DETROIT NEWS 1967: THE ‘WKNR SOUND’ OF SUCCESS!
Category: Scott Regen
WKNR-AM: IT’S A ‘BLAST SALUTE,’ NOVEMBER 14, 1965
THEBEATLEDJ: ‘ALL THOSE FLOWER POWER YEARS AGO’
REMEMBERING JOHN KENNEDY | NOVEMBER 25, 2013
WKNR-AM BACK ON THE RADIO! SCOTT REGEN
WKNR HEARD ON MOTOR CITY RADIO FLASHBACKS
WKNR-AM 1310 * Saturday, January 15, 1966 * SCOTT REGEN
A SALUTE TO A DETROIT RADIO LEGEND: SCOTT REGEN!
From the MCRFB audio files, featuring:
Scott Regen ON AIR HIGHLIGHTS 1965 — 1970
“Scott Regen was a phenomenon, and I just went along for the ride.” — Scottie Regen, legendary “Keener 13” and “Big 8” Detroit radio personality in the ’60s
“This is John Lennon, you’re probably listening to Scott Regen now and if you’re not, well you can’t hear what we’re sayin,’ tuh duh. . . .”
“Hello this is Paul McCartney, talking to a gentleman called Scott Regen who does his best to keep you happy.”
“Hi, this is Scott Regen of the Miracles and you’re listening to the Smokey Robinson show.” — Smokey Robinson
“Hi. This is Stevie Wonder and I’ll be visiting the Scott Regen Show. I hope that you’re with me when I do… I like to thank all of you for your cards and letters asking for me to be on the Scott Regen Show, you know I was coming. . . . so, until I’m on I’ll see ‘ya later.”
“Hi, this Johnny Rivers reminding you that you’re listening to the Scott Regen Show, that’s where it’s happening.”
“Hello Regen my ole’ friend, I’ve come to talk to you again. . . .” — Simon and Garfunkel
Do you understand the history you’re holding in your hands? –Johnny Randell, former WXYZ radio personality, Detroit, 1965 –1975
(Notes below from CD liner insert, as written by Johnny Randell, 2002).
Scott Regen, a phenomenon of the 60’s, was a legendary DJ on Detroit radio stations WKNR and CKLW. Scottie at one point had a 25 (share) rating on WKNR from 7 – 10 PM compared with the 7 and 8 of his two competitors. And WKNR could only be heard in half of the city! At one point on CKLW, Scott was No. 1 not only in Detroit, but in Toledo and Cleveland as well!
I was a deejay on a competing station. Scott was the most innovative and powerful force on rock radio. He was light years ahead of his time, instinctively marketing himself via what I call “Audience Directed Programming.” A concept no one even thought of back then.
Scott Regen used research, music mix, and the audience itself to create “Scott Regen.” And all from the heart. The history he made, his creative influence, is still copied today by radio programmers and DJ’s. Hearing Scott is hearing the evolution of rock radio.
Scottie says the ’60’s were a phenomenon and he just went along fro the ride. Listening to his CD shows otherwise. Scott didn’t just play ’60’s music. He was the ’60’s. He was a gift. His is the voice we remember. Now, remember it all again with this historic CD. Or hear it all for the first time. Either way you’ll see why Scottie is “radio king of the ’60’s.”
Scottie has lived in New York for the past 23 years (as of 2002 when this CD was released). He has worked for Atlantic Records, New York Newsday, and has appeared on several New York stations including 92KTU, Z100, WXRK, WYNY, and LITE-FM. He currently owns his own Manhattan based marketing-advertising company. His music tastes range from Billie Holiday to Benny Goodman to Chuck Berry, to Sinatra to Bach, and lots in-between. His favorite music however, is of the ’60’s. Particularly Motown and of course, the Beatles.
In 1999, the Temptations requested Scottie write their liner notes for their historic CD re-issue, “Temptations Live.” Scott introduces the Temps on the original album, as well as on this CD.
