Gilmour's Albums was one of the longest-running radio shows on

CBC Radio CBC Radio is the English-language radio operations of the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. The CBC operates a number of radio networks serving different audiences and programming niches, all of which (regardless of language) are outlined below ...

, and was hosted by former newspaper reporter

Clyde Gilmour Clyde Gilmour, (8 June 1912 in Calgary – 7 November 1997 in Toronto) was a Canadian broadcaster and print journalist, mostly known for his half-century career with CBC Radio. Early life and education Gilmour was raised in Medicine Hat, ...

. The show started in 1956, and its format consisted of selections of music, hand-picked by Gilmour, many from his own vast personal record collection. The show, which was an hour long, defined the eclectic format, with a mix of

opera Opera is a form of theatre in which music is a fundamental component and dramatic roles are taken by singers. Such a "work" (the literal translation of the Italian word "opera") is typically a collaboration between a composer and a librett ...

chamber music Chamber music is a form of classical music that is composed for a small group of instruments—traditionally a group that could fit in a palace chamber or a large room. Most broadly, it includes any art music that is performed by a small numb ...

, show tunes, and

jazz Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, Louisiana in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, with its roots in blues and ragtime. Since the 1920s Jazz Age, it has been recognized as a major ...

, and often concluded with a humorous musical number or comedy sketch. Every genre save rock and roll was played on his show. Known for Gilmour's trademark ''Hello!'' and closing of ''So long for now,'' it was CBC's highest-rated music broadcast, with a steady listenership of over half a million listeners tuning in to

CBC Stereo CBC Music (formerly known as CBC FM, CBC Stereo and CBC Radio 2) is a Canadian FM radio network operated by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. It used to concentrate on classical and jazz. In 2007 and 2008, the network transitioned towards a ...

on Saturdays, and to

on Sundays at noon. His show was succeeded by ''

The Vinyl Cafe The Vinyl Cafe is an hour-long radio variety show hosted by Stuart McLean that was broadcast on CBC Radio and was syndicated to approximately 80 U.S. public radio stations through Public Radio International. It aired on Sunday at noon EST and ...

'' in his timeslot. The show ran 52 weeks a year with no repeats for over 40 years when the host retired in June 1997. Gilmour died shortly thereafter, and his entire collection of over 10,000 albums and 4,000 CDs was donated to the CBC's music library. The intro theme music was ''Akinla'', the final movement of the ''African Suite'' by Nigerian composer

Fela Sowande Chief Olufela Obafunmilayo "Fela" Sowande MBE (29 May 1905 – 13 March 1987) was a Nigerian musician and composer. Considered the father of modern Nigerian art music, Sowande is perhaps the most internationally known African composer of works i ...

. The extro theme for the first 2 decades was Pavane (Op. 50) by

Gabriel Fauré Gabriel Urbain Fauré (; 12 May 1845 – 4 November 1924) was a French composer, organist, pianist and teacher. He was one of the foremost French composers of his generation, and his musical style influenced many 20th-century composers ...

but arranged by Almeida for flute, voice and guitar. The version played on Gilmour's albums first appeared on the LP ''For My True Love'' and was performed by mezzo-soprano

Salli Terri Salli C. Terri (September 3, 1922 – May 5, 1996) was a singer, arranger, recording artist, and composer. Record audiences still cite Terri's "haunting" vocals, with ''Hi-Fi Review'' originally describing her as ''"a mezzo soprano whose velvet ...

, guitarist

Laurindo Almeida Laurindo Almeida (September 2, 1917 – July 26, 1995) was a Brazilian guitarist and composer in classical, jazz, and Latin music. He and Bud Shank were pioneers in the creation of bossa nova. Almeida was the first guitarist to receive Gra ...

and flautist Martin Ruderman. It is now available on ''Duets With Spanish Guitar, Volume 2'', Capitol Records. The extro theme for the final decade was "Saturday Night Function" by

Barney Bigard Albany Leon "Barney" Bigard (March 3, 1906 – June 27, 1980) was an American jazz clarinetist known for his 15-year tenure with Duke Ellington. He also played tenor saxophone. Biography Bigard was born in New Orleans to Creole parents, Ale ...

and

Duke Ellington Edward Kennedy "Duke" Ellington (April 29, 1899 – May 24, 1974) was an American jazz pianist, composer, and leader of his eponymous jazz orchestra from 1923 through the rest of his life. Born and raised in Washington, D.C., Ellington was based ...

performed by the Sackville All Stars, from their album also titled ''Saturday Night Function''.

Discography

* ''Gilmour's Album: All Time Favourites, A Silver Jubilee Anthology'' (1981) * ''Gilmour's 2nd Album - More All Time Favorites - from Cut Out Limbo'' (1982) * ''Gilmour's Albums Volume I'' (1997) * ''Gilmour's Album, Volume II'' (2000)

Notes

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External links

Canadian Encyclopedia
– Canadian Encyclopedia entry on Clyde Gilmour
Gilmour's Albums - Canadian Communication Foundation
CBC Radio One programs Canadian jazz radio programs Canadian classical music radio programs 1956 radio programme debuts 1997 radio programme endings 1950s Canadian radio programs 1960s Canadian radio programs 1970s Canadian radio programs 1980s Canadian radio programs 1990s Canadian radio programs