by Marty Forbes
September 16, 2024
Over the next few weeks I am going to post some ‘from behind the walls at 630 CHED’ memories before the station flips to 880 on the dial. Bob Layton will be joining in with contributions from his two books on the station!
Several other former station employees, and my brothers Gord Forbes and Ger Forbsie, will also participate.
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#1 My late father Jerry Forbes launched ‘1080’ CHED in 1954.
On May 14, 1963 the station flipped to the familiar 630 position. That was also his birthday.
In the late 50’s the format was called Million Dollar Music and very often artists would stop in to the station.
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Here’s a picture of Dad shining Nat King Coles shoes (with John Barton).
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The other picture is the late Everly Brothers (Don and Phil) meeting with some station contest winners with Dad (all 6ft 5in of him) towering above.
Dad died in September of 1981. The year after I moved to Vancouver to program CJAZ/CKKS FM.
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During Expo 86 in Vancouver The Everly’s performed and I arranged to meet them, post show. After chatting with them for a few minutes I pulled the photo out of a bag…showed it to them (they remembered it) and we had a glorious conversation.
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As we wrapped up I had them autograph the picture and it remains one of my most prized possessions to this day…and now a glorious memory of the radio station.
