I got it in a text today...Not a great way to find out, but one of the people at the radio station knew I'd want to know right away.

John Majhor was a friend, confidant, mentor and a radio pro with more feel for what moved the audience than most guys will ever have.

I appreciate his life, his smile and the fact that while he was fighting for his life he was willing to hold my hand on the phone while my wife was in the middle of her own cancer scare.

I'll close it the way we always did...And Bob's Your Uncle.

Thanks John

Hi everyone, this is John's niece, Samantha.  As has been said before, but cannot be said enough, all of your messages, tributes, prayers, and memories have meant so much to all of us who are here in MN trying to celebrate the life of a man who was so many things - son, brother, uncle...and to all of us and his listeners, a friend.  I say we're "trying" to celebrate because it's very hard to do when we feel so robbed, but John wouldn't want any moping.  He could make anything fun and make fun of anything. 

I've been reading and listening to the tributes tonight and just had to pop on and say THANK YOU!!!  to all of you who have taken a moment today to remember with us and all who have called, written, and even vistited John in his time of need.  God bless!

I heard the news through CFRB last night and again on Breakfast TV this morning. 

John, you will be missed and always much loved.  Thanks for being there in the growing years. 

Peace to you, buddy

Karen Callaghan

Good morning friends and family of John,

I just heard the sad news this morning (on Breakfast television in Toronto) and my heart goes out to you all.  What a loss for the entertainment industry.

I immediately flashed back to my high school days when I was "in love" with John while he was hosting Lunch Television on CityTV.  I remember one lucky day when my friends and I got to sit in the audience of lunch tv...and the highlight was having John hand pick ME to do kareoke live on that show!  I still have the taped VHS of that day!  I think i'll go put that on....

I am so sorry to hear of this loss, but considering his health issues, I know he is in a better place now.

Goodbye John, you will be missed.

I was almost in tears today when i heard on Breakfast Televison when i heard the sad news of John passing away.  I remeber running home from school Monday-Friday to watch Toronto Rocks as it was one of my fave. all time shows ever!! And was sad that they cancled the show.. My prayers and thoughts go out to all of Mr.Majhor family and friends as he will be missed a great deal.

Natasha

In memory of John Majhor... this morning I turned on City-TV in Toronto and heard them talking about John passing away.  Frankie was calling John his brother, his colleague and there were a lot of great memories which all the staff say they will remember always.

I watched a short clip of John this morning and was so sad when I saw he was a year younger than I am.  Life is not always fair but we have to look at the fact that John is no longer suffering.

So please remember the good times and treasure those memories always.  My condolences to your family.  John you are at peace.

Christine

Scarborough, Ontario

Toronto Star - http://www.thestar.com/article/174224

JOHN MAJHOR
TV and radio lose an icon

Commanding personality made shift easily from radio jock to video host

January 24, 2007
Tamara Cherry
Staff reporter

To a generation of Torontonians that came of age before MuchMusic, John Majhor was the iconic voice – and also face – of rock and roll.

Majhor was the rare charismatic radio personality who was able to make the transition easily to television. Quick on his bare feet – he disdained wearing shoes, finding "they bug me for some reason" – and sporting a silver hoop earring in his left lobe, his shining brown hair and flirtatious smile made him a commanding television presence.

He died yesterday morning, surrounded by family in his suburban Minnesota home following a five-month battle with cancer. He was 53.

During the '80s, he was CHUM's prime rock interviewer, rubbing shoulders with Elton John, Meat Loaf and George Harrison, to name a few. But to his family, he was all that and then some.

"I think that what you hear on air from him was him – just a very straightforward guy, always a sense of humour, but also a very caring person," said Samantha Majhor, niece of the former 1050 CHUM disc jockey and host of Citytv's Toronto Rocks.

Born Nov. 28, 1953 in San Bernardino, Calif., Majhor lived in various U.S. cities growing up and got his first exposure to a radio studio in Vermillion, S.D. Working in Jacksonville, Fla., he was alerted by a friend to a job in Toronto at CHUM.

From 1975-86, he alternated between mornings and the drive-home show on 1050, all the while building a large fan base throughout his Toronto career. By the mid-1980s, Majhor began juggling his live radio show with a stint as a TV personality showcasing music videos on Toronto Rocks.

