1 of 1- mace
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MLG April 30, 1956.
This was the day that the 45 date "Biggest Rock N' Roll Show of 1956" rolled into Toronto. Featuring headliners Bill Haley & the Comets, other acts included Bo Diddley, The Platters, The Drifters, LaVern Baker, Frankie Lymon & the Teenagers, Clyde McPhatter and Big Joe Turner. My question is where did 1956 Toronto teens get their top 40 tunes on the radio. CHUM and CKEY were still two years away from the format. 1400 WBNY Buffalo was spinning the hits then but at 1000 watts, I doubt most transistor radios could receive the signal clear enough, if at all. WKBW wouldn't make the switch until 1958. CKOC, WLS and WABC in 1960. WINS, operating on 1010 was a no go. The only possibilities I can think of at night were WJW Cleveland and WLAC Nashville. I had just turned three in the Spring of 1956 so I had not yet discovered R&R music.
- paterson1
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Re: MLG April 30, 1956.
My understand was that some stations did play rock and roll in music blocks or even mixed in with regular hit parade music prior to CHUM going full time in May 27 1957.
Radio in 1956 had mostly block programming or featured shows and the stations themselves didn't really have a set format. I wouldn't be surprised if CFRB and CKEY and smaller stations outside of Toronto did in fact play some rock and roll during this time.
Wally Crouter was the first host of Canadian Bandstand on CKCO TV in 1958, so that sort of indicates that he may have played some of the music on CFRB. It wouldn't make sense to have him host a show for teens if he was unfamiliar with the music and he wasn't known to the audience.
Also by 1956 TV was well established and locally their may have been shows that featured some rock and roll from time to time. Ed Sullivan and Milton Berle also had some groups on their variety programs by this time.
- RadioActive
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Re: MLG April 30, 1956.
paterson1 wrote:
My understand was that some stations did play rock and roll in music blocks or even mixed in with regular hit parade music prior to CHUM going full time in May 27 1957.
Radio in 1956 had mostly block programming or featured shows and the stations themselves didn't really have a set format. I wouldn't be surprised if CFRB and CKEY and smaller stations outside of Toronto did in fact play some rock and roll during this time.
Wally Crouter was the first host of Canadian Bandstand on CKCO TV in 1958, so that sort of indicates that he may have played some of the music on CFRB. It wouldn't make sense to have him host a show for teens if he was unfamiliar with the music and he wasn't known to the audience.
Also by 1956 TV was well established and locally their may have been shows that featured some rock and roll from time to time. Ed Sullivan and Milton Berle also had some groups on their variety programs by this time.
Here are the radio listings from the Toronto Star on May 27, 1957 - the infamous day CHUM went rock full time. You'll notice a 10 PM listing for CKFH called "Rock 'n Roll." So they were playing it for at least an hour a night at the time.
It was followed immediately by a show called "Youth for Christ." So I'm guessing they played the Devil's music for 60 minutes then tried to make up for it with a religious program right after it!
Also a 7 PM listing for CHML is called "The Top Forty Show," although this could be anything because I'm not sure if that format had even technically been invented then.