And he never stopped believing that “… in the end, the love you take is equal to the love you make.”*
— Johnny Randell
* Lyric line from Beatles' Abbey Road
None of this would have happened if it wasn’t for Bob Green.
“When I auditioned for the job at WKNR, Bob Green (now Bob Green Productions, Houston) still the best radio production person on the planet, was on the air from 3 – 7 PM. He was also the station Production Director. And he was the one who created the admired, unique, “on air” sound of WKNR.
None of this would have happened if it wasn’t for Bob. He got me the job at WKNR. Not many people know this but I was turned down twice. Even so, Bob still went to bat for me! He believed I had it in me and put himself on the line with then GM Frank Maruca. He coached me. And I submitted a third audition tape. Then Frank heard what he needed to hear and I was hired.
There’s something as important as believing in yourself. Believing in others. Thank you BG.”
— S. R.
Thank You. Thank You. Thank you. Thank you. . . .
Konstantine and Joanne. WK Studios, New York. Frank Maruca, GM, WKNR, Detroit. Paul Drew, Program Director, CKLW, Windsor-Detroit. The most skilled and “feeling” Producer-engineers of all time, Bob Lusk, Greg Hallup, and Colin Kennedy, CKLW. Jacquie Simo, St. Jude’s Children Research Hospital. Johnny Randell. Alan Freed and William B. Williams. Barney Ales. Al Valente. Phil Jones. Ken Sands and Ralph Seltzer. HDH. Lawrence Horn. Norman Whitfield. Pat Coleman. R. Dean Taylor. Larry Kane. Cliff (Remember the night with Bobby Darin at Lafayette Coney Island) Gorov. Tom Geraldi. Kalvin Ventura. Ron Alexanberg. Irv Biegel. Tom DeAngelo and Tim Tam. The Shy Guys. Bob Jamieson. Peter Gideon. Sammy Kaplan. Edwin Starr. The Fantastic Four. The Parliament-Funkadelics. Michael Stevens. Pat St. John. Steve Schram. Jim Harper. Harry Weinger. “Smokey.” Stevie Wonder. The Four Tops. The Supremes. Berry Gordy, Jr. THE ARTISTS AND ALL THE LISTENERS. ALL OF YOU AND EACH OF YOU. I apologize if I have forgotten anyone. And finally, thank you to my closest WKNR helper, warm hearted confidant and Lafayette Coney Island eating partner, Vaughn (Santa Claus to my daughter Laura) Trafaleaine. Vaugh was known and loved by our listeners as the “Big V.”
Liner notes from CD back cover:
Scott Regen, a phenomenon of the ’60’s, was a legendary DJ on Detroit area radio stations WKNR and CKLW. On this CD you’ll hear on-air highlights with: John Lennon, Paul McCartney, Marvin Gaye, Motown founder Berry Gordy, Jr., Herman’s Hermits, The Righteous Brothers, The Lovin’ Spoonful, The Supremes, Smokey Robinson, Simon and Garfunkel, Martha and the Vandellas, The Four Tops, The Temptations, Stevie Wonder and more. (Back cover; CD liner notes).
From the MCRFB Aircheck Library, featuring Scott Regen:
Scott Regen – Radio King Of The ’60s – On Air Highlights 1965 – 1970 (38:44 audio)
Addendum:For a comprehensive interview with Scott Regen, his thoughts, comments on his career during his years in Detroit radio and thereafter, read Scott Westerman’s insightful interview with Scottie at Keener13.com.
Thank you, Bob Green. Throughout the years, since I first contacted you in 1999, you’ve provided me with three reels of WKNR production tapes, four Keener 13 CDs including this Scott Regen CD — and for only the asking — through the kindness of your heart. Today, all those materials you provided us is today deposited and archived on this website. Bob Green, you are truly a class act. George Griggs, Scott Westerman and I cannot thank you enough for your contributions, materials, comments, and of your selfless time you’ve provided us with all things that was ever ‘Keener’ for this website.
