Rock Radio Scrapbook

AIRCHECK OF THE WEEK
For week of January 27, 2007
Weekly issue #464

Subject: CALGARY RADIO COMPOSITE
Stations: CFCN, CKO, CHQR, CKXL, CBR
Date: November, 1979
Time: 14:35

(Description by Dale Johnson)

CFCN 1060 (00:00): It went on the air in 1922. For most of the '70s, Russ Tyson was a DJ in Calgary at CKXL and CFCN. Tyson also worked in Regina, Hamilton, Vancouver, Winnipeg, Thunder Bay and Saskatoon.

Among other notable ex-employees of CFCN: Ralph Klein, who later became Mayor of Calgary and then Premier of Alberta was a civic affairs reporter with CFCN-TV and radio. Also, Keith Hampshire who worked for a time as a cameraman at CFCN-TV and as an operator at CFCN radio, before launching his own career behind the mike at Radio Caroline South, a pirate radio station in the North Sea in 1966 and 1967. Then he returned to Canada and worked at Toronto's CKFH from 1967 to 1969. During the 1970s he had a few top ten hits of his own, including "Daytime-Nighttime", "First Cut is The Deepest" and "Big Time Operator." Hampshire was also guest star and writer on several of the Wayne and Shuster TV specials of the 1970s. He later had his own TV show on CBC called Music Machine. He earned a gold record for the song "OK, Blue Jays."

CKO 103.1 FM (3:48): This was part of the national all-news network, which operated from 1977 to 1989. CKO folded due to lack of money and lack of listeners, but since it shut down many stations across Canada have switched from music to news and talk. Featured on this aircheck is Beverly Lynn Robbins, who had previously worked at CKOM 1250 Saskatoon. The 103.1 frequency that CKO used in Calgary was used by CIQX as of 2008.

CHQR 810 (5:12): This was an adult-oriented music station for a time in the '70s. Now it's all talk and information and has moved to 770. Jeff Newland is featured on this aircheck with a newscast. Newland had previously worked at CJWW 1370 in Saskatoon, and now is in radio in Wainwright, Alta.

CKXL 1140 (10:15): It was a Top 40 station in the 1970s. Listen to Michelle Jones with the news on this aircheck. CKQL was rebranded in 1987, and left the airwaves in 1996.

CBR 1010 (11:35): Norris Bick was a popular voice at CBC Calgary from the 1960s to the 1980s. Earlier he had worked at CKBI Prince Albert, Sask.

Enjoy this composite of November, 1979 Calgary radio here.

(The Dale Johnson Collection)

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