Tommy Hunter retires

Bill Miller · Post by **Bill Miller** » 21 Mar 2012 11:22 am

I know the Tommy Hunter show aired on both sides of the border and in addition showcasing a lot of Canadian talent it regularly featured U.S. acts as well. This brings back a lot of pleasant memories of watching the show at home with my parents and grandparents back in the '60s. It's where I saw my first pedal steel guitar too. I've never met Tommy but by all accounts he's just the nicest guy...Canada's Country Gentleman he's always been called.
That's Steve Smith on steel and Steve Pittico on the Tele...two of Canada's finest for sure. Hope you have a great retirement Tommy, it's been quite a ride.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/arts/story/2012/ ... ncert.html

Jack Stoner · Post by **Jack Stoner** » 21 Mar 2012 2:09 pm

Ollie Strong, who worked for Tommy for a long time and the first year or two of his TV show winters in this area of Florida. I get to pick with Ollie and his wife Rae when they come to our Tuesday jam.

Roy Feener, who was one of Tommy's drummers also winters here. He sat in with us this past Tuesday.

Larry Mercy of The Mercy brothers is also in the area.

Billy Tonnesen · Post by **Billy Tonnesen** » 21 Mar 2012 2:48 pm

Always looked forward to Tommy's shows on the old TNN Network. A real professional showman

Wayne Quinn · Post by **Wayne Quinn** » 21 Mar 2012 3:19 pm

All i can say is Tommy sure is Canada's country Gentle man he couldn't have deserved a better name than that. he had 1 of the best family shows of all time in Canada as far as i'am concerned.all top notch entertainers from all over Canada and U.S.A.you gave us a lot of great memories Mr Hunter .thank you. matter of fact i have 2 good friends that played a lot of years on the show Mel Aucoin on piano and BoB Lucier on steel .have a great retirement Mr Hunter.and Steve Smith also done road work with Tommy thank all you guys for the great music.

Wayne Quinn · Post by **Wayne Quinn** » 21 Mar 2012 3:27 pm

Jack i think Ollie Strong might have been Tommys first steel player if my memory serves me right.would have my eyes glued to the old black and white screen waiting for the show to start.all ways looking forward to hearing Ollie.

Leslie Ehrlich · Post by **Leslie Ehrlich** » 21 Mar 2012 7:23 pm

I remember watching Tommy Hunter's show in the early 1970s. Back then he had a great lineup of regulars on his show: the Rhythm Pals, the Allan Sisters, fiddler Al Cherney, and guitarist Jim Pirie.

Bill Miller · Post by **Bill Miller** » 22 Mar 2012 4:34 am

I used to look forward to the Jim Pirie appearances too. Then later Red Shea, another top drawer guitarist was a regular. There was a very high standard of musicianship on the show.
Just wondering if any country music variety shows are still being produced for televsion elsewhere in Canada? Maybe on some local t.v stations? Every Saturday night here in Quebec we get 'Pour L'amour du Country' on the ARTV channel. Like the Tommy Hunter Show, it is a high quality production ( actually a CBC production out of Moncton, N.B. ) with a house band made up of some of the best musicians anywhere. I seldom miss it. The weekly guests are mostly french langauge volcalists from Quebec and New Brunswick, most of whom are not so well known west of Quebec, but many of whom have done well in Europe.
I wish some of the speciality channels would put the Tommy Hunter Show back on. I'd love to watch the old shows again. ( did you watch the video? I don't know if Shania Twain would be too pleased to see her old segments on the air again though. She's had a lot of dental work done since that

)

Wayne Quinn · Post by **Wayne Quinn** » 22 Mar 2012 10:54 am

yes Bill i watched that video of Shania . she sure looks different to day. we used to get that french channel you mentioned one time to down here in Cape Breton.but have not seen it for years here now.Jean Guy Grenier.played steel on it and awesome player.they had a lot of good talent on there to.everything was sung in french and i can't read or speak french but still loved the show yes i to wish some net work would do some of the hunter shows and the french channel to.you can find some on you tube .thank's that at least we got that it.s wonderful.there's a lot of memories on you tube for every one i'am sure.

Bill Miller · Post by **Bill Miller** » 22 Mar 2012 11:14 am

Wayne, Jean-Guy still plays steel on that show. He's something else alright, and not just on steel either. The show was out of production for a couple of years or more, and there were just re-runs. But this season is all new. Patrick Norman, who has always been the host missed the taping in Moncton last summer due to major health issues, so they did the season with all guest hosts. ( he's back in good health now however ) The production is quite reminiscent of the Tommy Hunter show...a personable singing host, lots of spotlighting of the excellent musicians and an overall impression that the host along with the house band and a lot of the regular guests are all one big happy family. That format worked for Tommy and apparently it's still working well in this part of the world.

Wayne Quinn · Post by **Wayne Quinn** » 22 Mar 2012 3:12 pm

That's good to know Bill i really didn't think they were still on the go. i know Jean Guy is very talented indeed he plays some fast Steel i know .i hope may be some how we may get the show down here .

Carson Leighton · Post by **Carson Leighton** » 22 Mar 2012 3:39 pm

Bill, I see you are from Gaspe'. Do you ever remember seeing a place called the Marcotte Hotel? I think it may be along Rt. 132, but I'm not sure..It may not even be there anymore...I remember playing there in the early 70's..It was a real nice place and beautiful scenery around there....Carson

Bill Miller · Post by **Bill Miller** » 22 Mar 2012 5:24 pm

Hi Carson. No, never heard of a place by that name, but I'm in the town of Gaspe itself and there may well be, or have been, a Marcotte Hotel in one of the many small towns along the Gaspe coast. My guess would be somewhere along the north shore of the Baie de Chaleur between Chandler and Carleton.

Leslie Ehrlich · Post by **Leslie Ehrlich** » 23 Mar 2012 1:42 am

Bill Miller wrote:Just wondering if any country music variety shows are still being produced for televsion elsewhere in Canada? Maybe on some local t.v stations?

The only one I know of where I live is a half hour show called 'Polkarama' which airs on the local cable channel. It is recorded in Regina and features The Western Senators, a Saskatchewan based polka band. Three time Grammy winning accordionist Walter Ostanek also plays with the group when they appear on TV.

Polkarama also features the Tex Pistols, a traditional country music group with Brian Sklar on fiddle and Freddie Pelletier on lead guitar. The Tex Pistols have a steel player too - I don't know his name but he plays an Emmons and he's pretty good.

Quentin Hickey · Post by **Quentin Hickey** » 24 Mar 2012 8:30 pm

I miss all of those shows. We have nothing here in NS. About 20 years ago there was quite alot of good local jamboree shows on but general interest changed all of that. Maybe when this reality show craze finally quites down we might get another country music style show on.