It is high time we give thanks to the nation’s deejays who are performing an invaluable service for music publishers and record companies by bringing to their attention talent from their area — talent which otherwise might never had the opportunity to have been heard by publishers and recording companies.
A case in point is Dave Prince of WXYZ, Detroit. About two years ago, Mr. Prince wrote us about Billy Lee & The Rivieras, a group appearing around Record Hops in Detroit. He was so impressed with their musical talent and performance abilities that he felt it was his duty to help them. He waxed so enthusiastically about the boys that we agreed to hear them. We liked what we heard and we signed them.
Mitch Ryder & The Detroit Wheels’ “Sock It To Me” LP; New Voice Records; 1967.
The rest is musical history, the group now known as Mitch Ryder and The Detroit Wheels has soared to stardom. As for Dave Prince, he derives much satisfaction in realization he discovered a stellar group, and in knowing that was truly a great judgment in talent found.
There are other cases where deejays discovered writers, musicians, and singers, and have done much to help them. This speaks well for the radio personalities of the USA who feel a sense of responsibility for their listeners. So, we say thank you one and all, you dedicated people in radio wherever you are.
Dan Crewe,
Vice-President,
Saturday Music, Inc.
1841 Broadway, New York, New York 10023
212-CI 5-3535
(Information and news source: Billboard; August 13, 1966).
Detroit and L.A. Record Sales Are ‘Happening Places’
By CLAUDE HALL
“Cool Jerk” by the Capitols on Karen Records; 1966.
DETROIT — Detroit and Los Angeles are currently the best place in the nation in which to break a record. Both cities in the past six months, according to a special Billboard survey, have had eight records start there with a sales breakout, and have spread across the country to finally reach Billboard’s Top 100 Chart. In the case of Detroit, this include’s “Cool Jerk” by the Capitols on Karen Records, No. 7 this week, and “Oh, How Happy” by the Shades Of Blue on Impact Records which went to No. 12 and is No. 14 this week. Impact is a Detroit record label.
The eight-Detroit chart makers came from a total of 16 breakouts; the eight Los Angeles winners came from only 14. Chicago, New York and Detroit were the cities with the largest number of total breakouts — 16 each. But, of the New York and the Chicago breakouts, only six went on to reach the chart.
The Shades Of Blue on Impact Records; 1966
San Francisco, on the other hand, had seven records reach the chart from 15 original breakouts. San Francisco had the largest number of total breakouts — 20 — but five of these records happened first in other markets. Tying with New York and Chicago in number of breakout records that went on to reach the chart were Dallas, Miami and Pittsburgh.
In a similar survey last year, New York took all honors, not only having the most original breakouts — 17 — but having the most that reached the chart — 19. San Francisco had been second with 18 breakout that reached the chart. That survey encompassed nine months.
During the past six months, Atlanta had five record breakouts that reached the chart, Houston four, Milwaukee and St. Louis three each.
In all, there were 182 different records which were listed as breakout singles in 22 different markets between Billboard’s January 1 and June 25 issues. Of these, 81 had made the Top 100 Chart as of the current July 2 issue, another 26 record singles made the Bubbling Under category. The percent of of breakout single records making the chart was 45.1.
“Time Won’t Let Me” by the Outsiders on Capitol Records; 1966.
These figures do not include the big name artists like the Beatles, whose records generally break nation-wide immediately after release. Of the breakout singles, the two biggest hits to date have been “Elusive Butterfly” by Bob Lind on World Pacific Records, which started in Miami, and “Time Won’t Let Me” by the Outsiders on Capitol Records which started in Cleveland. Both records went to No. 5 on the chart. However, other records still moving up the chart like “Little Girl” (a San Francisco happening) by the Syndicate Of Sound on Bell Records, “Ain’t Too Proud To Beg” (Miami breakout) by the Temptations on Gordy Records, “Dirty Water” (a Miami breakout) by the Standells, on Tower Records, “Along Comes Mary” by the Association on Valiant Records (a Los Angeles breakout) still stand an excellent chance of doing as well on the charts. All four of these former regional breakouts are in Billboard’s top 20 with a star, indicating heavy current record disk sales.
“Sweet Pea” by Tommy Roe on ABC Records; 1966.
