MCRFB Note: The “smooth” selections heard in this WVMV aircheck was by (in order), Joyce Cooling “Before Dawn”, Black Box “Ghost Box”, Dave Koz “Undeniable”, and Greg Adams “Five To Eleven.”
In tribute to this great Detroit Smooth Jazz station, which is no longer on the air in the Motor City — hear these wonderful selections anytime, and from so many more others, at my Smooth Jazz Detroit V98.7 Channel I created over at Spotify.
Do you miss Smooth Jazz? For more information on V98.7 at Spotify today, go HERE[J.F.].
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NEW! A special THANK YOU to Karla Fox GM, PD
WJAZ 89.7 FM, Detroit, for her recent aircheck contribution to our Motor City Radio Flashbacks collection.
Newly restored! This selected audio recording was digitally enhanced by Motor City Radio Flashbacks.
Two months ago, Audacy abruptly dumped all of their Smooth Jazz formatted stations on HD2, including Detroit’s Home for Smooth Jazz, V98.7.
When WVMV dropped their smooth jazz format and calls on the FM side, the new station moved it over to WDZH HD2 in 2009. After fourteen years on the air, the plug was pulled on late Friday evening, February 24.
While the V98.7 format was abruptly dropped late-evening of February 24, here is a screenshot of the last smooth jazz song-history, having been played on Audacy on the morning of Tuesday, February 28. The last song played (and time), at the top. (Click on image for expanded, detailed read).
While Audacy still incorporates the V98.7 format on their website, they replaced the extensive WDZH Smooth Jazz V98.7 playlist — immediately — with a much less selective, more shortened-playlist titled, ‘Soundscapes’. Noticeably, it is a much different smooth jazz format (and with ads!) you will hear on the channel today.
On March 4, I called the Audacy listed number in Southfield (MI.). I had called to inquire whether possibly there was some techical error, maybe or, whether they dropped the station. They had confirmed (and stated also inasmuch, to the many dismayed inquiries from callers they received as well) that V98.7 is now the former, officially having been dropped just before 11:00 a.m., on February 28.
I’ve been a huge fan of the smooth jazz format since the WJZZ-106 era in the Motor City. When WVMV V98.7 first signed on in December 1995, I took notice. And I became a dedicated listener to that station throughout the 1990s and into the 2000s during its smooth jazz heyday on the FM dial, and, up until its recent demise on HD2.
Not left to mire in despair, I was able to acquire the entire V98.7 HD2 playlist which the station had used in their play-rotation, essentially the same, most notably, which the station used during the past five years. The list comprises well over 800 smooth jazz tracks and the best of smooth R&B hits, combined. I have become very familiar with all these song titled numbers. I’ve listened to the station on HD2 and Audacy for many, many years already. It was, for the most part, my favorite station I listened daily to on their streaming app.
During March (and April) I created fourteen WVMV Detroit Smooth Jazz playlists on Spotify. Each volume (numbered 1-14) lists 55-plus titles per, having uploaded every song from the acquired playlist to the Spotify platform. The only thing you will not hear will be those wonderful WVMV jingles (masterfully created by Groove Addicts in Los Angeles) interspersed between song sets played throughout hours of the day, 24/7, on V98.7 HD2.
Here is a preview sampler below for WVMV Volume #3 (click on the play button):
Not on Spotify?
To listen on your mobile device, you can download the Spotify app on the Google play store. On your PC, you can also download Spotify here. Then register and set up your Spotify account, create a password, and, just sign in. And it’s free.
Once there, click over [my name] Jim Feliciano (or you can click my name in the preview provided above or on Spotify) and then scroll down to Public Playlist. To the right of the page, click on Show all and all 14 playlists will be featured there in one place. Or, you can go here.
There are several accounts under the WVMV ‘Smooth Jazz’ banner already on Spotify. I cannot speak for those. But what I can assure you is this. What I have presented there on the Spotify platform are all those same Detroit ‘Smooth Jazz’ favorites you heard played from the WDZH HD2 rotation during the past 5 years. Guaranteed.
So If you loved (and miss today) listening to Smooth Jazz V98.7 on Audacy, pass the word! The entire Smooth Jazz Detroit playlist is now all up on Spotify.
Now, you can listen to the sounds of Detroit’s Smooth Jazz, WVMV 98.7 on HD2, on your mobile device anytime, anywhere. Just go to your app store and download the free radio.com app (once there you can find V 98.7 on HD2 by searching the local Detroit radio stations on the app)
Or you can listen to Detroit’s Home for Smooth Jazz by clicking on our new WDMV link (added today) on our blogroll – or – you can listen right now by goingHERE
A MCRFB Viewing Tip: On your PC? Read the entire 1996 WVMV article! For an expanded detailed readclick both images 2x and open to second window. Click image anytime to return to NORMAL image size.
