Rock Radio Scrapbook

AIRCHECK OF THE WEEK
For week of September 13, 2009
Weekly issue #546

Talent: CHUCK AZZARELLO
Station: CHEZ-FM Ottawa
Date: Spring, 1977
Time: 6:19

He was CHEZ-FM's "father of fun", and a key figure in the early development of Canadian FM radio.

Chuck Azzarello helped launch Ottawa's first progressive rock station, CHEZ-FM, in the spring of 1977. An air personality as well as a programmer, Azzarello helped guide CHEZ-FM to top spot in the Ottawa radio ratings in just 10 years, displacing long-time number-one CFRA. The Toronto native was president and general manager of the station when he departed in 1999 after Rogers took over.

Azzarello made radio waves early in life, helping start Radio York in his second year at the Toronto university. His first major professional gig was in 1970 at CHLO St. Thomas, Ont., where he quickly went from air personality to program director. From there, Azzarello moved to CJFM Montreal, followed by a stint at CHUM-FM. CHEZ-FM followed.

One of the highlights of Azzarello's career was his astrology show on CHEZ-FM. Astrology was one of his passions and his 10-minute morning show on the subject attracted a loyal audience. It was that passion - and a skill in working with people - that led to Azzarello's success. Recalling Azzarello in an interview with the Ottawa Citizen, CHEZ-FM music director Steve Colwill said "people really felt they were part of a family back in those days and Chuck looked after them well."

Azzarello died of colon cancer August 22, 2009. He was 60.

This aircheck opens with Azzarello arriving for the beginning of a Saturday morning shift. He chats with the overnight jock for a while then begins his own show. It's an interesting and rare look at early CHEZ-FM.

Enjoy Azzarello on CJEZ here.

(The Bill Dulmage Collection)

Talent: BILL McVEAN
Station: CFRB Toronto
Date: March, 1967
Time: 4:16

Bill and Catherine McVean/Courtesy Bill McVean

Close your eyes and you can still hear the voices.

Wally Crouter in the morning, with Earl Warren's "House of Warren" on middays, and Bill McVean and Betty Kennedy in the afternoon. Then the Bill Deegan Show which led into Ray Sonin's "Down Memory Lane", followed by "Starlight Serenade" which for many years was hosted by George Wilson. Then McVean (again) with his late-night show and Wayne Van Exan with "The Owls Nest" all night.

Those were the weekday programs and program hosts at CFRB, a lineup that remained remarkably stable from the mid'-60s to the late '70s. All but Crouter were gone from those time slots by the end of 1990, and "The Crout" also left after 50 years at 'RB in 1996.

Born in Windsor, Ont., and raised in Woodstock, Ont., Bill McVean served in the Canadian Air Force in the Second World War. Following the war, in 1945, McVean was asked to set up an armed forces radio station as part of his public relations duties. He obviously got the radio bug because the next year - 1946 - he had his first job in commercial radio at CKNX Wingham, Ont.

McVean moved to CKOC in 1949, then to Hamilton rival CHML in 1952 or '53. After a few years doing freelance work for the CBC, he started at CFRB in the all-night show around 1958. By the mid-60s, McVean was on from 1-3 p.m. and also had a late-night show called the Owls Nest from 11:30 p.m. to midnight. McVean also did editorials such as Let's Be Personal and Dialogue, where he first teamed up with Percy Saltzman and later with Bob Hesketh.

McVean's regular weekday duties ended in 1985 as CFRB moved into talk. He continued with weekends and Trips 'N Tips at CFRB until 1996, when he moved to CFMX Cobourg, Ont. Trips 'N Tips was heard on AM 740 Toronto in the 2000s. In 1991, he began his involvement with VoicePrint, an audio service for the visually impaired.

McVean, who credits his wife Catharine for much of his success, says he misses the radio that was but not the radio that is. To that, we say amen.

Enjoy Bill McVean on CFRB here.

(The David Lennick Collection)

More 1967 airchecks here!

RETURN TO ROCK RADIO SCRAPBOOK