Without doubt, the crown for taking the longest to happen goes to “Sweet Pea” by Tommy Roe on ABC Records, appearing this week on Billboard’s Hot 100 chart at 37 with a star. The record was first listed as a breakout in Atlanta in the February 19 issue. More than two months later, in the April 30 issue, it was a breakout in Miami. The May 21 issue showed it as a sales breakout in both the Dallas-Ft.Worth area and in Memphis as well. On June 4, it was a breakout in both Milwaukee and the Minneapolis-St. Paul area. All this before “Sweet Pea” finally began to happen big.
Some records, in spite of being sales breakouts in other markets, never really make it. “Second Hand Man” by the Back Porch Majority on Epic Records had sales breakouts in Houston, Dallas-Ft. Worth and Chicago, but only went as high as No. 135 in the Bubbling Under category. “Don’t Stop Now” by Eddie Holman on Parkway Records broke out in sales in Los Angeles, New York and Pittsburgh, but failed to make it elsewhere in other major markets. “Mr. Moon” by the Coachmen on Bear Records broke in Minneapolis-St. Paul, Milwaukee and San Francisco but only went high as No. 114 in the Bubbling Under category. “I Dig You Baby” by Lorraine Ellison on Mercury Records had the same fate.
Some markets didn’t fare so well in ratio of success with breakouts. Although a total of 15 different records had sales breakouts in Baltimore — 13 of which happened there first — only two went on to make the 100 chart, one an Al Martino record which went as high as No. 30. END.
(Information and news source; Billboard Magazine; July 2, 1966).
The Anita Kerr Singers on Warner Bros. Records 1967(click on image for larger view)
Let’s rewind back to 1966. If your AM dial was set on the radio here in Detroit to 1270, you may still remember listening to one of the most beautiful jingles packages ever produced for Detroit radio during that time. The Anita Kerr custom-series jingle package for WXYZ AM.
But first just who was Anita Kerr?
Insofar as mainstream music popularity goes, and by name definition, not much had been known or had been publicized about her back when, outside a few music-trade publications.
Anita Jean Grilli (Anita Kerr) was born in Memphis, Tennessee, on October 31, 1927. According to her biography, Anita took an early exposure to music early on during her childhood when she first appeared on her mother’s radio show in Memphis. During her teen years in high school there, she expanded her musical talents by forming her own singing group. As a youngster then, she also demonstrated maturity for writing music as well.
In 1949, she went on to form a singing group, the Anita Kerr Singers, which she later trimmed down to a quartet. Anita Kerr as soprano, Gil Wright as tenor, alto Dottie Gillard, and Louis Nunn as baritone. Eventually, the Anita Kerr Singers played on local radio and gained exposure on NBC television’s ‘Sunday Going South.’ The group’s talent for good music gained in popularity while in hometown Memphis, and in 1951, Decca Records signed the group as studio backing singers for their recording label.
The Anita Kerr Quartet on Decca Records. 1958
In 1956, the Anita Kerr Singers made an appearance on the Arthur ‘Godfrey’s Talent Scouts’ show on CBS television. The group also made gains with an appearance on the Jim Reeves Show in 1958. The group also went on to record an album as well, ‘Voices In Hi-Fi,’ which Decca released in 1958.
By the end of the 1950s, the group had signed over with RCA Records. Chet Atkins, the head of the Country Music Division of RCA, integrated Kerr’s talents to help facilitate a new “Nashville Sound.” The new “sound” Atkins produced was primarily intended to be more mainstream and appealing for the pop music scene at the time in the early 1960s. By adding strings and Anita Kerr’s vocal backings, along with the Jordanaires, RCA went on to introduce mainstream America with a brand new sound for country music. In crossing over, they called it, “Countrypolitan.”
During that time as well, Anita Kerr became more involved behind-the-scenes with the studio production facets at RCA. Now utilizing her talents elsewhere for Chet Atkins there, she was instrumental in producing orchestral arrangements for other RCA country recording artist as well, such as Skeeter Davis’ 1963 country/pop hit, “The End Of The World.” The group went on to back many other country artists on RCA as well, including Hank Snow, Jimmy Reeves, Floyd Cramer, Dottie West, Roy Orbison, and many, many more.
Anita Kerr’s Grammy award-winning RCA LP, ‘We Dig Mancini’ beat out the Beatles ‘Help!’ LP for “Best Performance by A Vocal Group” award. 1965
In 1965 the Anita Kerr Singers reached a high point by winning two Grammy awards. They were awarded for Best Performance By A Vocal Group for their RCA album, ‘We Dig Mancini,’ edging out the Beatles’ ‘Help!’ album in that category. The group also won the Best Gospel Album category by collaborating with George Beverly O’Shea in the 1964 RCA album release, ‘Southland Favorites.’