Majhor left Toronto for Los Angeles in 1987, only to return to his adopted home four years later as the morning host of EZ 97.3, before logging 400 episodes of Lunch Television on Citytv starting in 1993. He later did two seasons of the travel program Bon Voyage on the Prime Network.

"He had a tremendous and sometimes a wicked sense of humour. He was fast-thinking, quick on his feet," his niece said.

Majhor took his big brother role seriously as the eldest of four children.

"My dad remembers visibly a couple times when he was being bullied at school and John just swooped in to save the day," said Samantha Majhor. "John picked on him, but nobody else could."

And when his 82-year-old mother fell sick last February, he went to Minnesota to take care of her. "He nursed her back to health," his niece said. "They were having the times of their lives together just tooling around every day."

When Majhor found out he was sick, for two months he "put everything" into remodelling his mother's basement so he could make it his proper home.

On Majhor's MySpace website, littered with comments from old friends, co-workers, and fans from a young generation gone by, Majhor has his job listed as a radio DJ. "As well as a program director and general manager," he wrote. "But mostly I'm talent. Woohoo!!!"

"Although it's been a while since I've done it intensely, I love to listen, late late at night, to an AM radio," he added. "Guessing where the disembodied voices and music come from is a passion. Hour after hour ... it's what made me want to do what I do for a living."

From the man who shared a microphone with some of the biggest names in music, and who was something of a celebrity during his peak – "I had teenage girls chasing after me ... my life was like a scene from A Hard Day's Night," he told the Star in an interview last month – under the `heroes' category on his personal website, Majhor names, "People who just put it all out there and don't give a ---- what others think about them. And of those, the ones who use their lack of fear for good."

A private service is to be held for Majhor's family in Minnesota this week. His cremated ashes will be spread near his birthplace in South Dakota.

Toronto Star - Dec. 12th. 2006 .. Radio star fights for his life

Long-time CHUM voice John Majhor has been hushed by a rare incurable cancer

For a generation of Torontonians, John Majhor was the voice of rock and roll. From1975 to '86, Majhor alternated between mornings and the drive-home show on 1050 CHUM, earning the adoration and ire of thousands along the way.

Fast-forward to the present day and that same voice is becalmed in windswept Minnesota.

Majhor is in a battle with adenocarcinoma, a form of cancer that has hushed his booming voice for the first time in his long career. His trademark candour is still there, but the effects of the disease are evident. Majhor's voice sounds laboured and jagged, certainly not "radio ready" by his standards.

What started in his lungs has since spread to his shoulder, lymph glands and brain. Doctors have pronounced his condition incurable, though he continues to undergo costly treatment.

Majhor now looks back on his career on the airwaves knowing he will never revisit those times.

"I listen to the radio and it depresses me," he confirms by phone, frustration clear in his delivery. "I have such a strong urge to get back on the air. It's what I do and it just feels like a piece of me is missing."

Majhor, who turned 53 a couple of weeks ago, was born in San Bernardino, Calif., near Los Angeles, and lived in various U.S. cities while growing up. He was in Vermillion, S.D., when a tiny local FM station provided his first exposure to a radio studio. He was working in Jacksonville, Fla., when a friend alerted him to a radio job north of the border.

"There was an ad in the back of Radio & Records, which was a big trade publication back then," he says.

"It was talking about a job up in Toronto at a station called CHUM. At the time, I didn't even know where Toronto was; I grew up in the Midwest so I knew it was close to Lake Ontario and that's about it. But it was a major market so I decided to go for it. The rest took care of itself."

In addition to his time at CHUM, Majhor logged TV stints on CFMT's Video Singles and Citytv's Toronto Rocks, pre-dating MuchMusic and helping to pioneer Canadian music video television.

He left this city for Los Angeles in 1987, but the lure of his adopted home remained strong and he was back four years later as the morning man on EZ 97.3 (now 97.3 EZ Rock). More TV followed; he logged 400 episodes of Lunch Television on Citytv starting in 1993 and later did two seasons of the travel program Bon Voyage on the Prime Network.

This adaptability as a broadcaster was a primary strength. Majhor became something of an anomaly in the Canadian media landscape a bankable personality who could draw ratings by his name alone.

During the '80s he was CHUM's prime rock interviewer, doing more than 150 sessions a year. Elton John, Roger Daltrey, George Harrison, Meat Loaf, Harry Chapin, Joe Walsh all shared a microphone with him when they passed through Toronto.

