View source for Jim Chapman (media personality)

{{Short description|Canadian radio and TV personality, musician, journalist and author}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=November 2014}}
{{Like resume|date=May 2023}}
'''Jim Chapman''' (born February 10, 1949) is a Canadian radio and TV personality, musician, journalist and author.
==Personal life==
Jim Chapman was born in [[London, Ontario]], Canada on February 10, 1949.
==Career==
Chapman dropped out of school in 1966 to pursue playing in a rock and roll band. In 1968, his band, The Bluesmen Revue, signed a recording contract with [[Columbia Records]] in the U.S. that saw the release of "Spin the Bottle".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://jam.canoe.ca/Music/Pop_Encyclopedia/B/Bluesmen_Revue.html |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120709084936/http://jam.canoe.ca/Music/Pop_Encyclopedia/B/Bluesmen_Revue.html |url-status=usurped |archive-date=July 9, 2012 |title=Canoe's Page on The Bluesmen Revue |publisher=Jam.canoe.ca |date=November 28, 2004 |accessdate=2011-07-26}}</ref> The band split up in early 1969 after their record deal ended following a disagreement with their U.S. management company and their dissatisfaction with Columbia's plans for the band.<ref>''The London Free Press'' April 26, 1966. Tom Rath "Dance Routines 'Something To Watch' When Sally and the Bluesmen Perform" Page 4-A</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://blogs.canoe.ca/brandnewblog/2008/02/ |title=February 2008 James' Brand New Blog |publisher=Blogs.canoe.ca |date=February 29, 2008 |accessdate=2011-07-26 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120707021235/http://blogs.canoe.ca/brandnewblog/2008/02/ |archive-date=July 7, 2012 |url-status=usurped }}</ref> In 1970, Chapman joined Canadian showband Leather and Lace and eventually played bass for rockabilly legend [[Ronnie Hawkins]] in 1972.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://jam.canoe.ca/Music/Pop_Encyclopedia/O/Ocean.html |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120712021449/http://jam.canoe.ca/Music/Pop_Encyclopedia/O/Ocean.html |url-status=usurped |archive-date=July 12, 2012 |title=Canoe's Page on Ocean |publisher=Jam.canoe.ca |date=November 28, 2004 |accessdate=2011-07-26}}</ref><ref name="autogenerated1993">''Scene'' July 15–28, 1993. Jeffrey Reed "The Only Talk in Town" Pg. 10</ref>
In 1972, Chapman and partners started a musician management company and opened Springfield Sound Studios, where, among others, folk musician [[Stan Rogers]] recorded his albums Turnaround and [[Fogarty's Cove]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.metal-archives.com/albums/Budgie/Impeckable/2757 |title=Metal Archive's page on Budgie's Impeckable |publisher=metal-archives.com |accessdate=2012-09-19}}</ref><ref name="planethelix.com">{{cite web |url=http://www.planethelix.com/Albums/Album01.htm |title=Helix's page on their album Breaking Loose |publisher=planethelix.com |accessdate=2012-09-19 |archive-date=March 14, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130314075438/http://www.planethelix.com/Albums/Album01.htm |url-status=dead }}</ref>
After having toured with his own band in the early 1980s, in 1986 Chapman returned home to London and built another recording studio. He started a second jingle company where he wrote and recorded the "Tear 'Em Up Tigers" theme song for the [[London Tigers|London-based Detroit Tigers]] farm team. It gained international recognition as an anthem for the organization on its way to a US Eastern League baseball championship in 1989, in addition to getting local media coverage and raising thousands of dollars for charity.<ref name="autogenerated1993"/>
In 1988, Chapman was contracted to write novelty songs for Peter Garland's top-rated morning show on CFPL 980 Radio. Some of his songs were heard across Canada on the CBC, including "Stand Up for Canada, Eh!", recorded by the True Grit Band that at times included [[Canadian Prime Minister]] [[Jean Chrétien]] and future City of London Mayor [[Joe Fontana]], and used as the theme for a nationwide campaign to promote Canadian unity during the 1995 Referendum.<ref>{{cite web |date= |title=Parliamentary Records on Wednesday, October 4, 1995 (237) |url=http://www.parl.gc.ca/HousePublications/Publication.aspx?doc=237&Language=E&Mode=1&Parl=35&pub=Hansard&Ses=1#15208 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121017213357/http://www.parl.gc.ca/HousePublications/Publication.aspx?doc=237&Language=E&Mode=1&Parl=35&pub=Hansard&Ses=1#15208 |archive-date=17 October 2012 |accessdate=2011-07-26 |publisher=Parl.gc.ca}}</ref>
In 1992, Chapman was offered a job as a talk show host at London's CJBK Radio. After a year there, and a subsequent two-year stint at CKSL, he returned to CJBK as the host of Talk of the Town. He was later hired as a news commentator on CFPL television and also hosted the thrice-weekly Jim Chapman Show interview show evenings on the Rogers TV Network for several years.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.rogerstv.com/page.aspx?rid=9&lid=12&sid=329 |title=Jim's show on Rogers TV |publisher=Rogerstv.com |date= |accessdate=2011-07-26}}</ref><ref>''Scene'' January 24, 2002. Barry Wells "Bonny Jim Chapman's Brush with death an eye-opener" Pg. 3</ref> He was a columnist with The London Free Press and Business London magazine for two decades, and was the first person in London media to host his own radio and TV shows while also writing regular newspaper and magazine columns.<ref>''Scene'' November 15, 2001. Robert Pegg "Rogers and the invasion of the Radio Guys" Pg. 19</ref>
