials.

Donovan was a radio enthusiast as youngster, with an amateur radio station (K2KOQ) in his basement. His first gig as a DJ was atWHVW in Hyde Park, a station he helped build in 1963. After that, he found work at WBAZ (Kingston), WENE (Binghamton) andWMID Atlantic City, New Jersey. In 1968, Donovan hit the Big Apple as the overnight jock on WOR-FM. Four years later, Donovan began a four-decade stay at WABC that ended with his retirement in 2015.

Enjoy Johnny Donovan at WABC (UNSCOPED) here. 

Enjoy Johnny Donovan at WABC (SCOPED) here. 

(The Bill Dulmage Collection)

Talent: CHRIS HARDING
Station: CJME Regina
Date: July 21, 1974
Time: 12:59

(Description and graphics courtesy Dale Johnson)

CJME went on the air in 1959, and switched to Top 40 music in 1967. CJME adopted an oldies format in 1986, and in 1998 it was re-launched as a news/talk station. In 2001, CJME moved down the dial from 1300 to 980. It was rebranded NewsTalk 980 in 2006.

CJME was at its peak as a Top 40 station in the 1970s. One of the many deejays to pass through the Regina station in that decade was Chris Harding. He later worked at CKRM/CFMQ in Regina, and then went on to CJBK in London, Ontario.

Harding later had stops at CKMP Midland, Ontario, CJBX London, CKCW Moncton, New Brunswick, and CFCO Chatham, Ontario. He moved to BX 93 in London in 1993, becoming afternoon personality, music director and assistant program director.
 

Enjoy Chris Harding on CJME here.

Enjoy Chris Harding on CJME here.
 

(The Dale Johnson Collection)

Subject: TM SHOCKWAVE DEMO
Station: KCBQ, WCFL, KRLA
Date: 1974
Time: 14:55

If you ever wondered what the "TM" in TM Productions stood for, look no further than its founder's name. Tom Merriman started the jingle company with Jim Long in 1967 (Merriman had earlier founded Commercial Recording Corporation (CRC) in 1955).

TM Productions continued until 1990 when it merged with Century 21 Programming Inc., to become TM Century, Inc. In 2006, TM Century was purchased by Jones Media Networks.

This fabulous TM Shockwave demo includes jingles from KCBQ San Diego, WCFL Chicago and KRLA Los Angeles.

Enjoy the TM Shockwave Demo here.
 

(The Mike Rivers Collection)

More great jingles here!

Talent: ROGER ASHBY
Station: CHUM Toronto
Date: August 16, 1974
Time: 30:30 (unscoped)
              7:12 (scoped)

Few deejays - if any - have treated the music they play with more reverence than Roger Ashby.

For years, Ashby's Sunday Morning Oldies Show has been one of rock radio's most informative and entertaining programs. Ashby's always interesting historical tidbits and wide variety in the music he played have made the weekly three-hour show a delight.

Ashby has also carved a special niche in CHUM history as the only deejay to appear on that station in a regular shift in five different decades. He started in August, 1969 - a mere four hours after finishing his last shift at Hamilton's CKOC - and continued at CHUM until switching over to CHUM-FM as morning host in 1985. The Sunday Morning Oldies Show also switched to CHUM-FM but returned to the AM side in the 1990s, giving him a fourth decade at CHUM-AM. He got a fifth decade when the Sunday Morning Oldies Show returned in 2003. Ashby holds the distinction of being the only person to hold down the morning show on both CHUM-AM and CHUM-FM.

Ashby's five-decade reign on 1050 CHUM is even more impressive when you consider how few have been on-air there for three decades. There have been only 10 for sure: Jay Nelson (1963-1980); Bob Laine (1958-1970); Mark Edwards/Bob Magee (1973-1997); Russ McLoud (1985-2001); Daryl B. ('70s, '80s and early '90s); John Rode (1970-1990s); Gregg Lee ('80s, '90s and '00s); Marc Chambers ('80s, '90s and '00s); Bruce Marshall ('80s, '90s and '00) and Tom Rivers, who was on CHUM in the '70s and '80s and returned in 2003.

(Notes: Rode MAY have filled in mornings at CHUM in 2000 but did not do a regular shift. Brian Henderson was at CHUM in the '70s but only in the late '90s and early 2000s as a deejay. Several newsmen have done the three-decade thing (Peter Dickens comes to mind), but we're only talking deejays here.) 

Rock Radio Scrapbook presents Roger Ashby (UNSCOPED) here. 

