His name was Stewart Harrison Coxford and I read in the Toronto Star obits on Saturday that he passed away on Feb. 12th. There's no reason you'd know who he is, but if it weren't for him - and a business partner - there might not be an AM 640 today.

Coxford was living in Richmond Hill in the late 50s when he applied for a radio licence for his adopted home town. CJRH was born in 1957 but it had only been on air a short while before the call letters were changed to CFGM, becoming the pre-GTA's only fulltime country station. 

He owned the place until selling it to the Slaights in 1971, and then continued in broadcasting by forming "Classicom," an early cable outlet serving the town. 

Many famous radio personalities passed through CFGM in its day, including newsman Bob Crabbe, former CHUM DJs Bob Laine, Dave Johnson and Bob McAdorey (but not all at the same time), Larry Solway, Don Daynard, Frank Proctor, Bill Anderson, Jim "Brady In The Morning" ex of CFTR and our own John Donabie. The station eventually moved to 640, became CHOG, CFYI and then eventually CFMJ, which it remains to this day.  

Coxford lived to the ripe old age of 95. 

Stewart Coxford Obit