1 of 1- RadioActive
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When Toronto Radio Stations Put Out Promotional LPs
I read an article by my favourite radio writer, L.A. based Richard Wagoner, about the days when radio stations used to put out music collections on LPs, to promote the call letters and the music they played. Those days are gone, but they sure were fun while they lasted.
I have two of them. One I got when I was at CFTR in the 1980s. At the time, 680 was a Top 40 outlet and had a regular feature in which it would play 60s music. That wound up being The CFTR 60s Album, with some great hits on it.
Another was a CD from CHUM, although I have no idea where it came from or when. 
And though I never owned one, Q107's series of Homegrown LPs featured and promoted local talent. 
Did anyone here collect these over the years?
- Doug Thompson
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CHUM had a couple of these albums as well RA. In the early 1960s, ARC Records released a 'sound-alike' album with the current hits of the day. The album cover featured CHUM's morning man Al Boliska with two teenage girls at a sock hop. In the '70s, CHUM released the Graffiti album, based on Scott Carpenter's Graffiti weekly program.
Latrer, during the oldies era, CHUM had the CD and cassette you pictured.
So many Top 40 stations in North America made deals with record companies to release greatest hit compilations. KHJ in LA did, WKNR in Dearborn/Detroit had several. WCBS New York had a bunch as did tons more stations.
It was a great promotional gimmick that stayed in listener's homes.
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- 67GreenRambler
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Re: When Toronto Radio Stations Put Out Promotional LPs
Sealed copy and not worth a dollar today. 
- Skywave
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Re: When Toronto Radio Stations Put Out Promotional LPs
When I was a student at U of T, I clambered up the stairs at the original studio address (13 Adelaide East) to purchase my album. I could see the newsroom off to the left of the reception counter. I asked if I could have a tour of the studios, and was summarily brushed off.
They say that radio is "the theatre of the mind". There was no way that they were going to let this kid see behind the wizard's curtain of the luxury sound of CHFI at what was known to staff as the "roach motel".
- RadioActive
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Skywave wrote:
When I was a student at U of T, I clambered up the stairs at the original studio address (13 Adelaide East) to purchase my album. I could see the newsroom off to the left of the reception counter. I asked if I could have a tour of the studios, and was summarily brushed off.
They say that radio is "the theatre of the mind". There was no way that they were going to let this kid see behind the wizard's curtain of the luxury sound of CHFI at what was known to staff as the "roach motel".
Wow, I had the exact opposite experience. I won a contest just after CFTR turned rock and went down to 13 Adelaide St. E. to get my prize.
I'm not sure how it happened but I think I told them I wanted to work in radio someday and the next thing I knew, I was standing in the control room at CFTR, where Steve Young (aka Keith Elshaw) was in the middle of his show. I'll never forget how he took time out between records to show me how to cue up the next song, did a brief explanation of the board and was joking with the other guys in the self-op-ed studio.
I was in heaven! After a few minutes, I was escorted out but as a radio crazed young teenager, it was a dream come true. I never believed for a second I would one day work there, after they moved to 25 Adelaide St. E. But I've never forgotten his kindness and though it was a very long time ago, I remember it like it was yesterday.
Wherever you are now Keith, thanks for those memories and your great generosity that day.
Sorry that wasn't your experience Skywave.
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Thread Starter- Skywave
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Re: When Toronto Radio Stations Put Out Promotional LPs
Your experience was few years later, so at that point they weren't five minutes from bankruptcy.
- ig
- Iain Grant
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Re: When Toronto Radio Stations Put Out Promotional LPs
I had these in a folder for an old project...
Madness takes its toll. Please have exact change.
- RadioActive
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Re: When Toronto Radio Stations Put Out Promotional LPs
I knew about CHFI's Candlelight & Wine but I had no idea CKFM ever put out anything.
"Candelight" was hosted by the great Don Parrish, with that incredible deep voice he had. I only had one encounter with him during my time at TR - he was upstairs at FI and our paths rarely crossed.
