Tommy Hunter, 'Canada's Country Gentleman,' dead at 89

Celebrated musician died July 2 of natural causes, manager confirms

"Canada's Country Gentleman" Tommy Hunter, the celebrated musician whose professional career spanned from the 1950s into the early 2010s, has died.

The singer and guitarist died July 2 of natural causes, entertainment promoter and manager Brian Edwards confirmed to CBC News.

Born on March 20, 1937, in London, Ont., Hunter got an early start as an entertainer. He began taking guitar lessons at around nine years old, which soon led to him booking gigs, playing in churches and eventually landing on the radio.

He became a cast member of CBC's Country Hoedown in 1956, before making his biggest mark: hosting The Tommy Hunter Show, which debuted as a radio show before transitioning to television. That series ran for 27 years, until ending in 1992.

Hunter won three Juno awards over his career, as well as a Gemini award for best variety series for The Tommy Hunter Show. He was inducted into the Canadian Country Music Hall of Fame in 1984, and made a member of the Order of Canada in 1986.

He continued to perform until his 75th birthday in 2012. He is survived by three children, four grandchildren and one great grandchild.

Jackson Weaver is a reporter and film critic for CBC's entertainment news team in Toronto. You can reach him at jackson.weaver@cbc.ca.