Chapman had an unsuccessful run in the Ontario Provincial Election for the Progressive Conservatives.<ref>Ontario Votes 2007: Interview with Progressive Conservative candidate Jim Chapman, London-Fanshawe – Wikinews [[n:Ontario Votes 2007: Interview with Progressive Conservative candidate Jim Chapman, London-Fanshawe]]</ref>
In 2023 Chapman was inducted into the London Music Hall of Fame along with his fellow 1960's Bluesmen Revue band members.<ref>{{Cite web |title=London Music Hall of Fame unveils 2023 inductees |url=https://lfpress.com/feature/london-music-hall-of-fame-unveils-2023-inductees |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230609205410/https://lfpress.com/feature/london-music-hall-of-fame-unveils-2023-inductees |archive-date=9 June 2023 |access-date=5 July 2024 |website=The London Free Press}}</ref>
==Near-death experience==
In 1999, Chapman suffered a fatal heart attack and was left brain-dead in a local ER.<ref>''The London Free Press'' October 26, 1999.</ref> He was eventually resuscitated, but not before having a [[near-death experience]].<ref>Ki Mae Heussner, Scientists Study Out-of-Body Experiences, ABC News, September 30, 2008 [https://abcnews.go.com/Technology/story?id=5921098&page=1]</ref> Emergency surgery after a second serious heart attack just days later left him very ill and incapacitated for several months. He used the time to tell the story of what he called his "adventure" in a book, ''Heart and Soul'',<ref>''The London Free Press'' February 5, 2000. Jim Chapman "Back from the Brink" F-1</ref><ref>''The London Free Press'' October 13, 1999. Joe Matyas "Chapman Cracking Jokes"</ref> that became a regional bestseller and generated thousands of dollars for charity. For the next few years, in addition to his media work, Chapman travelled extensively, speaking about his near-death experience and its aftermath.<ref>''Goderich Signal-Star'' July 19, 2000. Rev. Phil Gandon "Broadcaster to discuss post-death experience"</ref><ref>''Goderich Signal-Star'' July 26, 2000. Matt Shurrie "Chapman tells congregation of post-death experience"</ref><ref>''The London Free Press'' May 3, 2006. Free Press Staff "Heart attack inspires book"</ref><ref>{{cite web |author=REL-MAR McConnell Media Company – Hamilton, Ontario, Canada |date= |title=X-Zone's Guest List |url=http://www.xzone-radio.com/guests.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110929081831/http://www.xzone-radio.com/guests.htm |archive-date=29 September 2011 |accessdate=2011-07-26 |publisher=Xzone-radio.com}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.bbsradio.com/bbc/donna_seebo.php |title=Donna Seebo's Guest List |publisher=Bbsradio.com |date= |accessdate=2011-07-26 |archive-date=August 15, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110815170725/http://www.bbsradio.com/bbc/donna_seebo.php |url-status=dead }}</ref>
After a serious illness in 2005, Chapman was inspired to write another book, ''Come Back to Life'', that related the story of the years since his [[near-death experience]] and how his life in the interim had been affected by it.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.broadcasting-history.ca/index3.html?url=http%3A//www.broadcasting-history.ca/listings_and_histories/radio/histories.php%3Fid%3D354%26historyID%3D141 |title=AM 980's page on Jim's show |publisher=Broadcasting-history.ca |date= |accessdate=2011-07-26 |archive-date=September 30, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120930072711/http://www.broadcasting-history.ca/index3.html?url=http://www.broadcasting-history.ca/listings_and_histories/radio/histories.php%3Fid=354&historyID=141 |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref name="autogenerated2002">''Business London'' January 2002. Mark Kearney "Booked In" Pg. 14–15</ref>
== References ==
{{reflist|colwidth=30em}}
==External links==
* [http://www.jimchapman.ca Chapman's Website]
* [http://www.thevoiceoflondon.ca/ The Voice of London]
* [http://www.am980.ca/Channels/HostsShows/JimChapman/home.aspx Chapman's Show on AM 980]
* {{usurped|1=[https://archive.today/20120709084936/http://jam.canoe.ca/Music/Pop_Encyclopedia/B/Bluesmen_Revue.html Canoe's page on The Bluesmen Revue]}}
* [http://www.nderf.org/jim_chapman_heartsoul.htm Near Death Experience Research Foundation's] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110518064755/http://www.nderf.org/jim_chapman_heartsoul.htm |date=May 18, 2011 }} review of ''Heart and Soul''
* [https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/the-jim-chapman-newshour-on/id358548333 The Jim Chapman Newshour on iTunes]
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Chapman, Jim}}
[[Category:1949 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Musicians from London, Ontario]]
[[Category:Writers from London, Ontario]]
[[Category:Canadian radio hosts]]
[[Category:Canadian non-fiction writers]]
[[Category:Canadian male journalists]]
[[Category:Canadian male non-fiction writers]]
[[Category:Journalists from Ontario]]