He used the interviews on a show called 9 O'Clock Rock, which he wrote and hosted every Sunday night, while also doing extensive voiceover work for radio and TV commercials.

Something of a matinee idol during his heyday ("I had teenage girls chasing after me ... my life was like a scene from A Hard Day's Night," he recalls with a chuckle), Majhor has many fond memories of Toronto.

"One of the biggest thrills was walking onstage before 10,000 Corey Hart fans at the old CNE Stadium. For a guy who had spent his entire career in TV and radio, it was a rush to walk out in front of that many people and have them applaud because they recognized me."

Now surrounded by his family and ex-wife Sarit in a Minneapolis suburb called Young America, Majhor has learned to rely on his loved ones in his battle against adenocarcinoma. (Visit his website at majhor.com to learn more about the disease.)

For a man on the brink, facing a struggle he may not win, Majhor is surprisingly grateful for his good fortune.

"Honestly, my whole career was built upon a series of lucky breaks and circumstance.

"When I started doing radio in South Dakota, we were broadcasting out of a double-wide trailer with a listenership of a few hundred, maybe less.

"There was never a plan, never a design, but somehow I got a few breaks and things progressed - and that's my career."

Dear Sarit, John's family and John

I woke up this morning to an awful headline, John had passed. I cried. I wish I had known. I wish I'd have kept in touch. I lost my parents to cancer 2 years ago within 5 months of each other. I have been asking God for miracle power to heal people with cancer. I hate cancer, and so does Jesus. My condolences to you and John's family. Sarit, I remember the gift of love you were to John and everyone you touched. They will need you and the the gift now. May you be blessed and may that love that you have given out throughout your life find it's way back to you. I asked Jesus if John was in heaven, I always ask that when a friend dies, part of my DNA I guess, and as if you didn't already know, but he is there. That one evening we all special together was special to me. Thank you. Thanks for John. I am priviledged to have share God's light together. Thanks John for the computer talks and opening up your life to me. jt

When John and Sarit moved from LaCienega Blvd. in LA back to Canada, they gave me two things which I still have. One was an old trombone. THe other was a dying ficus tree. The trombone now acts as a bloody cool pot rack in the kitchen of my house near the beach. The ficus tree, after some 15 years is still living and thriving. It was a gift of life. This weekend I am going remove it from the pot it's in and plant it in my back yard. It will be John's friend tree. Whenever I look at it I remember the wonderful times we used to have and the tremendous influence Johnnie was on my life. Sarit, I know the bond you two had and the intense love John had for you. You have my thoughts and prayers in this difficult time. But know that John is cured. He is free (although HE would say, no. He's expensive). I love you and miss you both.

Rich Demaio

To a Nation full of teenagers growing up in the 80's, John Majhor will always be remembered as the friend we all grew up with 4 o'clock in the afternoon as "Toronto Rocks". 

We will never forget the days of all those wild and crazy teenage "Girls on Film" that were "Hungry Like the Wolf" for Nick and Simon Lebon.  As much as Duran Duran, Tears for Fears, WHAM! or even Boy George became the cultural icons of the time, John Majhor himself had eventually found a place in the hearts of affectionate silly teenage girls all over the hallways of high schools and streets of Toronto.

The days may have been wild and crazy with the head banging music of David Lee Roth, Eddie Van Halen, Mick & the boys, Loverboy, Journey, Benatar, Winwood .. and who can forget those "Legs" on ZZ Top's video?  However, they were all memorable times that we shall forever treasure.

I will forever remember John playing my personal request of Sheena Easton's video of "Telefone (Long Distance Love Affair)". 

To that I would like to say, "Thank you for the music John". 

We will miss you.

I am so sorry to here of the loss of John "The Maj"Majhor when Stu and Colleen announced it this morning on Easy Rock 97.3.  I grew up in Toronto and I loved John Majhor.  I listened to him every night on 1050 Chum while doing my homework then every morning while getting ready for school when he took over the morning show. I fell in love with him when I saw him on Toronto Rocks who would not love that guy? ..:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" />

I was lucky enough to meet him twice.  Once at McDonalds during McHappy day”.  He was so outgoing, pleasant, and funny.  I also had the great fortune to meet him at City TV one afternoon following a taping of Toronto Rocks.  A very good friend of mine and me skipped school one afternoon and took a poster board down to the station for John Taylors (Duran Duran) Birthday the next day we prayed it would make it to the air.  It did not but I was able to meet and talk to John and he did sign a picture for me.  I was in amazement that he took the time to talk to us knowing he had to be at 1050 chum for the drive home. I guess that is just the type of guy he was.  He was just an amazing DJ. I also fondly remember him reading a letter that I wrote asking him to play a song for my dad’s 65^th birthday.  He did and it made my dad’s day and mine. 