Rock Radio Scrapbook presents Roger Ashby (SCOPED) here. 
 

(The Joe Fazio and Bill Dulmage Collections)

(NOTE: This aircheck continues with the Terry Steele aircheck below)

(The Bill Dulmage Collection)

For more classic CHUM airchecks, visit The CHUM Archives

Talent: TERRY STEELE
Station: CHUM Toronto
Date: August 16, 1974
Time: 8:48

There are few things quite like a summer day, an open convertible and great Top 40 music on the radio. And you don't really need the first two.

CHUM was one of those stations that can truly be described as the soundtrack of one's life, at least in Southern Ontario. For its many years as a hit music station, CHUM has been a synonym for fun.

In 1974, the late Terry Steele was 'doin' it right' at CHUM as was everybody on-air there. Roger Ashby and Dick Smyth make brief appearances on this classic aircheck.

Rock Radio Scrapbook presents Terry Steele here.

 

(The Bill Dulmage Collection)

Talent: CHRISTIAN THIBAULT
Station: CJRP Québec City
Date: August 24, 1974
Time: 5:28

Cliquez ici pour les descriptions en français.

(English and French descriptions by Michel Gignac)

When he was a teenager Christian Thibault always dreamt of becoming a radio disc-jockey and in 1974 his dream became real as he began his career on commercial radio on CJRP-1060. Prior to being heard on CJRP he familiarized himself with radio in high school and acted as a disc jockey in disco night clubs.

When CJRP offered Thibault to sit in for regular deejays first on all-night shows and then on weekend he was well equipped to extricate himself as his past experience as a deejay in night clubs served him well at a time when disco music invaded the airwaves. 

Thibault's radio career has always been a part-time job since he has been a civil servant for some 30 years or so. Nevertheless he remained as passionate for radio as he was in 1974 when he was heard for the first time on a commercial station.

Hear Christian Thibault from August 24, 1974 here.
 

(The Christian Thibault Collection)

Thanks to Pierre Tremblay for sending this to us!

*Audio editing by Marc Denis

Talent: MICHAEL GODIN
Station: CFOM Quebec City
Date: Summer 1974
Time: 3:06

The story of CFOM is well-documented by Marc Denis on our Rock Radio Goodbyes section. As Marc says there, it was "the little Québec City English-language Top 40 station that could and did ... for a while anyway."

Few airchecks of CFOM have surfaced, but we do have this one for you.

Enjoy Michael Godin on CFOM in 1974 here.
 

(The Pierre Tremblay Collection)

Talent: SUPER SHANNON
Station: WGRQ Buffalo, N.Y.
Date: September, 1974
Time: 59:11 (unscoped)
           13:26 (scoped)

He didn't leap tall buildings in a single bound, nor could he stop a speeding locomotive, but Super Shannon was more than worthy of his nickname.

Stephen Alexander Reid - a.k.a. Super Shannon - was one of Buffalo's fastest-talking jocks during the Top 40 era (undoubtedly his strongest competitor in that regard was Jack Armstrong).

Super Shannon first came to the attention of Buffalonians in the winter of 1973-74 at WGRQ, Buffalo's first FM Top 40 station. Later in the decade, the native of Cambridge, Ontario, switched stations and bands when he went to WKBW. One thing didn't change - his speedy and frantic delivery.

Shannon/Reid was also a disco DJ, appearing at the popular Club 747 when it was built in 1975. He also supervised night-time DJs for Turgeon Restaurants in Buffalo in 1977.

He later moved into television, as a co-host with the first PM Magazine in Columbus, Ohio. He also hosted a morning talk show on CBN (Christian Broadcasting Network).

Stephen Alexander Reid died Christmas Day 2014 after a 10-year struggle with cancer. He was 68.

Enjoy Super Shannon on WGRQ (UNSCOPED) here. 

Enjoy Super Shannon on WGRQ (SCOPED) here. 
 

(The Bill Dulmage Collection)

Talent: DAN WILLIAMSON
Station: CKLG Vancouver
Date: September, 1974
Time: 3:50

(Logo courtesy Bill Dulmage)

Even if you only casually watch TV or listen to the radio in Canada, chances are you've heard Dan Williamson.

The veteran broadcaster is well-known for his many years as the National Male Voice of the Global Television Network. One of Canada's most sought-after voice talents, Williamson has also worked with numerous national radio and TV production companies and audio-visual companies.

Williamson also has an extensive radio resume, which has included stops at Toronto stations CFTR, CKEY, CKFM (The Mix) and the country-music version of CISS-FM.