On behalf of George Griggs, Scott Westerman, our friend Greg Innis, I, and from everyone who grew up in Detroit listening to you on WKNR and CKLW, we thank you, Scottie Regen. For all those wonderful radio memories you shared with us during the time you were sitting high on top at No. 1 in Detroit. Hearing you on the radio, not only were you just on. You were there for us. Your audience. And if only just for that reason, we can say your radio listeners loved Scottie Regen all the more in return.
Today, Scott Regen, MCRFB remembers as we salute you.
(The Scott Regen and Bob Green photographs above courtesy George Griggs).
NO. 1 IN DETROIT! WKNR-AM STAYS ON TOP . . . JULY 2, 1966
From the MCRFB news archive: 1966
WKNR KEEPS SINGLES TITLE
From the MCRFB Aircheck Library, featuring:
WKNR 1966: WKNR-AM – Bob Green – 1966
WKNR 1967: WKNR-AM – Scott Regen – 1967
WKNR 1967: WKNR-AM – Dick Purtan – 1967
DETROIT — Despite a tight playlist — 31 records — WKNR has won the crown again as the major influence on sales on single records in the Detroit market — the nation’s fifth largest radio market. The latest Billboard Radio Response Rating survey shows the station with 47 per cent of the votes from record dealers, distributors, one-stop operators and local and national record executives. The next closet competitor has only 29 per cent of the votes.
WKNR had 44 percent of the votes in last year’s survey. Bob Green, the station’s major deejay, again took top honors as the major individual influence on the teen market with 30 percent of the votes.
Though WKNR plays comparatively few records over-all, the new records it exposes get extra emphasis, said program director Frank Maruca. Besides the 31 records on the playlist, Maruca features a key single and key album of the week and the top three selling albums, regardless of what they are. The key single and album, however, are brand new records Maruca feels will make the best seller charts.
Last week, the key single was “Friday’s Child” by Nancy Sinatra. Normally, the key single is by established artists, but “Day For Decision” by Johnny Sea was “out of left field. I even broke our rule and put it out (on the playlist) in the middle of the week and normally I would never do that except with the Beatles or the Supremes.”
The key single of the week gets heavy airplay on the station. But, basically, Maruca believes that the tight playlist is the answer in today’s Hot 100 format radio. But, one thing for sure, the music is getting better,” he said. “The record buyers are becoming more selective and the music has to be much better than three or four years ago. When Frank Sinatra makes No. 1, like he is on our playlist now, that’s something to write home about. Too, the groups are turning out songs now with a melody. . . . the day of hard raucous songs are gone.” He said he thought teen-aimed music would continue to grow and improve.
WKNR set an all-time record in billings June 13, “and still have the rest of the month to go,” Maruca said. He attributed the popularity of the station in both audience and billings to personalities like Bob Green, who’s “an excellent straight personality with a quiet approach, Scott Regen, who’s become associated with top name artists, and Dick Purtan, who uses a lot of humor.” END
Addendum: Here’s the Radio Response Rating for WKNR in Detroit according to the Billboard Magazine July 2, 1966 edition:
* Top Stations (Pop Singles):
1. WKNR AM-FM 47% 2. CKLW AM – FM 29% 3. WXYZ AM – FM 24%
* Top Disk Jockeys (Pop Singles):
1. Bob Green, WKNR; 30% 2. Tom Shannon, CKLW; 20% 3. Scott Regen, WKNR; 15%
All Others: Lee Alan, WXYZ; Dave Prince, WXYZ; Joey Reynolds, WXYZ; Dave Shafer, CKLW; Duke Windsor, CKLW.
* Top Jockeys (Pop Singles) By Time Slot (Detroit Market):
Morning — Dick Purtan, WKNR; Mid-Morning — Ted Clark, WKNR; Early-Afternoon — Jerry Goodwin, WKNR; Traffic Man — Bob Green, WKNR; Early-Evening — Scott Regen, WKNR; Evening — J. Michael Wilson, WKNR; All Nite — Jim Jeffries, WKNR.
