1 of 1- MJ Vancouver
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Tommy Hunter 1937-2026
Canadian country star Tommy Hunter has died at 86, per CBC News.
- RadioActive
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Re: Tommy Hunter 1937-2026
Sorry to hear this, although I always felt it was this kind of show that created my feelings of inferiority about Canadian TV shows.
Can't argue with success, though. It ran for an amazing 27 years. So someone was watching it.
Official obit is on Tommy Hunter's own website.
- mace
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Re: Tommy Hunter 1937-2026
As a kid growing up with Don Messer and Tommy Hunter, made me realize the only thing the CBC was good for was HNIC.
- Aytononline
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Re: Tommy Hunter 1937-2026
Tommy Hunter has a lot of fans, including me. He never forgot where he came from, and never really left London Ontario. Before CBC ever knew his name, he was a regular on the CKNX Barn Dance.
I agree that the CBC TV show should have been a lot better and how they pulled him off the air was shameful. But that is on CBC and not Him.
He will be missed.
- RadioActive
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Re: Tommy Hunter 1937-2026
BowmanvilleBob wrote:
Perhaps this was more to your taste RA
That was worse! But these shows were popular and more importantly for the networks that produced them, cheap to make. And that goes a long way to explaining why there were so many of them on Canadian TV in the 60s and 70s.
- paterson1
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Re: Tommy Hunter 1937-2026
I don't really see anything wrong with the quality of the Tommy Hunter Show, and I doubt that it was cheap to produce. I think for some, it is more because it was country music rather than how it was produced. And Tommy's show was a mainstay of The Nashville Network (TNN) in the US from 1983 until cancellation of the program on CBC in 1992. So they had no problems with the quality. His show lasted 27 years. Not many if any variety shows have lasted that long. Hunter's total career with CBC TV ran 36 years.
Even the Pig & Whistle while hokey and from a different era was very popular in the day and aired 10 years on CTV. The show likely had better ratings than some of the imports that the network ran in prime time.
- turkeytop
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Re: Tommy Hunter 1937-2026
I was never a Tommy Hunter fan. But I've read and heard he was a real gentleman.
Last edited by turkeytop (July 3, 2026 6:01 pm)
After all is said and done, more is usually said than done.
- mace
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Re: Tommy Hunter 1937-2026
I don't really see anything wrong with the quality of the Tommy Hunter Show, and I doubt that it was cheap to produce. I think for some, it is more because it was country music rather than how it was produced. And Tommy's show was a mainstay of The Nashville Network (TNN) in the US from 1983 until cancellation of the program on CBC in 1992. So they had no problems with the quality. His show lasted 27 years. Not many if any variety shows have lasted that long. Hunter's total career with CBC TV ran 36 years.
Even the Pig & Whistle while hokey and from a different era was very popular in the day and aired 10 years on CTV. The show likely had better ratings than some of the imports that the network ran in prime time.
You are likely correct about that. I have an immense dislike for Country Music. I suspect his show was quite popular in the Atlantic provinces, rural Ontario and Western Canada. Toronto? Not so much.
- g121
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Re: Tommy Hunter 1937-2026
.. Even the Pig & Whistle while hokey and from a different era was very popular in the day ..
Do recall that Rockin' Irene had a decades long career at the Brunswick House.
Was it hokey? Yes but it was indeed a hoot & lots of fun : )) ..
- paterson1
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Re: Tommy Hunter 1937-2026
Tommy had two songs that charted on the A/C charts in Canada, 17 songs on Canadian country with 8 in the top 10. He had one #1 country hit in 1967 that also showed up at #66 on US charts with Mary In The Morning. So I think it was safe to say his popularity was mainly from the TV show and likely his concerts.