I also remember fondly talking to him on the radio and winning a pair of concert Tickets to see Michael Jackson and the ..:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" />Jackson family in concert when they did the Victory tour at the grandstand at the EX..  John was so patient with me on the phone while I tried my best to speak slowly say hi I just won tickets to see Michael Jackson from John Majhor and 1050 chum.  I can honestly say I do not know what I was more excited about going to the concert or winning the tickets from John Majhor.

 The times changed and so did 1050 Chum and I had lost track of John over the years, then one day while living in the U.S. I was flipping channels on TV and there he was “The Maj”. Over the years I would hear that familiar voice whether it was on the weekends on CFRB or as a voice over. There was no other when you heard it you knew it was “The Maj”.  Years again came and went then one day last summer while camping in Killbear and listening to the Wolf 101.5 there again was that distinctive voice I grew up listening to. I was oh my god it is “The Maj”.

As I read and listen to the tributes, I realized that he was the man that he appeared to be on the radio and TV.  I remember him talking about his daughter and wife one night on the radio and again on Toronto Rocks.  I think Gord James said it best today on his show when he was one of the best DJ we have ever seen and there will be no other. The strength that he showed making the decision that he did so his family would not was one of the strongest and unselfish things a person can do.  Knowing that his family was there with him to the end was a comfort to him I am sure and I know that he was a well liked and loved man.  The radio and TV world is silenced by his death.

It is hard to lose someone you love and especially someone so young.  He is the same age as my older brother. Loss of a loved one is hard.  I know as I lost my mom in October.  Knowing that the suffering has ended and that she is in a better place is a comfort and I hope that knowing that John is in a better place and free of all his pain and suffering  is a comfort to you as well.  Just know that you all have a special Guardian Angel looking over you and protecting you.  We never know why things happen and hopefully someday we will know why he was taken from us before his time. They say everything happens for a reason.

Again, you have by sympathy and prayers during your time of grieve.  I hope that knowing how much he was loved by his fans and loyal listeners here in T.O. and surrounding area’s is a comfort to you all.

Jody from Toronto Canada.

Wow … So many wonderful memories and tributes …

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From being barefoot reading comic books in the control room at 1331 Yonge .. to doing show prep on the balcony at the Yonge-Norton Centre nearly twenty years later … I feel so fortunate to have shared some of those moments with “The Majhor” …

John lives on in the hearts of those he touched .. encouraged and inspired … I’m lucky to be one of them …

Thanks Maj …

Kathleen

My deepest condolences to all of John's loved ones.  I am still shocked that he is gone.  He was such a significant part of my everyday life during my youth.  There was not a day that passed without hearing his voice on the radio, or watching his video show after school in Toronto.

I wrote my own little tribute to him last night.  If you'd like to stop by, please feel free.  Comments are welcome by everyone.   It's in my latest blog here: 

http://www.myspace.com/design_doll 

Much love to you from Toronto, John.  This city is indeed mourning your loss.

xoxo

When i met john i was at the end of my rope ...out of radio, working at the dollar tree, and dealing with my fathers death. This guy not only gave me another chance...MY LAST CHANCE!!! but, he took me under his wing and taught me to appreciate life again! Not a day goes by that i don't think about what he did for me!

he and my father are listening to leon russel and playing chess right now....i shed a tear but hold my head up and look forward to anothr day of life, why? cause it's what john would do!!!!

        peace and love

   richard tassin

ps. somebody pet fred for me

As an avid listener of 1050 chum and a viewer of Toronto Rocks I will never forget Johns whit, and love for music. when I heard the news of his passing i was deeply saddened. My thoughts and prayers go out to his family at this time. He will be greatly missed.

God Bless

My best memories of John Majhor were when he hosted 'Toronto Rocks.' I remember coming home from school to watch it. The Maj was a very dynamic host, and a great interviewer. RIP John. Thanks for the memories.