Click your server’s back button to return to MCRFB.COM home page.
On your mobile device? Tap on chart image. Open to second window. “Stretch” chart across your device screen to magnify for largest print view.
RUSS FREEMAN (The Rippingtons) * The Girl With The Indigo Eyes * WVMV-FM
DAVE KOZ * You Make Me Smile * WVMV-FM
NORMAN BROWN * Third World * WVMV-FM
BOBBY CALDWELL * What You Won’t Do For Love * WVMV-FM
LEE RITENOUR * A Little Bumpin’ * WVMV-FM
KEIKO MATSUI * Bridge Over The Stars * WVMV-FM
EARL KLUG * Just You And Me * WVMV-FM
3RD FORCE * In The Full Moon Light * WVMV-FM
VENESSA WILLIAMS * The Sweetest Days * WVMV-FM
RAMSEY LEWIS * Les Fleurs * WVMV-FM
PETER WHITE * Romance Dance * WVMV-FM
BONEY JAMES * Lights Down Low * WVMV-FM
DAVE GRUSIN & LEE RITENOUR * Water To Drink * WVMV-FM
SADE * Kiss Of Life * WVMV-FM (Bonus Track)
BRIAN McKNIGHT * Anytime * WVMV-FM (Bonus Track)
A MCRFB NOTE
Detroit’s ‘Smooth Jazz’ WVMV premiered on 98.7 FM, December 1995. Detroit has since been without a ‘Smooth Jazz’ format on the FM dial since WVMV-FM last signed-off on October 9, 2009.
Throughout the 14-plus years WVMV was on the air, the station put out 12 ‘Smooth Jazz’ charity CDs. Motor City Radio Flashbacks has all of them, such as the premiere V98.7 CD Volume 1 (released 1998) featured today on MCRFB.COM.
Missed Detroit’s ‘Smooth Jazz’ on the radio? MCRFB.COM will be showcasing these classic WVMV charity CD’s on this website here from time-to-time. Stay tuned!
Smooth Jazz WVMV-FM Faded Into Detroit Radio History, This Week, Five Years Ago
October 02, 2009 2:48 PM
Smooth Jazz Radio Station WVMV 98.7 Announcing Format Switch
By Bill Shea | Crain’s Detroit Business
DETROIT — Detroit’s self-billed smooth jazz radio station WVMV 98.7 is expected to announce a format switch today. (MCRFB: Play audio bar below).
The smooth jazz format is apparently moving to an HD2 channel, but it’s not yet clear what the terrestrial broadcast format will be.
Station executives would lease only limited information, and said an on-air announcement is coming at 4 p.m. today.
Deb Kenyon, CBS Radio’s senior vice president and market manager for its Detroit stations, issued a statement: “98.7 Smooth Jazz is moving to a new home. New media and new technologies have given us the chance to still keep this programming on the air. We know that Smooth Jazz is a favorite station for many people and we’re glad to say we aren’t going away, we’re just moving,” she wrote.
The station was ranked 11th in the Detroit market in listenership by Washington D.C.-based audience measurement service Arbitron. The ratings, the most recent available, are for Monday through Sunday, 6 a.m. to midnight, for June, July and August.
CBS Radio also owns WWJ 950 AM (news talk), WXYT 97.1 FM/1270 AM (news talk), WOMC 104.3 FM (oldies) and WYCD 99.5 FM (country) locally.
WVMV station went on the air in 1961 as WBFG broadcasting religious programs. In 1980, it became WLLZ, a rock station under the name “Detroit Wheels.”
Westinghouse bought the station in 1989, and it became a CBS property when the network bought Westinghouse in 1995. That year it became a modern rock station.
Later that year, it switched to smooth jazz-new adult contemporary and switched to the WVMV call letters in early 1996. END
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Source: Crain’s Detroit BusinessOctober 2, 2009
WVMV ‘SMOOTH JAZZ’1996
WVMV SIGN OFF * Steve Stryker Asst. PD * OCTOBER 2, 2009 [5:00 P.M.]
A MCRFB Note: “Smooth Operator,” by Sade, would be the very last song WVMV V98.7 would play signing off their “Smooth Jazz” format, just after 5:00 p.m., Friday, October 2, 2009. “Smooth Operator” was also the very first song WVMV played having signed-on with their new station format in 1996.
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MCRFB Note: The “smooth” selections heard in this WVMV aircheck was by (in order), Joyce Cooling “Before Dawn”, Black Box “Ghost Box”, Dave Koz “Undeniable”, and Greg Adams “Five To Eleven.” 
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Newly restored! This selected audio recording was digitally enhanced by Motor City Radio Flashbacks.