* Music Director, Program Director, Or Librarian (Most Influential In Exposing Records):
Paul Cannon, Assistant Program Director, WKNR; Hugh Frizzell, Program Director, CKLW; Dave Prince, Music Librarian, WXYZ.
MCRFB Note: Click all images for larger views.
(The WKNR Billboard July 2, 1966 page scan courtesy Scott Westerman’s Keener13.com; Bob Green, Scott Regen and Dick Purtan photos all courtesy the George Griggs Collection).
(Information and news source: Billboard; July 2, 1966)
“MOTOWN MONDAYS” GOING ‘LIVE’ FOR WKNR . . . SEPTEMBER 17, 1966
A MCRFB NEWS brief: 1966
Scott Regen Host Motown At Detroit’s Roostertail Club For WKNR
. . .The Upper Deck of The Roostertail, is proud to present . . . .
— From the MCRFB Aircheck Library featuring WKNR-AM
Motown Monday LIVE at The Roostertail (w/Scott Regen) 1966
DETROIT — The “Motown Mondays” at Detroit’s Roostertail Supper Club are now being broadcast on WKNR, Detroit, each Saturday at 11 P.M. Scott Regen is host. Artists of Motown Records appearing on the show include the Four Tops, Junior Walker & The All-Stars, Marvin Gaye, Martha & The Vandellas, Smokey Robinson & The Miracles, The Marvelettes, The Supremes and The Temptations. This marks the first time in memory that “live” entertainment and music will have been broadcast on WKNR exclusively from the location for the nightly popular Scott Regen Show. END
___
Addendum: In 1967, Scott Regen, heard nightly 7 to 10 p.m. on WKNR at the time, wrote the liner notes for “The Supremes Sings Holland – Dozier – Holland” Motown LP. Scott also wrote the liner notes for “The Four Tops Live At The Roostertail” and can be heard singing along side with the Four Tops on “Reach Out.” Scott Regen also introduced the Temptations on their 1967 album “The Temptations Live At The Roostertail” as well. On ‘Keener 13,’ Scott Regen became the highest-rated night-time deejay in Detroit – No. 1 — in 1965, 1966 and 1967. Truly, Scott Regen was “Detroit Radio King Of The ’60s!“
___
(Information and news source: Billboard; September 17, 1966)
WCAR DUMPS MOR FOR ROCK… NOVEMBER 6, 1971
From the MCRFB news archives:
WCAR DUMPS MOR CONSULTING SERVICE; NEW PROGRAM MANAGER NAMED
DETROIT — WCAR, the 50,000-watt station here, was revamped in a surprise move last week as the firm consulting the station, Programing db, was replaced by a full-time program manager, C. J. Jones. Neil McIntyre, the previous program director, resigned.
First move by the new program manager Jones was to chop the playlist to 30 records, while adding five new hitbounds. In addition the station will be playing selected cuts from two to five albums, The firm of Programing db had consulted the station for more than a year and only recently switched the format from MOR* to rock. Jones said that when he took over the station Monday (November 1), there were more than 70 records on the playlist. “The air personalities had format clocks that had no real direction and the station paid very little attention to mechanics.”
Under Jones, WCAR air-personalities (and he plans to retain them all, if possible) will be allowed to rap between records to some extent — “say three seconds… or even 25 seconds… but I can’t visualize anything so super important that it needs 25 seconds to say it,” as Jones reiterated. Basically, the station will be a “more music” station, “but with personality, we’ve got some great radio professionals on the air here.” Air personalities include Dan O’Shea 6-10 a.m., Dave Prince 10-2 p.m., Scott Regen 2-6 p.m., Ron O’Brien 6-10 p.m., Ed Busch 10-2 a.m. and Jim Keene 2-6 a.m.
From the MCRFB Aircheck Library, featuring:
(Note: three airchecks when WCAR was MOR before the format switch).