But one day they did and I felt terrible about what they asked me to tell him. We used to have a feature some here may remember called "Monitor 680." It was a three minute feature that aired four times a day at :25 after the hour. It was highly produced and was pretty popular. We did a ton of them every day.
The guy who did the intro - which consisted of a single word said in a basso profundo, "MONITOR" followed by a stinger, tried to sue the station after he left for the use of his voice. I'm not sure how he thought he could get away with that, since he worked for the place when he did it.
Anyway, the station knew they would win but just didn't want to be bothered with the aggravation and legal fees of fighting the nuisance suit. So they sent Parrish down to my production studio to say the single word, and I was supposed to replace the old guy with the new.
He asked me what I was looking for and I played him the intro, and said to him, "I've been asked to ask you if you can make it sound like him."
At which point Parrish raged at me from the announce booth, "I'm Don Parrish! I don't sound like anybody!"
I had no idea what to do, but pro that he was - and knowing I was just repeating what I was told they wanted - he said the word, did two takes and left. And that was the only time I ever worked with Don Parrish - and I didn't even want him to sound like himself!
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Thread Starter- bmaudioworks
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Re: When Toronto Radio Stations Put Out Promotional LPs
I read an article by my favourite radio writer, L.A. based Richard Wagoner, about the days when radio stations used to put out music collections on LPs, to promote the call letters and the music they played. Those days are gone, but they sure were fun while they lasted.
I have two of them. One I got when I was at CFTR in the 1980s. At the time, 680 was a Top 40 outlet and had a regular feature in which it would play 60s music. That wound up being The CFTR 60s Album, with some great hits on it.
Another was a CD from CHUM, although I have no idea where it came from or when.
And though I never owned one, Q107's series of Homegrown LPs featured and promoted local talent.
Did anyone here collect these over the years?
The CFTR '60s album was also released in Montreal for CKGM... my parents had a copy of the CKGM version, same songs and cover art but different station.
I'm also reminded of the "Project Easy" CDs that Barrie's CHAY-FM released in the '90s during the Shaw era. One such CD, "Bright Lights From Huronia", included at least two songs with my uncle, a former Toronto resident now back home in the Collingwood area, on the sax. CHAY's late-evening "Northern Light" program was playing these songs as late as 2000! I believe CHAY also released some albums based on their popular "Big Band Saturday Night" show.
- mace
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Re: When Toronto Radio Stations Put Out Promotional LPs
When I was a student at U of T, I clambered up the stairs at the original studio address (13 Adelaide East) to purchase my album. I could see the newsroom off to the left of the reception counter. I asked if I could have a tour of the studios, and was summarily brushed off.
They say that radio is "the theatre of the mind". There was no way that they were going to let this kid see behind the wizard's curtain of the luxury sound of CHFI at what was known to staff as the "roach motel".Wow, I had the exact opposite experience. I won a contest just after CFTR turned rock and went down to 13 Adelaide St. E. to get my prize.
I'm not sure how it happened but I think I told them I wanted to work in radio someday and the next thing I knew, I was standing in the control room at CFTR, where Steve Young (aka Keith Elshaw) was in the middle of his show. I'll never forget how he took time out between records to show me how to cue up the next song, did a brief explanation of the board and was joking with the other guys in the self-op-ed studio.
I was in heaven! After a few minutes, I was escorted out but as a radio crazed young teenager, it was a dream come true. I never believed for a second I would one day work there, after they moved to 25 Adelaide St. E. But I've never forgotten his kindness and though it was a very long time ago, I remember it like it was yesterday.
Wherever you are now Keith, thanks for those memories and your great generosity that day.
Sorry that wasn't your experience Skywave.
Back in the summer of 1970, I was able to tour CKFH, CHUM and CFRB. I got to meet Duff Roman who was on air at FH during my visit. At CHUM i remember being in the hall between the AM and FM studios. Bobby Sherman on the left, Jethro Tull on the right. Then came CFRB. The Royal York Hotel of radio stations. The reception area reeked of opulence. Everything in that station was polished, professional and classy.
- markow202
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Re: When Toronto Radio Stations Put Out Promotional LPs
Back in about 2014? I got this one that Boom 97.3 put out on vinyl.
