Dale Patterson's Rock Radio Scrapbook has plenty of Roger Ashby's work on the AM side of the station. He started as the overnight guy, another reason why we may never see his like again - outside of all news formats, who has anyone live and local in the wee hours anymore?

(You can definitely tell this is an overnight show - the commercials include Thorncliffe Bowlerama and Knob Hill Farms, two sponsors who were ever present on the early morning shift at stations across the city.)

Roger Ashby, CHUM-AM, August 1970 

 

Last edited by RadioActive (October 25, 2018 10:01 am)

John D wrote:

Just to note that Roger is only the second person to achieve this length of time on Toronto radio.  The other would be the Legendary Wally Crouter of CFRB.  Wally spent 50 years on the morning show.  If Wally was the voice of my parents generation and beyond, Roger would be the longest standing voice of the Rock 'n' Roll Generation.  25 of those 50 years on the Morning Show.  Congrats again Rog.

Roger is the last on-air talent from 1960s Toronto radio still on the air in the city. John Donabie, who retired from CIUT earlier this year, was the second last.

Ashby's 33-year run in mornings at CHUM-FM (1985-2018) may be tied with Marilyn Denis for the second-longest in Toronto radio history. Can't think of anyone else with such longevity in mornings in Toronto. Will Marilyn be continuing after Roger leaves?
 

Ashby was live on CTV's noon news and on CP24.

And while it's not filled with much new info (other than there will be ongoing on-air tributes to him on CHUM-FM until the final day) the story also made Billboard. 

You know how smooth Ashby is on air, but if you ever needed proof about his talent, take a listen to this infamous call during the "I Listen To CHUM" contest era over on the AM side.

I'm not sure if this ever aired but the way he turns a near disastrous moment into a triumph proves just how good he is. 

Roger Ashby Contest Call

Congrats Roger.
When Kitchener's CFCA 105.3 (now known as Virgin 105.3) signed on in the summer of '67, two of the weekend fill-ins were a pair of neophytes from Waterloo. I was doing a campus-oriented show on Saturday afternoon 2 until 6, then, following news and a Hawaiian music 30-minute interlude, an "uptown country music" show titled Countrypolitan came on. It was hosted by high schooler Roger Ashby.
Sadly Electrohome, which owned CFCA at the time, did no aircheck morgue-ing.
Roger's piles of show LPs included Eddy Arnold, Jim Reeves, Webb Pierce, Jimmy Dean and the like --- no sign of Hank Williams or Ernest Tubb or Wanda Jackson. Roger's radio pals of the mid-60s included his carpentry-wizard dad Norm plus teenage guys such as Jim "Ace" Wright who was a CHUM board op for a number of years; Bill Bricker who stayed in Waterloo and perhaps listened to more radio than anyone; Rick Murray, who, as Rick Hunter, was on Toronto radio (CFTR?) for a number of years and unless I am mistaken is still spinning Oldies in Michigan or Florida. Ace and Rick also worked at CFCA (and sister station CKKW).
Of the two weekend student announcers, one went to the big town (via Hamilton), where I doubt he ever introduced Eddy or Jim or Webb again. My afternoon gig lasted six weeks and was humanely axed and I went into the production studio for the next four decades.
Roger attended our CFCA CKKW CKCO reunion last April, more than 50 years after leaving Kitchener, and I think I can speak for most of those attending that we felt a little bit of pride in what this kid from Hazel Street had done with himself and kept Toronto and Ontario entertained for such a long time.
I wish Rick Hunter would post some of the great stories he could tell about the formative years of Roger.
In the meantime, we still remember you Roger....best of luck in what looks like will be a busy retirement.
-rych mills

 

Roger was also mentioned on the morning show on Sirius/XM; with Flash Phelps.  One of favorite personalities.  Now the news is known around the world.

I remember listening to his last show on CKOC, it was on a Friday night ending at 8 p.m. Four hours later, much to my surprise, he popped up on CHUM.

Daytripper wrote:

Zoomer Radio (AM740) are running station ID's that say "Zoomer Radio, the future home of Roger Ashby...we hope!....C'mon Roger, you love the Zoomer hits!"
 

Yeah id love to ask him if he actually likes "todays pop" playlist on CHUM 1045 haha.  

Bill King did a great job with that Ashby interview. It seems Roger is not as careful now that the end is nigh.

A few years ago, Roger dropped by my place for a chat. It's an interesting listen in retrospect.

http://www.torontomike.com/2015/06/toronto_miked_podcast_episode_126.html

Last edited by torontomike (November 16, 2018 3:50 pm)

Not a lot new in this Kitchener newspaper story on Ashby, but still worth a read. 

Disc jockey Roger Ashby’s half-century in radio kicked off in Kitchener

RadioActive wrote:

This coming Wednesday will be Ashby's last day as morning show host, although according to this Sun article, he's been asked to stick around part time to do some work on the iHeartradio app, whatever that entails.

CHUM radio legend Roger Ashby retiring after 50 years with 'mixed emotions'


 

Not sure if it's a coincidence, but December 5th is the day Alan Waters passed away.