Tommy Hunter, 'Canada's Country Gentleman,' dead at 89
His long-running CBC music show reached as many as 75 million homes and introduced Canadian viewers to Garth Brooks, Reba McEntire and Shania Twain.
- Canadian country music icon Tommy Hunter died at age 89 on Friday, July 3, 2026. Business manager Brian Edwards confirmed to The Canadian Press that Hunter died of natural causes on Thursday.
- Known by fans as "Canada's country gentleman," the London, Ont. native hosted "The Tommy Hunter Show" from 1965 to 1992, reaching 75 million homes on The Nashville Network.
- Hunter introduced Canadian audiences to major country acts including Garth Brooks, Reba McEntire, Alan Jackson, Anne Murray, and Shania Twain, establishing his show as a gateway for international stars.
- Over his career, Hunter received three Juno Awards and one Gemini Award, alongside induction into the Canadian Country Music Hall of Fame and appointments to the Order of Ontario and the Order of Canada.
- Survived by three children, four grandchildren, and one great-grandchild, Hunter's family requested donations to the London Humane Society or any animal rescue organization in lieu of flowers.
38 Articles
38 Articles
Canada's Country Gentleman dies at 89
Londoner Tommy Hunter, known as “Canada’s Country Gentleman,” died Thursday at 89. Born in London on March 20, 1937, Hunter’s country music career spanned from the 1950s to the 2010s. He became known worldwide for The Tommy Hunter Show, which ran from 1965 to 1992. An obituary posted to his website says The Tommy Hunter Show aired on […]
Tommy Hunter dies at 89: Canadian country legend and CBC TV host
Tommy Hunter, a fixture in Canadian living rooms for decades with his long-running CBC TV show, has died at age 89. The London, Ont., native is best known for hosting his music show "The Tommy Hunter Show," which started in black-and-white in 1965 and remained on the air until 1992. His business manager Brian Edwards said the late country star died of natural causes on Thursday in a London retirement home, where he had been living for the past f…
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