Rock Radio Scrapbook

AIRCHECK OF THE WEEK
For week of February 13, 2011
Weekly issue #618

Talent: GARY GEARS
Station: CHUM Toronto
Date: December 16, 1973
Time: 31:54

He had a big voice, and a talent to match, and he was on CHUM.

Back around 1973, Gary Gears was jocking at WCFL Chicago but, as long-time CHUM production whiz Doug Thompson tells us, he would occasionally would fly up to Toronto to do weekend shifts on 1050. Thompson says Gears would also record liners during his Toronto visits (he was the imaging voice of CHUM for a couple of years.)

Gears spent most his career in Chicago, with stints at WCFL, WLS, WIND, WJEZ, WJJD, WKQX, WMAQ, WRQX and WDAI (where he was known as Gary Wallace.) He served in the U.S. Armed Forces and was heard on AFN Vietnam. After he left the service, Gears jocked in Minneapolis-St. Paul and then moved to KQV Pittsburgh before moving to Chicago. He also appeared on KISN Portland, Ore., KOIL Omaha, Neb., and also served as the voice of WLS-TV news in Chicago.

In addition to being a jock, Gears was a top commercial voice, appearing in spots for Sears Auto Centers, Tuna Helper, Dial Soap, Cheer laundry detergent and many others. He was also did the "Ho Ho Hos" on the Green Giant commercials.

Gears died of a heart attack February 17, 1991. He was 46.

Enjoy Gears - and Peter Ray with the news - on CHUM here.

(The CHUM Archives/Bob Laine and Doug Thompson)

More from The CHUM Archives here!


 

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