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Tommy Hunter
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Obituaries: The Canadian Music Industry Pays Tribute to 'Country Gentleman' Tommy Hunter
This week we also acknowledge the passing of Village People frontman Victor Willis and Bella Figura Music head Alexi Cory-Smith.
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Tommy (Thomas James) Hunter, country music singer, guitarist and TV host termed 'Canada's Country Gentleman,' died on July 2, at age 89. His longtime manager, entertainment promoter Brian Edwards, confirmed Hunter's passing to CBC News.
A genuine icon of Canadian country music, Hunter was best known for hosting CBC TV’s widely popular The Tommy Hunter Show (1965–92), considered at the time to be North America’s longest-running TV music program.
An entry in Canadian Encyclopedia notes that ''the son of a railroad worker, Tommy Hunter grew up in London, ON, listening to Grand Ole Opry radio broadcasts and idolizing country music performers Roy Acuff, Eddy Arnold and Hank Snow.
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''After seeing Roy Acuff and his Smoky Mountain Boys perform in London in 1946, Hunter started taking weekly lessons on a rented guitar, and by age 10 was performing in churches, veterans hospitals and in between movie screenings at local theatres. After dropping out of high school at 16, he joined the London Little Theatre production of Dark of the Moon and performed at the Dominion Drama Festival in Victoria, BC. He also appeared regularly on the CHML Hamilton radio program Main Street Jamboree (1954–55) and sang with the Golden Prairie Cowboys from Wingham, Ontario.
''In 1956, Hunter joined CBC TV's Country Hoedown as rhythm guitarist with King Ganam's Sons of the West. He remained on the show while also hosting his own CBC Radio program, The Tommy Hunter Show (1960–65), which made the leap to television and succeeded Country Hoedown as a weekly program in 1965. Essentially a Canadian version of the Grand Ole Opry, it was extended from a half-hour to an hour in 1970.
''In a 1966 interview with the Toronto Daily Star’s Ralph Thomas (who described Hunter's voice as 'soft and simple, his smooth baritone unmarred by country twang'), Hunter explained that he wanted the show to have 'a middle-of-the-road approach... something that's just as much pop music as it is country and western.'''
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At its peak in the early 1970s, The Tommy Hunter Show drew three million weekly viewers in Canada. It featured virtually every major country performer in the business, from Hunter’s heroes Hank Snow, Wilf Carter, Roy Acuff and Eddy Arnold to Roy Rogers, Johnny Cash, June Carter Cash, Alan Jackson, Vince Gill, Reba McEntire, Kitty Wells, the Judds and Garth Brooks. It also featured such Canadian artists as Gordon Lightfoot, Al Cherny, Carroll Baker, Rita MacNeil, Michelle Wright and Anne Murray, and opened the door for many new acts including Toronto singer Lori Yates, fiddler April Verch and singer Shania Twain, who first appeared on the show in 1979 at age 14.
Getting a slot on The Tommy Hunter Show was a major career boost for Canadian artists, as Lori Yates attests. She appeared on the show twice, first in 1989 with Little Jimmy Dickens, then later with Jo-El Sonnier, calling the appearance ''a thrill'' and Hunter ''a really nice man'' in a Facebook post. She tells Billboard Canada that ''The first time I was on, Tommy said he was so blown away by my voice that he was making a call to the producers of Hee Haw on my behalf! Nothing came from it but still I was blown away by the fact he would even do even consider doing that.''
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Veteran Canadian music trade journalist Larry LeBlanc (Celebrity Access) stresses the importance of that show to Billboard Canada, noting that ''just about every Canadian country artist you can name in that time had their national TV debut on his show which also ran on The Nashville Network in the U.S. Plus he snared top American country artists to perform on his show including Garth Brooks.''
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The Tommy Hunter Show was introduced to U.S. viewers by The Nashville Network in 1983 and was a staple on the network for 10 years. In Canada it garnered a Gemini Award in 1992 for best variety series.
In May 1992, when the show was cancelled by the CBC after 27 years, it was still one of the most popular variety programs on Canadian television, with over 800,000 weekly viewers. Canadian Encyclopedia noted that ''Hunter was reportedly deeply saddened by the show’s cancellation, but returned in 2003 for the CBC TV music special Talk About the Good Times.''