“WCAR is a real rarity–the best radio opportunity in the nation. It has a good frequency, 1130 on the dial, 50,000 watts day-timer and 10,000 watts during nights, and it’s well financed. The major station in the market, CKLW, is more or less a time and temperature station. I feel we can succeed by playing a hell of a lot of music per hour.” And he felt that the ruling calling for Canadian radio stations to play a hefty percentage of Canadian product would be to the advantage of WCAR.
Jones is actually a consultant himself. He took responsibility for taking over WFDF in Flint, Michigan, on October 1, 1970, and took it to No. 1 in the market. Currently, he also consults WJIM in Lansing, Mich. He will continue to serve these two stations as consultant, but his major priority at the moment will be focused on WCAR.
WCAR has acquired a semi-custom set of jingles from TM Productions in Dallas–a set using the basics as the jingles package featured on the Pacific & Southern Broadcasting stations.
Jones will be doing the music chores at WCAR himself. The rotation pattern at the station “will concentrate on the top 10 selling records, plus the up-and-coming records (meaning: the records going up the station’s playlist rather than those dropping down). Oldies will be will be programmed fairly heavily in the morning drive period and in the mid-day, “but the format is by no means an oldies format. We will be willing to break a new record if we feel it’s going to be a hit, but not five in a week,” he said, regarding the new records added each week. Both WFDF and WJIM has a playlist of 40 records, plus five new records per week. Each station’s music is picked separately — the other two stations have their own program and music directors. END.
(Information and news source: Billboard; November 6, 1971).
WHEN WKNR SIGNED OFF 40 YEARS AGO. THIS DAY ’72
WKNR SIGNED OFF INTO HISTORY TODAY, APRIL 25, FORTY-YEARS AGO
DETROIT (April 25, 2012) — WKNR-AM, once the dominate radio station in Detroit during the 1960s, signed-off the 1310 AM frequency for the last time on this day, April 25, 1972.
Formerly WKMH-AM, the station made the switch to “the new Radio 13” on October 31, 1963. By early 1964, WKNR was by then the most popular radio station in Detroit and remained No. 1 in the market, still holding that status throughout the first six months through 1967.
WKNR, affectionately known as “Keener 13,” began it’s eventual slide from Detroit radio dominance in April, 1967. It was during this time WKNR saw their challenge met head-on by their other rival located across the Detroit river, CKLW.
CKLW, during that time, was totally being restructured into a formidable radio powerhouse the Canadian station would become by year’s end.
RKO radio consultant Bill Drake and Paul Drew were the two people responsible for the major changes at the “Big 8.” Paul Drew, the newly-appointed program director at CKLW, patterned the same “Boss Radio” format Bill Drake and Ron Jacobs had programmed on 93 KHJ in Los Angeles. By 1965’s end, Jacob’s KHJ was by then the No. 1 radio station in L.A.
But WKNR would not easily go down without a fight. While going against the “Big 8” giant, the legendary Detroit radio station’s ratings were found inside a downward decline, all the while battling against two major fronts.
CKLW officially became the No. 1 radio station in Detroit by November, 1967, according to a Radio Response Survey published in Billboard on November 4.
CKLW, with it’s massive 50,000-watts of transmitted radio power covered 3 Canadian provinces and at times, their night-time signal spanned across 28 States. In contrast, after sundown, WKNR’s 5,000-watt signal was commonly known to be absent from the radio dial in areas east of Detroit and, more so, deficient in night-time coverage and strength.
By now, major changes had begun at WKNR both in the management and personnel level. In January of 1968, J. Michael Wilson was by then doing mornings on Keener. Dick Purtan had left WKNR for Baltimore. By the first week of April 1968, WKNR radio greats Bob Green, Jerry Goodwin, Ted Clark and Scott Regen were no longer there. Sean Conrad, Edward Alan Busch, Tony Randolph, Ron Sherwood, and Dan Henderson were to be the new voices on Keener 13.
