Roger Ashby

Back in the day, young Roger Ashby was considering life as a university student, had even paid his deposit, when a radio station in Hamilton stepped up and hired him during the summer. Ashby decided to forego university and embarked on what would become a rather remarkable career in radio. Ashby was a radio nut even as a kid and his dad set up a home-made radio studio in the basement, with speakers throughout the house, and Ashby would practice his "broadcasting" every afternoon.

Kids would go to the high school dances and football games and Roger would be in the basement playing radio. After beginning his radio career in Kitchener, the summer he left high school he got an offer at CKOC in Hamilton, for his first full-time job.

Then he was brought to CHUM by Program Director J. Robert Wood. As is tradition with new CHUM jocks, Roger began his career at 1331 Yonge Street on the all-night show.

CHUM 1975.

Here's an aircheck featuring Roger working the turntable at CHUM from July 16, 1972. [ LISTEN ] (21:12)

CHUM was flying high in July of 1972, with an all-star jock lineup. There was Jay Nelson (5-9 a.m.), John Rode (9-11 a.m.), Roger Ashby (11 a.m.-3 p.m.) and Duke Roberts (3-6 p.m.). Also Terry Steele (6-9 p.m.), Scott Carpenter (9 p.m.-midnight) and Mark Edwards - a.k.a. Bob Magee - (midnight-5 a.m.). As for the tunes, here's a [ LOOK ] at the CHUM Chart from July 15, 1972.

A few months earlier, there was Roger behind the mic, in March of 1972. [ LISTEN ] (45:37)

Just a few short years later, he was given the 11AM to 3PM air shift, replacing Johnny Mitchell who had moved into management at CHUM-FM. Roger was well prepared for any time slot they gave him at CHUM since he’d practiced being on-the-radio for many years growing up.

Bob Magee, Gord James and Roger.

Ashby, Rivers, Mitchell, McCoy, Rode, Wilson and Nelson in 1970.

"From the time I was a kid, I knew I wanted to be in radio. When I was 10, my father built me a small radio station in the basement. He hooked the microphone up to the radio upstairs so I could broadcast to my parents. I did that everyday for seven years.”

Roger is working at CHUM (where else?) some time in August, 1970. [ LISTEN ] (5:34)

Roger came off the air for awhile to go into programming. During that time, he was on the air only if someone was ill or on vacation. He quickly realized that he’d rather be on air than behind a desk and fortunately, he was allowed to make that transition. Roger did swing shifts for awhile, but when CHUM morning man Tom Rivers was fired in 1982, they put him in mornings for three years.

But being the morning man wasn't going to be permanent, at least not on 1050 CHUM. When CHUM management gave the AM morning show to John Majhor and Mike Holland, CHUM-FM Program Director Ross Davies invited Roger to come over to CHUM-FM.

1970s: Roger and Cher.

CHUM
August 10, 1976
[ LISTEN ] (56:49)

And that’s where Roger’s star really shone the brightest. Starting in early Fall of 1985 with Roger, Rick and Marilyn, then transitioning into Roger, Darren and Marilyn and lastly, Roger and Marilyn. Despite all of his successes, Roger remains the same humble man who first walked through the doors of 1331 Yonge Street in 1969. His quick wit and encyclopedic knowledge of music has taken Roger to the very top of Canada’s most competitive radio market.

Roger in recent times.

In January 2010, Ashby was inducted into the Canadian Music and Broadcast Industry Hall of Fame, receiving the Waters Family Broadcast Lifetime Achievement Award. Roger retired after 50 years with CHUM, in October, 2018.

Some materials found on this page were originally published by the following: FWI Music News, Puget Sound Radio, Rock Radio Scrapbook.