Canada's Country Gentleman - host of The Tommy Hunter Show has retired .. (27 years on TV with his own show.)
I used to watch as a kid...check out clips on youtube - so many great guests were on his show..
loved the theme song -
and how he closed the show with a reading:
- and 'may the good lord willing we'll be talkin' to ya next week'
http://www.lfpress.com/entertainment.../19529026.html
What a journey!
REVIEW: London crowd welcomes Travellin’ Man Tommy Hunter home for his final concert
By JAMES REANEY, The London Free Press
Last Updated: March 20, 2012 11:04pm
Free Press arts and entertainment columnist James Reaney presents Tommy Hunter with an award after his final concert. (DEREK RUTTAN, The London Free Press)
Tommy Hunter
Tommy Hunter memories
AUDIO PODCAST: James Reaney talks with Tommy Hunter (Part 1)
AUDIO PODCAST: James Reaney talks with Tommy Hunter (Part 2)
AUDIO PODCAST: James Reaney talks with Tommy Hunter (Part 3)
Calling the tune
At home in the Forest City
Canada's Country Gentleman was saying goodbye on Tuesday night.
Tommy Hunter just never used the G-word in the early going at the RBC Theatre at the John Labatt Centre with 2,400 fans, some from as far away as Vancouver, saying their own goodbyes.
Maybe Hunter didn't need to. After all, it said "farewell tour" on a screen right behind the London-born star as he prepared to end his final Canadian tour in the city where he was born 75 years ago Tuesday.
Hunter not only didn't get around to saying goodbye early, he kept the birthday wishes to a minimum.
"Happy birthday," called out one fan in the middle of one of the former CBC-TV star's smoothly delivered comedy routines.
"Thank you, very much sweetheart," Hunter said and then went back to the routine just as smoothly.
The first half of the show was a 70-minute set with plenty of Hunter trademarks delivered with a poise and flair worthy of a last show.
"This is the last chance I have at it," Hunter said in picking his way sweetly through his acoustic guitar spot on Wildwood Flower. It was a song taught to him by Edith Hill Adams, the east London-tied music teacher who helped the young Hunter turn his love of country music into a 60-year-plus career. Hunter praised her from the stage and there was applause.
"I picked the right night to get it right," Hunter beamed to his excellent band after finishing the last difficult flourish on Wildwood Flower. There was more applause for that.
In a pre-tour interview Hunter said his management team suggested ending his farewell tour in his hometown. He said it would be an emotional sendoff when it came to Tuesday's concert.
In the first half, it was all about poise and veteran experience with the emotion in reserve.
Hunter broke a guitar string in the concert-opening medley.
Well in time for Hunter's mock duel with guitar ace Steve Pittico, fiddler Darren Walters had neatly brought the star another guitar and Sugarfoot Rag let the two guitarists play off each other perfectly.
Walters, of the Bright area, had fans of his own at the downtown London arena. There were big cheers for the fiddler's solo.
Hunter played some fiddle, too, joking Al Cherny had taught him some tricks on the instrument.
"I have to blame someone," Hunter said, before showing off with same touch with fiddling behind his back he has used at so many concerts.
There were other familiar Hunter moments, made more poignant because this would the last time for the star.
"Oh, by the way, his name was Gordon Lightfoot," he said of the iconic Canadian singer-songwriter who had been a dancer on the old Country Hoedown TV show. Lightfoot took his guitar despite pleas to stay because he was the best dancer.
Hunter was able to work the name of former London mayor George Wenige into his official welcome at London city hall earlier Tuesday.
Not many would be able to reference Wenige, a free-spirited civic leader, and folk great Lightfoot so tidily.
But then not many Canadian icons enjoyed the free movie shows Wenige arranged for London kids, including Hunter, and offered encouragement to the dancing man Lightfoot before all those great songs arrived.
Not many could sing Johnny Cash, Wilf Carter and Hank Snow songs because they were all friends and influences.
On Tuesday, Hunter could handle all that emotion without letting it get to him.
The emotion could be expected later.
Tuesday's concert was to conclude with a series of guests whose appearances were set up as a surprise to the star.
On the surprise guest list Tuesday were country singer George Hamilton IV, the duo Donna and Leroy Anderson, Canadian pop star Bobby Curtola and two mayors, Mississauga's Hazel McCallion, because of the many years Hunter lived there before moving on to the Guelph area, and London Mayor Joe Fontana.
Actually, Fontana had mentioned McCallion would be seeing Hunter later during the city hall honours in the council chambers. Hunter had seemed surprised and took the news in stride.
"You get back. You have work to do," the singer told the London mayor a little later when they parted at city hall.
So did Hunter. He was getting set to say goodbye.
Tommy Hunter - last show last night
