Rock Radio Scrapbook

AIRCHECK OF THE WEEK
For week of August 2, 2009
Weekly issue #540

Talent: GARY DUKE
Station: CHUM Toronto
Date: August 4, 1969
Time: 19:39

Nineteen-sixty-nine. For 1050 CHUM, it was a very good year.

Roger Ashby, Dick Smyth and Gary Duke all started at CHUM that year and Chuck McCoy took over the coveted 7-11 p.m. shift.

For Ashby - who started at CHUM September 2, 1969 - it was the beginning of a four-decade stay at 1331 Yonge. His CHUM career has included the legendary "Sunday Morning Oldies Show" on both CHUM and CHUM-FM, and the successful "Roger, Rick (later Darren) and Marilyn" morning show on CHUM-FM.

Smyth did news and commentary for nearly 18 years at CHUM after starting there July 7, 1969. He moved to CFTR in 1987 where he helped launch 680 News in 1993.

Duke left CHUM for CKLW in 1970, returned to CHUM in 1972 as Duke Roberts before leaving for Toronto rival CFTR in 1973. He was later involved in radio ownership and voice work.

McCoy began the 7-11 p.m. shift at CHUM in February, 1969. He departed CHUM in 1973 then began a long and successful career in radio management. The man known as "The Chucker" was named to the CMW Hall of Fame in 2009.

On the downside, Jack Armstrong left CHUM in February after a memorable eight-month stay, one of about two dozen radio homes for "Supermouth". Brian "The Prez" Skinner departed in the summer of 1969 after six years at CHUM, three of them (1965-68) in the important evening shift. Bob Laine did his last regular CHUM on-air shift in December but did a few fill-ins in 1970. He started at CHUM in 1958 and was the station's last on-air link to the 1950s.

Hear Gary Duke on the CHUM all-night show from August 4, 1969 here.

(The CHUM Archives/Bob Laine and Doug Thompson)

More classic CHUM 'checks here!

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