Hunter also found success as a recording artist. He first recorded in 1958 as part of King Ganam’s band, and subsequently completed solo LPs for Columbia and its Harmony label in the late 1960s and early 1970s, including Tommy Hunter (1964), Travelling with Tommy Hunter (1968), Time Slips Away (1971) and Greatest Hits (1973).
On the RCA label, he released Tommy Hunter (1975) and The Anniversary Sessions (1989). He also released several albums of gospel readings and music and published a book of his photography. Through his own label, Edith Records, Hunter released a half-dozen albums, including Timeless Country Treasures (1995), Songs of Inspiration (1995) and Traditional Country Christmas (1997).
He had a string of eight singles that cracked the top 10 of the Canadian RPM country chart, according to the Canadian Encyclopedia: “Cup of Disgrace” (1967), “The Battle of the Little Big Horn” (1967), “Mary in the Morning” (1967), “Half a World Away” (1967), “Walk With Your Neighbour” (1969), “Wait for Sunday” (1970), “Bill Jones' General Store” (1971) and “Born to Be a Gypsy” (1975). His recording of “Mary in the Morning” hit No. 1 on the Canadian RPM country chart and became a modest hit in the U.S. A 1990 duet with American singer Janie Fricke, “Couldn't See the Gold” (1990), was a top 20 country hit in Canada.
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Hunter's career included extensive touring across over many decades, and In the 1960s, he was the leader of several concert parties that toured Europe for the Department of National Defence. During summers 1963–70 he appeared at the Academy Theatre in Lindsay, Ontario, in a concert series broadcast by CBC Radio as Country Holiday.
After his TV show ended, Hunter typically performed about 70 concerts annually with his backup band, The Travellin’ Men. In 1997, his 50th anniversary as an entertainer, Hunter performed at the Canadian National Exhibition (CNE) and the Grand Ole Opry. In early 2012, Hunter announced that he would be retiring from live performance after a final tour of Canada, which culminated with a concert in his native London on his 75th birthday. Guests at that farewell show included country stars George Hamilton IV and Donna and Leroy Anderson and Canadian pop star Bobby Curtola.
Over his long career, Hunter earned many awards and honours. In 1974, he received a citation from the Country Music Hall of Fame in Nashville for his “continuous and outstanding contribution to country music.” In 1990, he became the fifth Canadian to be inducted into the Hall's Walkway of Stars.
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He was inducted into the Canadian Country Music Association Hall of Fame in 1984, and received a lifetime achievement award from the Ontario Country Music Association (1999). Hunter received the Order of Canada in 1986 and the Order of Ontario in 1996 and was inducted into the Mississauga Legends Row in 2013.
Hunter won a Juno Award in the male country vocalist of the year category in 1991. The city of London, Ontario, proclaimed the week of his 60th birthday, March 19-26, 1997, Tommy Hunter Week, and later that year named a street Tommy Hunter Way in his honour. Canada Post also recognized his legacy by honouring him with his own postage stamp.
In an obituary posted on Hunter's hometown's radio station CFCW, his longtime business manager Brian Edwards states that ''Tommy lived and worked with grace, humility, and deep respect for the audiences who welcomed him into their homes for thirty-six consecutive years. He loved country music and all his loyal fans across Canada and the United States. He never once took for granted the generations of families who made him part of their lives.”
Fellow artists and Canadian music industry notables paid tribute to Hunter after hearing of his passing.
On Facebook, the National Music Centre posted that ''Canadian country music has lost one of its most beloved figures with the passing of Tommy Hunter, better known as 'Canada's Country Gentleman.' For three decades, Hunter welcomed Canadians into their living rooms each week through The Tommy Hunter Show, one of the most successful variety programs in Canadian television history. As an inductee into the Canadian Country Music Hall of Fame, he is recognized on the walls of our Canadian Country Music Hall of Fame exhibition.''
On Facebook, Canadian Country Music Hall of Famer Carroll Baker wrote a long and affectionate tribute to Hunter. It reads, in part: ''Tommy and I became 'true' friends in 1976. I was invited to do a few shows each year and then invited yearly to to be a part of his Christmas show . He even included my daughter Candace to be part of the happy occasion. I remember how many 'happy' times he discussed with me and his 'not so happy' times.
