Tommy Hunter, who turns 70 Sunday, visits Calgary on Friday as part of a 13-city, cross-country tour of Canada.

Retirement age has finally caught up with the Country Gentleman -- but that doesn't mean Tommy Hunter is ready to hang up his hat.

He was the Canadian face of country music for nearly 40 years. From 1956 through the early '90s, Hunter had his own show and hosted a variety of specials on CBC radio and TV.

Everyone from Garth Brooks to Shania Twain and The Judds got their start on The Tommy Hunter Show.

While the program has run its course, Hunter has no plans of disappearing.

As he approaches his 70th birthday Sunday, he's on the road, in the midst of a cross-country tour which takes him through 13 cities -- Calgary this Friday -- in less than a month.

"I don't need to do this. I've got 11 months off to do whatever I want to do. The other half of the schedule that you don't see is that I'm packing up after this and going down to Florida and I'm not coming home until the 20th of May," he says.

"Then, May, June and July, I don't plan on doing anything but barbecuing, feeding the birds and having a good time, maybe go to the symphony and enjoy life."

And why not, he's earned it.

For countless Canadian families who tuned in to his show every week, Hunter is an icon.

During the course of his career, the Country Gentleman has seen the fabric of the North American country music scene change and expand into a multi-billion dollar, Nashville-based machine.

Hunter says young up-and-comers face a new kind of success and fame in a short time frame.

"It's like a rocket ship, straight up and they get to the end of it and realize there's no money left. I think a lot of them are beginning to realize they have to stay in control of their own assets," says Hunter.

Born in Ontario, Hunter started his career as a musician and was on the program Country Hoedown by age 19. He's won Junos and became the fifth Canadian to be inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame's Walkway of the Stars in 1990.

This country aficionado has spent the brunt of his career showcasing other artists work, but Hunter says he's far from an expert on what's happening in the music scene today.

"I like Alison Krauss, I think she's a good bluegrass singer. I also like Rhonda Vincent, I think she's also just a fabulous bluegrass singer. Those are my personal favourites, but I don't really listen to the stations enough to know. Sometimes I wonder if I'm even in the business," says Hunter laughing.

But as he enters the later years of life, Hunter is learning to appreciate new types of music.

"Classical, opera, I'm a big fan of the symphony -- I've just discovered it," he says.

The visit to Calgary this week will be especially nice for Hunter as one of his sons, his daughter-in-law and his two grandchildren live here.

"My son's a pilot. He's become a real Calgarian and really loves it there," says Hunter.

Tommy Hunter plays the Jack Singer Auditorium Feb. 1, Tickets $38.50 to $41.50 through Ticketmaster.