TORONTO – 1050 CHUM has announced the launch of its 50th anniversary celebrations. Beginning January 1, listeners will be able to travel back in time and re-live the past five decades as 1050 CHUM broadcasts archival audio of news and musical milestones.
On May 27, 1957, Allan Waters, backed by a bunch of “crazy deejays” and the CHUM Radio family, launched 1050 CHUM, Canada’s first 24-hour Top 40 radio station, says the company’s news release.
"Through the formative ‘50s, the unforgettable ‘60s and the fascinating ‘70s, 1050 CHUM played a major part in shaping the Canadian radio landscape. Elvis Presley, The Beach Boys, The Beatles, The Guess Who, Elton John, The Eagles, The Doobie Brothers and Bob Seger are among the great musicians who not only graced the airwaves but walked the halls of 1050 CHUM. The station was also home to many beloved personalities, including Jay Nelson, Al Boliska, Wolfman Jack, Roger Ashby, Tom Rivers, Dick Clark, Dave Johnson and Bob McAdorey," says the release.
1050 CHUM was the first radio station in Canada to play Elvis and The Beatles, and has since been honoured at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland. "The station’s reputation is built on creative programming concepts, including such ground-breaking documentaries as ‘The History of Rock and Roll’, ‘The Story of the Beatles’ and ‘The Elvis Presley Story’. 1050 CHUM also had a profound effect on many well-known listeners: Eugene Levy was a regular fan of Al Boliska’s ‘World’s Worst Jokes’ and both Mike Myers and Dave Thomas collected CHUM Charts. Neil Young once told Rolling Stone that going to bed with his radio tuned to 1050 CHUM was ‘when he really became aware of what was going on in music’."
The celebration kicks off with CHUM’s 28-hour documentary, “The History of Rock and Roll.” For the first time since its original broadcast 36 years ago, listeners can tune in to one-hour segments of the series every weekday at 11 am, beginning January 1, 2007.
More celebrations and special events will be announced in the months leading up to the 50th anniversary.
www.1050chum.com
