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IT IS BACK! As of 6 AM this morning, on the 60th anniversary of CHUM switching to 24 hour rock and roll radio on May 27, 1957...the 'Official' CHUM Tribute website is back.
I have partnered with Dale Patterson of rockradioscrapbook.ca and created a brand new site chumtribute.com.
** Nearly 500 CHUM photos (with more being added as we go along).
** Every single personal CHUM chart in living colour (1957 to 1975), front, back and inside. Pristine condition thanks to Ron Hall's amazing restoration work.
** Unseen CHUM internal memos, press releases and tons of CHUM memorabilia.
** CHUM DJ bios and airchecks from all the eras....plus more, more, more.
It's a work in progress that will be updated on a regular basis.
If you're a fan of 1050 CHUM from any period...you're always welcome at...chumtribute.com
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ok so that was the surprise that Dale had mentioned on his site. Wonderful see the CHUM Chart archives. Not sure if it's possible but how about a continuing loop broadcast of various air checks ala what I heard at 104.9 two years ago.
Thanks guys. Much needed. [and appreciated]
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Doug Thompson wrote:
IT IS BACK! As of 6 AM this morning, on the 60th anniversary of CHUM switching to 24 hour rock and roll radio on May 27, 1957
Not to be too nit picky but it's not exactly factual that 24-hour TOP 40 began at CHUM on that date. A browse through some air checks on Rock Radio Scrapbook or any program schedules shows that several time blocks contained decidedly non rock and roll content. In fact, CHUM didn't fully embrace TOP 40 until some time in the 60's. Let the historians determine exactly when this was. Even after saying that CHUM was still first in Canada to program any rock and roll and of course that was only the start.
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Thanks for taking time to do that site...I miss the good old days of hit radio and Tom Rivers he was top notch!
Cheers to you both for working on this site!
You are pals and I guess "Chums" too!
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kevjo wrote:
Doug Thompson wrote:
IT IS BACK! As of 6 AM this morning, on the 60th anniversary of CHUM switching to 24 hour rock and roll radio on May 27, 1957
Not to be too nit picky but it's not exactly factual that 24-hour TOP 40 began at CHUM on that date. A browse through some air checks on Rock Radio Scrapbook or any program schedules shows that several time blocks contained decidedly non rock and roll content. In fact, CHUM didn't fully embrace TOP 40 until some time in the 60's. Let the historians determine exactly when this was. Even after saying that CHUM was still first in Canada to program any rock and roll and of course that was only the start.
CHUM indeed had some non-rock programming when it launched its rock 'n' roll format in May 1957 (including Josh King's midday country music show), but those shows disappeared in January 1958 as evidenced by this CHUM Chart of January 27, 1958.
Last edited by Dale Patterson (May 27, 2017 7:49 pm)
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To commemorate the 60th anniversary of CHUM, I wrote an article for FYI )a broadcast industry three-times-a-week on-line publication) where I specifically mentioned that Red Robinson at CJOR Vancouver had been playing rock and roll on the radio two and a half years before CHUM launched it's rock era broadcasts. And it was actually the Top 50 back then. Also if you look at the Billboard charts from 1957, you'll see that everything wasn't rock and roll on there either.
CHUM played country in '57 with Josh King and again with Moose Latreck in the early 60's and country songs constantly made the CHUM chart.
CHUM also had a live music show late at night in the early 1960's that played jazz with the Herbie Helbig trio and later Lou Snider. They also had a talk show that by 1964 was two hours long as well as news documentaries.
CHUM was a full service radio station....well into the late 1960's, playing and charting country, jazz, novelty, instrumental and middle-of-the-road hits.
In 1957, CHUM called itself the Hit Parade station, not rock and roll...which is a nebulous term that could mean a myriad of things.
Last edited by Doug Thompson (May 28, 2017 8:06 pm)
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It's important to note that everything on the site comes directly from the CHUM Archives courtesy of its historian, Doug Thompson. It's amazing how many photos, memorabilia and airchecks have come from those archives. Doug has done an incredible job working within that archive and preserving this priceless material for future generations.
Back when I operated at CKFH in the winter of 1975-75, I asked if they had an aircheck archive. They said they had nothing, just the logger tape for the previous month. It was quite disappointing to me that all the great radio from that wonderful station on Grenville was gone, never to be heard again. Thankfully, that isn't the case for CHUM, a station for the ages that will be preserved for the ages thanks to Doug's dedication.
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The thing about that Dale, is that we didn't think about taping shows we worked on unless there was a special reason - a demo for a possible new job or something special was happening. I board operated at least 100 Grooveyard shows with Brian Skinner at CHUM and never thought to tape one. I kept some of the production pieces I created for the show, but none of the actual programs.
I did tape one CHUM show with Dave Johnson in 1965 because he was leaving and I wanted to have a record of he and I working together. That's on your site rockradioscrapbook.ca. Taping the shows 24/7 at CHUM didn't happen until 1970 or '71.