DETROIT — A Canadian TV station, CKLW-TV, which also serves Detroit, has kicked-off an hour daily variety show for teenagers called ‘Swingin’ Summertime.’ Host of the show, which features both live and taped segments, is Robin Seymour.
Among the artists appearing on the first show were the Rolling Stones, Gene Pitney, Dwayne Hickman, Paul Anka, Deborah Walley and Harry Belafonte. The show is telecast live before a teen audience at the CKLW television studios in Windsor, Ontario. END
(Information and news source: Billboard; July 31, 1965)
Bandstand TV Scene Bears Watching — The Detroit Scene
CKLW-TV host Robin Seymour host “Swingin’ Time,” 1965.
HOLLYWOOD — Teen-age bandstand TV shows come and go–and a couple of important ones met their demise during the past few months — but over-all they seem more popular than ever. Especially at the local level. A quick check of some of the nation’s major bandstand shows found them not only doing well from the advertising sponsorship angle, but in audience ratings.
“Shebang,” for instance, has been sold out the past few months and has a waiting line of advertisers, said producer Bob Burnett. And, though the Los Angeles show is no longer in syndication, it reaches a minimum of more than 4 million daily via CATV distribution throughout Southern California.
The Everly Brothers appearance on “Swingin’ Time” in 1965.
Among those national bandstand shows that became drop-outs were ABC-TV’s network “Shindig” show. “Shivaree” dropped out of syndication, but the producers are working on a new format to have it back in syndication next month. The show is now seen in the Los Angeles area.
For the national shows, formats tell the story. A local show can usually do quite well because, as talent-coordinator Art Cervi of “Swingin’ Time” in Detroit puts it, “From the local standpoint, you got a raison d’etre because you’re hitting the people–the kids–who can and do appear on the show. You have an audience participation factor that let’s people identify with you.” The Detroit show out pulls national shows in the market, said Cervi.
The Detroit Scene
“Swingin’ Time” on CKLW-TV, Detroit, is an hour bandstand show during weekdays and the Saturday hour show concentrated on featuring record artists. But so many artists are now seeking to be on the show that talent-coordinator Cervi is using them on weekdays too.
Mitch Ryder & the Detroit Wheels guest-appeared on “Swingin’ Time” in 1966.
Sponsorship for the show is good. The show is supporting itself and “it looks like its going to do much better,” Cervi said. “I think there’s room for a show like this in every big market. The only trouble some shows run into in various markets is that the markets are saturated with such shows. But we’re doing so well locally that Robin Seymour has given up his radio shows to concentrate on “Swingin’ Time.”
Cervi said his show reaches 85 to 90,000 homes a weekday and around 125 to 130,000 homes during the Saturday show. END
(Information and news source: Billboard; April 2, 1966)
A MCRFB Note:Here’s several videos of ‘Swingin’ Time,’ hosted byRobin Seymouron CKLW-TV 9 in the 1960s. A young Johnny Rivers and Bob Seger enhances as highlights as they appeared on the show. The complete shows features the Supremes and the Rationals when they first appeared on the popular Detroit/Windsor TV dance show.
“Swingin’ Time” the HOTTEST Dance Show on TV in Detroit
Mitch Ryder & The Detroit Wheels 1966
By the mid-60s, Detroit could claim two television programs that mirrored the successful formula of Dick Clark’s American Bandstand. Club 1270 and Swingin Time became the Motor City’s showcase for the stars and would-be stars of rock n roll. We got our first glimpses of local heroes like Jamie Coe and Bob Seger also worldwide sensations like Leslie Gore and the Rolling Stones in glorious black and white.
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For more on the history of Club 1270 and Swingin time, along with two classic video clips, visitkeener13.com.
A MCRFB NEWS brief: 1965
DETROIT — A Canadian TV station, CKLW-TV, which also serves Detroit, has kicked-off an hour daily variety show for teenagers called ‘Swingin’ Summertime.’ Host of the show, which features both live and taped segments, is Robin Seymour. 