Anita Kerr Enterprises, 1965
Later on in the same year, according to a brief article in the October 16, 1965 edition of Billboard magazine, Anita Kerr moved to Hollywood from Nashville to form Anita Kerr Enterprises to work in the commercial radio and jingle industries. In concert with former RCA Victor European sales administrator, Alexandre Grob, they also obtained the services of Charlie Williams, former songwriter and personal manager at RCA Records. While on the west coast, Anita still continued to work with her Nashville singing group which bears her name, and stated of her intentions in bringing the other members of the singing group to California to record jingles. The singers will remain as an act for the RCA label, according to the Billboard brief.
By 1967 Anita Kerr Enterprises had recorded jingles for various radio clients across the country, including KMPC AM 710 in Los Angeles, California; WLS AM 890 in Chicago, Illinois, WGH AM 1310 in Newport News, Virginia, and WXYZ AM in Detroit.
At WXYZ AM 1270 here in Detroit, Lee Alan was program director for WXYZ-AM. In late 1965, new changes were being implemented at the station for the coming new year for 1966. Lee Alan personally wrote and composed the “Personality Plus” jingles series for the coming new “Detroit Sound Survey.” WXYZ-AM, at the time, was a Detroit affiliate and owned by the ABC Radio Network in New York.
Once approval had been attained for Lee Alan to proceed with the station’s new “Personality Plus” custom package, ABC in New York sanctioned station General Manager Chuck Fritz’s request to allow Lee Alan to hire Dick Marx Productions in Chicago “to finish the arrangements and contract with Anita to do the singing,” Lee Alan said. “Years earlier Dick (Marx) had produced the jingles for sister station WLS-AM in Chicago.”
Lee Alan further stated that, “the series were carefully crafted to upgrade and change the sound of WXYZ. I produced the package with Dick Marx in Chicago. We hired Anita Kerr and her back-up singers who recorded everything in two sessions in over a two day period.
“Later I was asked to write and produce another series for WXYZ-FM which was affected by the ‘broadcast separately from AM’ by FCC rules. At he same time I wrote and produced the opening jingles for the new ‘Martin and Howard’ show which began in 1967. For each production session I hired Dick Marx and contracted with Anita Kerr,” Lee Alan went on to conclude (see Lee Alan’s comments below; dated July 2, 2012).
The new Anita Kerr Singers; Warner Brothers Records 1968
After a trip to Europe in late 1967, Anita Kerr disbanded the group before signing over with Warner Brothers Records. But once again, she formed a new group of Anita Kerr Singers under the Warner label. The new group features tenor Gene Merlino, bass Bob Tedow, and sopranos Jackie Ward and B. J. Baker. They produced two albums for Warner records, both albums were produced with Warner Bros. recording artist Rod McKuen. The first album was entitled, ‘The Sea’ which became a best-seller in 1967. In late 1968, the group released their second album with McKuen. Their second LP was entitled, “Home By The Sea.’ In both albums, Anita composed the music and Rod McKuen wrote the lyrics to the songs.
Anita Kerr Singers ‘Reflect‘ Album; Dot Records 1969
In 1969, Anita Kerr made a move over to Dot Records. While at Dot Records, the group won the Edison Award for their first album under the new label, The Anita Kerr Singers Reflect On The Hits Of Burt Bacharach And Hal David.
According to the Wikipedia website, Anita Kerr received a special ASCAP Award in 1975, in recognition of her efforts “as a first class musician for her significant contributions to the birth and development of the Nashville Sound.” In 1992, the National Academy of Recording Arts and Science (NARAS) gave Anita Kerr the NARAS Governors Award “in recognition of her outstanding contributions to American music.”
But once again, in closing, listen closely to those classic jingles Anita Kerr had recorded for WXYZ radio in 1966. We’re certain you’ll agree this custom-package was one of the most beautifully arranged set of jingles that was ever produced for Detroit radio during the 1960s.
And we certainly would have to especially thank Lee Alan for making this beautifully written WXYZ custom series package we’ve featured here for making this all happen all the more in 1966.
DETROIT — WXYZ will follow the Supremes to Detroit’s Roostertail nightclub Monday evening (January 17) for their performance. Lee Alan and Danny Taylor will broadcast remote from the club’s lobby at their regularly scheduled time – 7:15-10 p.m. and 10 p.m.-1 a.m. respectively.