''Tommy, to some people, was a complex person. Yes, he was, but how many people do you know could carry a TV show week after week? He needed to be something special to everyone at home. He knew they were watching his every move. Watching the way he looked, how he sounded, and because he delivered his TV personality so effortlessly, many felt they knew him personally. That is a huge weight to carry and few people are able to handle that. It takes a 'complex' personality. '
''He was one of Canada’s most beloved performers of all time.Tommy, thank you for bringing wonderful 'real' country music into Canadian homes and lives for so many years. There will never be another Tommy Hunter. Tommy will always be Canada’s only Country Gentleman.''
Larry Mercey, of the Juno-winning country group The Mercey Brothers, to CBC: ''Tommy Hunter was a very great country show and he really helped a lot of careers, there's no doubt about it. He was very much loved in the country music scene."
In a press release, the veteran Ontario country/bluegrass band Whiskey Jack stated ''It's hard to measure the influence this man had on Canada. In terms of screen time on our TVs, he's in the top 5 of all time. It took the internet a long time to note his death. And so it goes. We forget. That's what we do. In our case, we'll never forget him.''
In a Substack post, Whiskey Jack's Duncan Fremlin declared that ''Thanks to Tommy Hunter and the CBC, Whiskey Jack will turn 50 in 2027. We didn't know Tommy well but at the Stompin' Tom's Memorial in Peterborough in 2023 we met and enjoyed a warm conversation.''
Larry LeBlanc, to Billboard Canada: ''Tommy Hunter was neither flashy nor innovative but he understood his appeal and his audience and he was truly a significant country music legend.”
Canadian country star George Fox paid tribute with this Facebook post: ''To prove it was more than just a hill of beans, I needed some true bona fides, and for any country singer in Canada, that came from one place only: The Tommy Hunter Show. Thanks for your friendship Tommy—and all your wonderful performances. RIP.''
Veteran Toronto music journalist Roman Mitz posted this tribute on Facebook: ''Sad to learn that Canada's Country Gentleman, Tommy Hunter, has passed away. He hosted all of the biggest country stars on his CBC show, including a spectacular performance by Waylon Jennings, attended by myself and fellow scribe Kerry Doole.
''I also interviewed Tommy for a piece in Music Express. I had mentioned to him that I enjoyed his show's theme song, 'Travellin' Man,' but could never find the single. He took down my name and address and said he would send it to me. Lo and behold, it arrived in the mail the following week. RIP, Tommy.''
Funeral arrangements and details regarding a public memorial will be announced at a later date.In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made to the London Humane Society or to an animal rescue organization of the donor's choice.
International
Victor Willis, the longtime lead singer of costumed disco group the Village People and cowriter of such indelible dance anthems as “Y.M.C.A.” and “Macho Man,” died on June 30, at age 74, after a brief illness.
A Billboard obituary notes that ''Born on July 1, 1951, in Dallas, Texas, Willis grew up in San Francisco’s notoriously funky Haight-Ashbury district, singing gospel in his Baptist minister father’s church as a young man before pivoting to soul music with his high school band. He used his acting and dance training at Antioch College to transition to musicals after a move to New York, where he joined the Negro Ensemble Company and appeared in the original Broadway production of The Wiz in 1976.
''His life changed in 1977 when French music producer Jacques Morali and his Can’t Stop Productions partner Henri Belolo put out a call for background singers to lend a hand on an album by their group the Ritchie Family. Arranger/conductor Horace Ott suggested Willis, who was then tapped by the Can’t Stop team to front a new kind of group they were putting together.
''Four initial songs — 'San Francisco (You’ve Got Me),' “In Hollywood (Everyone’s a Star),' 'Fire Island' and 'Village People' — were recorded by Willis with a group of background singers and bundled on the act’s 1977 self-titled debut album, which hit Nov. 54 on the Billboard 200 album chart.
''The producers quickly pulled together a backing band to make an appearance with Willis on American Bandstand. After the original lineup — pretend cop Willis, Felipe Rose (American Indian), Alex Briley (soldier), Lee Mouton (biker), Mark Mussler (construction worker), David Forrest (cowboy) and brief, early non-costumed member Peter Whitehead — made a splash on the show, the producers posted a recruitment ad that read 'macho types wanted: must dance and have a mustache.'''
''They also leaned into what became the group’s signature gimmick: job-related costumes for each man, with the original lineup shuffled to include Glenn Hughes (leather daddy), David Hodo (construction worker) and Randy Jones (cowboy).''
At the height of disco, the group, often considered by fans to be queer-coded, earned heightened success when the Willis cowritten 'Macho Man' from their 1978 album of the same name, peaked at No. 25 on the Billboard Hot 100. The band’s third album, 1978’s Cruisin’, spawned yet another huge hit with “Y.M.C.A.,” another Willis cowrite that hit No. 2 on the Hot 100 in early 1979 before going on to be one of the group’s most successful and beloved singles.
Billboard notes that ''The Grammy Hall of Fame track with its signature hand jive motions has since become a staple at parties and sporting events, as well as being one of President Donald Trump’s favorite songs, one he frequently gyrates to during public appearances. Willis, who was straight, steadfastly denied that he wrote 'Y.M.C.A.' to be a 'gay anthem,' despite the double-entendre lyrics that appeared to suggest otherwise.
''In 2024, Willis explained his decision to not stop Trump from playing 'Y.M.C.A.' at rallies and official events during his 2024 presidential campaign, despite making that request in 2020 during the president’s failed second White House bid. Even after dozens of other major acts asked Trump to cease playing their songs at his events, Willis said at the time that the former reality star seemed to 'genuinely like' the song and was 'having a lot of fun with it.'''
The frontman quit Village People in 1979 amid the production for their disastrous movie musical Can’t Stop the Music, but was featured on a 1979 live album, Live and Sleazy. He would later rejoin the band then leave multiple times. A 1979 solo album, Solo Man, was finally released in August 2015.
After overcoming substance abuse problems, Willis rejoined the group yet again in 2017 after a 2015 out-of-court settlement that gave him 50% ownership of some of the group’s biggest hits. He appeared on the 2018 Christmas album, A Village People Christmas and continued to tour with the group.
Alexi Cory-Smith, co-founder and CEO of catalogue music company Bella Figura Music, has died, at age 58.
On July 3 on social media, Bella Figura issued this statement: ''We are devastated to announce the sudden and unexpected passing of our co-founder and CEO, Alexi Cory-Smith. Alexi built Bella Figura Music from the ground up, bringing the vision and passion from a successful career in the music industry. Her leadership, creativity, and unwavering commitment to our team and our work leaves a lasting legacy.''
Based in London, Cory-Smith launched Bella Figura in 2022, alongside Neelesh Prabhu. Billboard reports that ''Bella Figura acquires and manages rights across music publishing and recordings.''
She previously spent seven years at BMG, where she ran the firm’s U.K. division, helping bring significant growth for their recording and publishing businesses.
In her first interview after unveiling Bella Figura, Alexi Cory-Smith outlined her vision for the company to Music Week. “I use an analogy of a Ferrari garage,” she said. “We’re a high net worth, boutique place for high-performance artists. Ferraris are the best and they need really great mechanics to manage them and look after them.”
Major deals struck by the company include the RAK Publishing acquisition and catalogue deals with Human League co-founder Adrian Wright, David Gray and Guy Chambers. It signed a global admin deal with Sony Music Publishing as part of a U.S. expansion last year and in early 2026 it acquired a 'significant portion' of the Jeepster Recordings catalogue, including releases from Snow Patrol and Belle and Sebastian.
The company also focuses on cleaning up and managing metadata to maximize collections for clients.
You can read a Billboard obituary here.
Jo Twist, BPI CEO, paid tribute in this statement: ''We are profoundly saddened to learn of the passing of Alexi Cory-Smith. She made a highly valued contribution as a leading figure in our music industry, including as BPI Council member when representing BMG, and we extend our sincere condolences to her family, friends and colleagues on their great loss.”
In a statement, IMPF (Independent Music Publishers International Forum) termed Cory-Smith "A principled and passionate entrepreneur was deeply connected to the art of the business.''
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