In 1974, Williamson was breaking into prominence at Vancouver's CKLG.

Hear him on 'LG 73 here.
 

(The Charlie Ritenburg Collection)

Talent: DICK HEATHERTON and NORM N. NITE
Station: WCBS-FM New York
Date: October, 1974
Time: 22:20

Many airchecks remind one of a certain time in their lives. But rarely is that recollection as specific as the one we found on this aircheck.

The Norm N. Nite portion of this aircheck is from October 10, 1974, which is the day your webmaster began a 35-year career as an editor at The Canadian Press news agency in Toronto. What's more, the Norm N. Nite portion begins in the exact hour we started at CP, the 8 p.m. hour.

What are the chances of that?

Talent: MURRAY JOHNSON
Station: CKRC Winnipeg
Date: December 7, 1974
Time: 13:12

(Logo courtesy Murray Johnson)

He was only a teenager,  but Murray Johnson jocked on one of Canada's leading Top 40 stations.

Johnson, who donated this aircheck of himself to Rock Radio Scrapbook, tells us about it and his time at Winnipeg's CKRC...

"I recognize the voices of Doc Steen and Scott Walker on the commercials. Other folks who worked there at the time were Bob Washington, Billie Gorrie, Boyd Kozak, Gerry Firman, Gary Roberts, Murray David Collins, Mark Stephanson and Harry Taylor.

This was an overnight weekend shift - I did that while going to school. I got my foot in the door working on CKRC Youth News, which was a weekend afternoon program put together by high school students. I was really amazed when I got the chance to go on the air at the age of 17!

During the summer I had the job of driving around in the CKRC "Station" wagon, dressed in jeans and jean jacket with the vehicle loaded down with bottles of cool, refreshing Mr. Pibb (It Goes Down Good!). I visited parks and playgrounds and gave out samples. I got to keep the clothes!"

(The Murray Johnson Collection)

Talent: JACK MINDY
Station: WHEN Syracuse, N.Y.
Date: December, 1974
Time: 11:50

(Logo courtesy Bill Dulmage)

There was a time when deejays entertained on the radio without resorting to shock jokes or relying on a cast of silly-sounding sidekicks.

Yes, deejays in drive shifts used to go solo and cracked wise without ever mentioning any part of the human anatomy.

They alluded to it yes, but in a subtle manner that made you think.

It was a golden era for sure. I hope that those considering a radio career take the time to listen to these voices of the past on this site and others. They really had style, personality and charm.

One of the best from this era was Jack Mindy, a Buffalo-born mainstay of western and central New York radio for many years. He also worked in the Pittsburgh, St. Louis, Detroit and San Francisco-Oakland markets before ending his 52-year on-air career at WGMC Greece, New York, in 2009. Check out his web site.

To hear Jack Mindy, click here.
 

(The Bill Dulmage Collection)

It's a wonder the transmitters were still standing and the board hadn't melted after Truckin' Tom Kent finished a shift.

(The Tom Kent Collection)

Talent: PETER "BOOM BOOM" BENSON and JACK CASEY
Station: CFUN Vancouver
Date: December 29, 1974
Time: 14:44

Peter "Boom Boom" Benson takes care of the old tunes and Jack Casey plays the hits of the day in this pre-New Year's aircheck of CFUN from 1974.

First, we hear Benson doing an excellent job re-creating the radio of the '50s and '60s with classic CFUN jingles on Canadian Graffiti (Scott Carpenter hosted this show on CHUM around the same time). Then Casey spins the hits of the day (plus a few oldies) on his all-night show. Lots of references to the Top 100 of the year coming up in a couple of days. Portions of newscasts with Doug Foster and Randy Jackson are also heard.

Benson left CFUN in 1974 moving to KQEO Albuquerque, New Mexico, a couple of years later. Since then he's been at several other Albuquerque stations including his current home, KNKT. Casey, whose radio career also includes stops in Calgary, Regina, Winnipeg, Drumheller, Alberta., and Terrace, B.C., is retired and living in Washington State.

Enjoy Peter "Boom Boom" Benson and Jack Casey at CFUN from December 29, 1974 here.
 

(Courtesy Ted Wendland, radiowest.ca)

Be sure to visit radiowest.ca, a superb radio site hosted by Ted Wendland. Airchecks, jingles, photos, logos, history and forums - radiowest.ca has it all. Rock Radio Scrapbook says thanks Ted for sharing this aircheck.