Marc Avery, Steve Lundy, Dave Prince and Pat Murphy will be on hand at a WXYZ table with microphones to interview the Supremes themselves and thereafter speak with members of the crowd live concluding the Supremes Roostertail performance. END
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(Information and news source: Billboard; January 22, 1966)
The date is April 19, 1966.WXYZ 1270is set on your radio dial. The time is 9:00 PM on a Tuesday evening here in the Motor City.
Coming in fresh from Cleveland’s WIXY, listen in as Joey Reynolds introduced himself on The Joey Reynolds Show for the very first time when he first came over to Detroit.
FROM THE MCRFB AIRCHECKS LIBRARY
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WXYZ-AM * JOEY REYNOLDS * APRIL 1966
…Well uh I don’t understand quite frankly Al what you’re getting at. What are you trying to say is you don’t like me?….
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WXYZ 1966 radio personality Joey Reynolds’ station- profile brochure cover(click on image for larger view).
In this classic 1966 WXYZ aircheck, Joey Reynolds did all he could to keep his composure with a certain caller, Al Evans from South Junior High School.
When this aircheck was taped in May of 1966, Joey Reynolds was known for his propensity to berate other radio stations and on-air personalities during his shows while in Detroit. Whether his on-air rhetoric might have been described as “good clean fun” or just a display of Reynolds own personal ego, these assumptions might have been taken more than lightly by some listeners, such as the one noted particular call to The Joey Reynolds Show would come to obviously demonstrate.
In April 1966, WXYZ had many of the best radio voices covering the Detroit radio map at that time. Marc Avery. Lee Alan. Dave Prince. Jimmy Hampton. Pat Murphy. Danny Taylor.
Under Lee Alan, now as program director, WXYZ retained its star status with their legendary top 40 personality-plus line-up. The ABC-owned station’s share for higher numbers was paramount moving forward against WKNR and CKLW. The station was locked in battle to regain the top 40 crown they once held over Detroit several years back. Detroit, in 1966, was a three-station top 40 market.
But it was the Reynolds star, despite the anticipated expectation he’d be held for higher ratings and audience popularity the moment he first signed on, never came to fully rise during his short stay here in the Motor City.
By July 1966, a little over two months after WXYZ General Manager Charles Fritz and station Program Director Lee Alan brought the Gavin Award winning radio host to Detroit, the station found itself floundering at third place with only a 24 percent share of the Detroit radio audience overall.
Joey Reynolds as he looked back in the ’60s on the radio. (Click on image for larger view)
In contrast, CKLW held their ground just a short-distance ahead with a 29 share at second place. Meanwhile, WKNR was still at the top with a 47 percent share of the total Detroit audience who were listening to Keener 13 at any given time throughout their entire broadcast day.
As to his statement, “well I hope we last”… he didn’t.
By the first week of November 1966, and six months after first coming on WXYZ, Joey Reynolds was completely removed far away east from the Detroit radio scene at WDRC in Hartford, Connecticut.
But according to Wikipedia, the Reynolds resume reflects he’s had an illustrative career in both radio and television during his later years in broadcasting as well. He even came back to Detroit on WHYT for a short while during 1983 into 1984.
Today, as of this date, Reynolds is presently hosting All Night With Joey Reynolds on the WNBC-TV owned sub-channel station WNBC-TV2 in New York City.
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(The Joey Reynolds poster courtesy of the Art Vuolo Collection)
FROM THE MCRFB AIRCHECKS LIBRARY
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WXYZ-AM * JOEY REYNOLDS * MAY 1966
(The Joey Reynolds poster courtesy of the Art Vuolo Collection)
Everyone who is anyone in the radio biz knows “Radio’s Best Friend.”Art Vuolois literally the video archivist of the broadcasting profession. VuoloVideo.comis a must-visit site for both aspiring and accomplished broadcasters who want to watch the best of the best in action.
But before Art perfected his video artistry, he was a key chronicler of Detroit radio history. His 12 hour magnum opus, ‘The History of Detroit Radio’ became an instant classic when it first aired on WDRQ.
According to WDRQ programmer Don Barrett, he commissioned Art Vuolo to produce the ‘History of Detroit Radio’ which aired the weekend prior WDRQ’s official new format launch (formerly WDEE) in June, 1971. The documentary was narrated by WDRQ morning news anchor Richard Mock.
The still program stands up as one of the best radio documentaries ever made. It’s one of hundreds upon hundreds of audio treasures in our Motor City Radio FlashbackAircheck Library.
From the MCRFB news archives:
