The Southern Ontario/WNY Radio-TV Forum » AM740 Zoomer Radio Turns 25

Shorty Wave · January 5, 2026 10:02 am

Yesterday afternoon I tuned into Vintage Favourites with Gene Stevens on AM740 to listen to their 25th anniversary show. I must say that Gene Stevens does a bang-on job hosting and putting his shows together.

He went through the history of the station, listing all the shows and on-air talent and how the schedule changed over the years which I found interesting especially since I didn’t listen to them for their first few years. He also mentioned some of the live performances they had aired, including Dan Hill performing his original version of “Sometimes When we Touch”, which was nowhere near the version that was the hit. I’ll be honest, not my favourite song but was interesting to see where it started from.

He also listed all the shows they produce and compared to other stations, they do a fair amount, 30+ a week. All in all, an interesting listen, thanks Gene Stevens! AM740 turns 25 on January 8th, the birthday of Elvis Presley and more importantly, David Bowie!

Paul Jeffries · January 5, 2026 10:42 am

Actually, if you want to go back even further and count their previous incarnation, this year marks their 70th anniversary on air, signing on as CHWO in Oakville at 1250 on the AM dial on November 17, 1956.

I'm still coming to grips with the fact that Gen-X music is now "old folks" music.

PJ

Last edited by Paul Jeffries (January 5, 2026 10:42 am)

67GreenRambler · January 5, 2026 10:49 am

I trust he mentioned Bob Sprott. When possible I listened to his nightly show, Big Band Panorama, often wondering how he could afford all those records. Resolved only after his passing in this (originally published) newspaper article.

https://groups.io/g/odxa/topic/host_of_ontario_big_band/7522488

Shorty Wave · January 5, 2026 11:32 am

Paul Jeffries wrote:
I'm still coming to grips with the fact that Gen-X music is now "old folks" music.

PJ

Yup, we’re now “old folks”, but at least we had good music in our “yute”! Cheers PJ!

Shorty Wave · January 5, 2026 11:42 am

67GreenRambler wrote:
I trust he mentioned Bob Sprott. When possible I listened to his nightly show, Big Band Panorama, often wondering how he could afford all those records. Resolved only after his passing in this (originally published) newspaper article.

https://groups.io/g/odxa/topic/host_of_ontario_big_band/7522488

He most likely did mention Bob Sprott as he was quite thorough about it and mentioned many names that I was not familiar with!

Last edited by Shorty Wave (January 5, 2026 2:42 pm)

RadioActive · January 5, 2026 12:59 pm

Most of us remember when 740 was CBL, the 50K clear channel powerhouse that could be heard as far as Florida at night. They're now on FM, of course, but does anyone recall who hosted their afternoon drive show when they were still on the AM side of life? The answer below.

Paul Jeffries · January 5, 2026 1:29 pm

Shorty Wave wrote:
Paul Jeffries wrote:
I'm still coming to grips with the fact that Gen-X music is now "old folks" music.

PJ

Yup, we’re now “old folks”, but at least we had good music in our “yute”! Cheers PJ!

Damn straight we did!
Now excuse me while I plug in my heating pad.

PJ

Woody · January 5, 2026 1:35 pm

Bob was an amazing guy - and I learned so much about Big Band working with him! He used to walk into the station with a bag of vinyl - everything he'd plan to play that night - and a script written in blue marker on graph paper. Big Band Panorama was fun - but it was Swing It when Bob really excelled. He loved talking to listeners - and would turn down his monitor fully so he could hear them clearly. On more than one occasion, I had to throw something at the studio window to get his attention because the record had finished. If you heard dead air on Swing It - that was probably the reason.

km93 · January 5, 2026 1:47 pm

I had drifted away from being a regular listener some years ago but still make a point to catch Dean Hollin's Radio Limelite on Sunday night-it's an excellent show. I love learning the origin stories of the jazz standards.

Dale Patterson · January 5, 2026 2:02 pm

Speaking of anniversaries, CHUM turned 80 years young last year, on October 28.

Agree that Gene Stevens is a great listen. He does good work.

Dicky Doo · January 5, 2026 2:06 pm

Dale Patterson wrote:
Gene Stevens is a great listen. He does good work

If AM 740 ever launched a hall of fame (not likely) Brian Peroff would deserve recognition

Shorty Wave · January 6, 2026 9:47 am

Dicky Doo wrote:
Dale Patterson wrote:
Gene Stevens is a great listen. He does good work
If AM 740 ever launched a hall of fame (not likely) Brian Peroff would deserve recognition

I think there’s a couple of names to add to their Hall of Fame, Bill Gable for starters, Neil Hedley as well although his run didn’t end well apparently, and Norm Edwards plus Frank Proctor, who still hosts Theatre of the Mind and the late George Jonescu, host of Big Band Sunday Night, my gateway show to AM740!

Woody · January 6, 2026 11:02 am

Shorty Wave wrote:
Dicky Doo wrote:
Dale Patterson wrote:
Gene Stevens is a great listen. He does good work
If AM 740 ever launched a hall of fame (not likely) Brian Peroff would deserve recognition

I think there’s a couple of names to add to their Hall of Fame, Bill Gable for starters, Neil Hedley as well although his run didn’t end well apparently, and Norm Edwards plus Frank Proctor, who still hosts Theatre of the Mind and the late George Jonescu, host of Big Band Sunday Night, my gateway show to AM740!

Is there a AM740 Hall of Fame without Tom Fulton? Barry Morden spent the better part of half a century with CHWO/AM740 - he should be there.

mace · January 6, 2026 11:30 am

RadioActive wrote:
Most of us remember when 740 was CBL, the 50K clear channel powerhouse that could be heard as far as Florida at night. They're now on FM, of course, but does anyone recall who hosted their afternoon drive show when they were still on the AM side of life? The answer below.

