Rock Radio Scrapbook

AIRCHECK OF THE WEEK
For week of November 16, 2008
Weekly issue #505

Talent: KEITH RICH
Station: CJCL Toronto
Date: October 26, 1990 (Final Show, Part One)
Time: 31:03

Keith Rich (below) with early-'60s WNBC broadcast partner Steve Woodman

Love was in the air - and on the air - as Keith Rich said farewell.

Many of Rich's broadcast colleagues and friends made live or taped appearances as the beloved broadcast veteran did the final show of a four-decade career from the lobby of Toronto's Royal York Hotel. His co-hosts on CJCL were Bob Durant and Halina Balka with Joe Bowen on sports.

Appearing on Part One of this aircheck (station affiliations at the time in brackets) are Humble Howard and Fred Patterson (CFNY), Lyn Thomas and Chris Mayberry (KEY-590), former CKEY program director and announcer Gene Kirby, Bill Anderson (CJEZ), David Lennick (CFRB), Mike Cooper (KEY-590), Anne Reeves (CFRB), Doug Trowell (CJCA, K-97), Metro Toronto Chairman Alan Tonks, former CKEY announcers Glenn Walters and Stan Lark and Blue Jay broadcaster Tom Cheek.

Rich died November 19, 2007 in Meaford, Ont. He was 80.

Enjoy Keith Rich's farewell, Part One, here.

(The Andrew Consky Collection)

More goodbyes here!

Talent: KEITH RICH
Station: CKEY Toronto
Date: April 12, 1973
Time: 35:00 (Upgraded 11-16-08)

CKEY had two distinct eras as a rock station. First, there was the 1958-1965 period, where personalities such as Dave Mickey, Glenn Walters and Ray Starr rocked the dial. Then, there was the 1984-1991 era, when the station went to an oldies format with well-known personalities such as Terry Steele, Jay Nelson, John Donabie, Dan Williamson and John Rode.

In between - from 1965 to 1984 - CKEY was anything BUT a rock station, with a easy-listening music format and impressive news, sports and information programming. It was full-service AM radio at its best.

Some of Canada's best broadcasters did a turn at the 'EY mike during that period. Program hosts included the likes of Jim Paulson, Gene Kirby, Pat Murray and Jim Muir. The news staff included Joe Morgan, Bob Crabb, Phil Godin, Pete McGarvey and Robert Payne among many others. There was Jim Hunt and Brad Diamond on sports and Bob Rice, Dianne Pepper and Dini Petty with traffic. Another station highlight was commentary with Pierre Berton and Charles Templeton.

One man whose career encompassed CKEY's entire easy-listening era - and then some - was Keith Rich. The native of Dugaid, Man., was at 'EY - most of it in mornings - from 1964 to 1986. Rich earned his broadcasting stripes at CHOB Pembroke, Ont., CJBI Victoria and CJCA Edmonton before moving to CFRB Toronto in the late '50s. Later, he and Steve Woodman did a two-year stint at WNBC New York. After his CKEY days ended in 1986, Rich moved to the morning spot at Toronto's CJCL where he stayed until his retirement from radio in 1990. Rich, an aviation buff, farmed full-time and also bred Australian sheepdogs after his radio days ended. He died November 19, 2007 in Meaford, Ont., at the age of 80.

Enjoy Keith Rich on CKEY here.

(The Don Shuttleworth Collection)

More 1973 airchecks here!

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