Country Icon Tommy Hunter Passes Away at 89

Open this photo in gallery:

Country star Tommy Hunter, best known for hosting the music series The Tommy Hunter Show, died on Thursday. Denise Grant/

Tommy Hunter, a familiar face in Canadian households for years with his long-running CBC TV show, has passed away at the age of 89.

Originally from London, Ont., he is most recognized for hosting The Tommy Hunter Show, which began airing in black-and-white in 1965 and continued until 1992.

His business manager Brian Edwards stated that the country star died of natural causes on Thursday at a retirement home in London, where he had been living for the last few months.

Mr. Edwards shared that Hunter passed away peacefully while sleeping, surrounded by his family and his beloved dog.

“As the old saying goes, we’re all heartbroken at the same time,” said Mr. Edwards.

“When someone goes peacefully like that and everything, it’s kind of a blessing.”

Mr. Edwards noted that Mr. Hunter’s family is holding up well given the circumstances and mentioned having regular conversations with them as the singer’s health declined throughout the week.

According to Mr. Edwards, Mr. Hunter will be remembered for his extensive television career and as “Canada’s country gentleman” to his loyal fans.

“Those fans meant everything to him.. he knew that they were the ones that kept him on there (on TV) and he always respected that.” A talented musician himself, Mr. Hunter introduced Canadian audiences to some of country music’s biggest names.

Born on March 20, 1937, Mr. Hunter picked up guitar at nine years old and made his professional debut just a few years later. As he developed his talent, he performed various modest gigs including hospitals, movie theaters and garden parties for small amounts of money. He was still a teenager when he got his first big break on CBC-TV’s Country Hoedown-a show set in a barn-themed environment-where he started as rhythm guitarist with King Ganam’s band called Sons of the West.

As Mr. Hunter’s fame grew from appearances on that show, he also landed his own daily lunchtime radio program on CBC where he played both country music and pop hits.

After nine years with Country Hoedown and by age 28, Mr. Hunter got another chance: hosting his own TV show on CBC.

He immediately wanted to move away from the hayseed stereotype often seen elsewhere (including Country Hoedown). His aim was to bring credibility to country music while appealing to a wider audience.

He succeeded beautifully. The Gemini Award-winning show became a beloved fixture on CBC before later being broadcast on Nashville Network; it often stood out as their most popular program.

However, during a 2010 interview with , Mr. Hunter pointed out how back when he started on TV there weren’t many options available for viewers.

“There was one network,” he said. “So they didn’t have a lot of choice. [The TV] was either on or off.”

When it was canceled, The Tommy Hunter Show held the title of longest-running music program in North America.

“Tommy Hunter’s incredible legacy has left an undeniable markonmusicandat CBC , where hesharedhis loveforcountrymusic across ourradioand TVprogrammingfordecades,”thepublicbroadcastersaidinastatement.

“Hiscontributionstothegrowthof Canadianmusicandculturearetrulyremarkable.”

Duringthenearly27years The Tommy Hunter Showflickeredacross Canadiantelvisionscreens , Mr. Hunterwelcomedaglistofcountrystars: Garth Brooks , Reba Mc Entire , Alan Jackson , Anne Murray , Trisha Yearwood , Roy Rogers, Dale Evans, the Juddfamily, Hank Snow , Clint Black, Martina Mc Brideandevenayoung Shania Twain , whothenwentby Eileen.

“Wehadtheoldandthenew,”Mr. Huntersaidoftheshow’sguestlistin2010.“Ineverturnedmybackonthe newperformersthatwerecomingalongbut Ineverturned mybackontheoldoneseither.”

“Itriedtohitaveryhighqualitymark. Iwanteditbeagoodfamilyshowthatfamiliescouldsitdownandwatchtogether. Therewerenodirtyjokesandtherewasnosmuttylanguage. Therewasnoneofthat.”

Ofcourse, M r. H un t e r w as als o af ix t ur e o n th e C an ad ia n co un tr y ch ar ts w hi le hi s sh ow wa s o n th e ai r, c la im i ng se ve ra l hi ts inc lud ing hi s mo st fa mo us tu ne, T ra ve lli n’ Ma n( wh ic h al so se rv ed as th ethem esongfo rhis sho w ).

Herecordedfor Columbiaandits Harmonylabelintheim1960sand’70s, s pa w ni nganumberofsuccessfulsinglesincluding Cupof Disgrace, W al k With Your Neighbour, Borntobea Gypsy, and The Battleofthelittle Big Horn. H e wona Juno Awardfortopmalecountryartistin1970.</ P