Do you remember who did morning drive on CBL? Bruce Smith hosted Toast & Jamboree. Walter Bowls [sp] did the news.

mace · January 6, 2026 11:35 am

When

Woody wrote:
Shorty Wave wrote:
Dicky Doo wrote:

If AM 740 ever launched a hall of fame (not likely) Brian Peroff would deserve recognition

I think there’s a couple of names to add to their Hall of Fame, Bill Gable for starters, Neil Hedley as well although his run didn’t end well apparently, and Norm Edwards plus Frank Proctor, who still hosts Theatre of the Mind and the late George Jonescu, host of Big Band Sunday Night, my gateway show to AM740!
Is there a AM740 Hall of Fame without Tom Fulton? Barry Morden spent the better part of half a century with CHWO/AM740 - he should be there.

When one of my high school friends got married in 1978, he hired Barry Morden as the DJ. His choice of music kept the dance floor packed with we young folks the entire evening.

torontomike · January 6, 2026 11:49 am

Woody wrote:
Is there a AM740 Hall of Fame without Tom Fulton?

Speaking of Tom Fulton, Joey Cee dropped by yesterday - music director at CKFH when Tom Fulton was on the air there - and I played some Tom Fulton on CKFH and chatted about him.

It was fun chatting with Joey Cee about breaking songs on CKFH in the late-60s.

https://www.torontomike.com/2026/01/joey-cee-toronto-miked-podcast-episode-1829/

Last edited by torontomike (January 6, 2026 11:49 am)

Fitz · January 6, 2026 4:56 pm

Here's a well known DJ in this area who was on Zoomer for a bit. I was not that familiar with him except for his name bc I was not a listener to the type of formats he worked on but here he is playing oldies. I did not date the tape:

Zoomer

Dale Patterson · January 6, 2026 6:57 pm

Any AM 740 Hall of Fame should also include Bob Durant.

Here's a tribute he did to Tom Fulton on the first anniversary of his passing.

rockradioscrapbook.ca/chwo-durant-dec9-03.mp3

Last edited by Dale Patterson (January 6, 2026 6:59 pm)

turkeytop · January 6, 2026 8:15 pm

One of my favourites on Zoomer was George Jonescu who, until he died suddenly, did the BBSN progam every Sunday night. Before that he was on CHAY in Barrie. When we lived up north, I used to listen to him there on Saturday nights.l

Shorty Wave · January 8, 2026 9:00 am

Fitz wrote:
Here's a well known DJ in this area who was on Zoomer for a bit. I was not that familiar with him except for his name bc I was not a listener to the type of formats he worked on but here he is playing oldies. I did not date the tape:

Zoomer

A couple of years ago, when Neil Hedley was the PD at AM740 he brought Tarzan Dan in to do Saturday Night Bandstand, I think this recording is him. He was only with them for a bit as he got full time work out west I believe. Any other board members able to recognize this voice as Tarzan Dan?

Paul Jeffries · January 8, 2026 9:57 am

Shorty Wave wrote:
Fitz wrote:
Here's a well known DJ in this area who was on Zoomer for a bit. I was not that familiar with him except for his name bc I was not a listener to the type of formats he worked on but here he is playing oldies. I did not date the tape:

Zoomer

A couple of years ago, when Neil Hedley was the PD at AM740 he brought Tarzan Dan in to do Saturday Night Bandstand, I think this recording is him. He was only with them for a bit as he got full time work out west I believe. Any other board members able to recognize this voice as Tarzan Dan?

I would definitely say that's Tarzan Dan. If not, then a very good imposter.

I also remember hearing him doing a few shifts on 1050 CHUM around 2004 or so, under his real name Dan Freeman. At first I was surprised, as TD usually worked CHR formats, but his enthusiasm worked great for CHUM's oldies/classic hits format at the time. A true mark of a great talent when they can sound perfectly at home with formats on opposite ends of the spectrum.

PJ

Shorty Wave · January 8, 2026 11:44 am

Paul Jeffries wrote:
Shorty Wave wrote:
Fitz wrote:
Here's a well known DJ in this area who was on Zoomer for a bit. I was not that familiar with him except for his name bc I was not a listener to the type of formats he worked on but here he is playing oldies. I did not date the tape:

Zoomer

A couple of years ago, when Neil Hedley was the PD at AM740 he brought Tarzan Dan in to do Saturday Night Bandstand, I think this recording is him. He was only with them for a bit as he got full time work out west I believe. Any other board members able to recognize this voice as Tarzan Dan?
I would definitely say that's Tarzan Dan. If not, then a very good imposter.

I also remember hearing him doing a few shifts on 1050 CHUM around 2004 or so, under his real name Dan Freeman. At first I was surprised, as TD usually worked CHR formats, but his enthusiasm worked great for CHUM's oldies/classic hits format at the time. A true mark of a great talent when they can sound perfectly at home with formats on opposite ends of the spectrum.

PJ

Thanks PJ, he’s the only one I can think of to fill in on Saturday Night Bandstand, which I used to listen to on my drive home back in the day!

MJ Vancouver · January 8, 2026 1:55 pm

mace wrote:
Do you remember who did morning drive on CBL? Bruce Smith hosted Toast & Jamboree. Walter Bowls [sp] did the news.

For a period of time in the early 1970s, it was Alex Trebek. He hosted a show called I’m Here ‘til 9, which was replaced by Metro Morning in 1973.

I wonder whatever happened to him. 😉