Despite the many changes in the Detroit radio market scene at the time, WKNR’s battle for survival against CKLW and FM’s “free-form” radio would drag on for five years.
Near the end of 1971, according to a Detroit Arbitron radio rating for the period Oct./Nov., WKNR-AM had a 6:00 a.m. to 12:00 a.m. cume of 377,300 in total listenership during a given broadcast day. For WKNR, those numbers represented a reduction down to a 15 to 12 total market share. In comparison, WABX-FM ranked just under in total rank, with a cume of 330,000 during those same hours.
WKNR, who by then revamped its playlist to include some album-oriented tracks, also made much of their attempt to pull away from the “same as” CKLW all-pop music format. No longer were the top 31 songs part of the playlist rotation. Slashed in half, WKNR’s new playlist focused primarily on the top 15 hits instead, while “previewing” the other 16 songs or so for the week.
By late 1971 and early 1972, WKNR now was promoting itself as the new “American Rock and Roll” radio station. An obvious affront towards the dominance that was CKLW located in Windsor, Ontario.
MCRFB aircheck audio: WKNR Bob Chenault March 27, 1972
On the 100.3 FM side, the album rock-oriented ‘underground” format that was WKNR-FM was dropped after an unsuccessful run against WABX-FM. In it’s place, Stereo Island, an easy-listening music format, now found it’s place competing against WLDM-FM in Detroit.
MCRFB jingle audio: WKNR “Stereo Island” 1970
But the changes were not enough, and ultimately, it was not to be.
In the end, WKNR became the former on a brisk, chilly but sunny morning that was Tuesday, April 25, 1972. Just before 8:00 a.m., WKNR deejay John McCrae’s voice breaks but regains composure as he announced the inevitable —
MCRFB aircheck audio: John McCrae Last Moments of Keener 13 April 25, 1972
(This original audio source is property, courtesy of Scott Westerman and keener13.com)
“…This is John McCrae, I’d like to take it upon my, myself to speak on behalf of all the people who made Keener what it, was and is. You know, Pete Seeger, with a little help from his cosmic friend, wrote it much better than I could, and the Byrds sing it, much better than I, could ever say it. So this time Detroit, we’d like to thank you, for making nearly a decade — a Keener season.”
As the last few bars of the Byrd’s “Turn, Turn, Turn” began to fade, the magic that was once WKNR faded away with the song. But the memories, the events, the music, the great names, the faces and voices who crafted the Keener legacy a long time ago, remain in many a hearts and minds yet even still, to this day.
In 2002, thirty years since WKNR was last on the air, Scott Westerman and Steve Schram decided it was time someone gave WKNR it’s long due, with honors. Working together they packaged an incredibly amazing WKNR tribute site, aptly named, keener13.com.
This coming June, 2012, will mark a decade since the website’s creation. And the phenomenal story about this great Detroit radio legacy is still being told, remembered, and celebrated there on the world-wide web.
“Keener” was a radio station that went on to impact nearly a decade the many lives of a community it once served. It knew its listeners. And if only but for a short time, WKNR also was the station that, in all essence, knew the city of Detroit well by way of its prestigious award-winning news department informing and staying “on top of the news” during the station’s Top 40 reign here during the the 1960s and early-1970s.
As Bob Green previously commented to Scott Westerman on keener13.com, quote, “The WKNR experience provided some of my happiest radio memories.”
We agree.
As to a generation who grew up listening to top 40 radio in Detroit during the 1960s, one may actually say many of those “happiest radio memories” we recall having heard on Keener 13 — belongs to many of us today just the same.
WKNR. Those call letters would come to embody one sensational story. A story of a Detroit radio station’s historic top 40 run to number one status (in short-order all within 9 weeks) after having signed on in October 1963.
And it is a story still remembered to this day. Forty years after signing-off into Detroit radio history one April morning, on this day, in 1972.
A MCRFB NOTE: For a more comprehensive search in our MCRFB archives on WKNR to date, you may GO HERE.
