Compiled by the Music Popularity Chart Dept. of Billboard, from national retail store and one-stop sales reports, and radio airplay reports.
Note: This Billboard Hot 100 chart was published Saturday, February 8. The day after the Beatles arrived in New York City from the U.K., Friday, February 7. And on the day before the Beatles were to perform live on the Ed Sullivan Show on CBS-TV, Sunday night, February 9, 1964.
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Their Smash Hit “Twine Time” Has Sparked the Biggest Teen Dance of the Year, the Twine
THE LITTLE STEPS. Jerry Lewis called them the Little Steps (Step Brothers) when he hired them for his Sands Hotel Show in Las Vegas. Disc Jockey Robert “B. Q.” on KATZ, St. Louis, called them the Crawlers (“the crawl is a dance, man”). Alvin Cash and his group still go under both names (depending on whether it’s records or night club work you’re talking about) and Cash has the distinction too of having the only group that’s basically in the dance business, with a hit record under its belt.
The record, “Twine Time,” on the Mar- V-Lus label out of Chicago, is still moving up this week, and, among other things, it again highlights the record power of a dance title. “I’ve been dancing for quite a few years,” Alvin Cash said this week, as he took a break between photograph sessions of him and his group doing the Twine, “And the group has been going for two years. We still really just dance. “I have a good band on the records and we do a little singing and shouting. I guess that’s what really makes it.”
Cash is 23 and from St. Louis. His group consists of crawlers Charles Tait, 17 and Edward Lance (no relation to Major) 19, plus Cash’s two younger brothers, George and Robert, when they are not in school.
STARTED IN CHICAGO. “The twine dance started at Dunbar Vocational High School in Chicago,” added Chicago -born Charlie Tait, and Andre Williams wrote the tune for our record which we did real quick after hearing about the dance. We don’t do much of our own writing but Alvin did write one called ‘The Bump’ for the album we just recorded.”
“It has all the dances you could want,” continued Eddie Lance. “We like to feature the dances at our own shows and we do the same in our first album. It’s got ‘Shake a Tail Feather,’ The Shake,’ The Jerk,’ `The Twine,’ The Bump,’ (which started as a dance in Louisville before Alvin wrote a tune to go with it), and ‘The Barracuda.’
“The Barracuda will probably be our next single to follow up `Twine Time.’ It’s another strong dance and when the record comes out, we’ll feature it in our shows. Right now we’re getting ready to do a series of one-nighters in the East.
JERRY LEWIS MOVIE. “We’ve been asked to do a movie with Jerry Lewis. He saw us on the Hollywood Palace show last December with Ginger Rogers and he signed us for his Las Vegas show at the Hotel Sands. The Step Brothers were on the show and since we danced the real modern teen dances while they did their own dances, they called us the Little Steps. Now he says he wants us iN his next picture.”
Also on tap for the three-man (sometimes augmented to five) group are taping for the two top teen TV shows, “Hullaballoo” and “Shindig.” The former was due almost immediately; the latter will come when the boys tour their way back to the Coast.
In addition, according to Alvin, “We’re hoping to go into the Apollo Theater in with the Righteous Brothers.
QUEEN BOOKING CORP., Billing Promotion, 1965. (Click on ad 2x for largest detailed PC view; or tap over and stretch image across your DEVICE screen for digitized view.)
That’s supposed to be March 12 and we’re waiting for the final word right now. I hope we can make it there and I think we will because we’ve had a lot of practice working for an audience. Back home we often appear at a place called the Budland Club. It’s a teen age spot at 64th and Cottage Grove Avenue in Chicago. It’s been great experience for us, especially for working out new things.”
ST. LOUIS DAYS. “I had in-person experience even before that,” Cash continued, recalling his earlier years in St. Louis. “At least five years ago, I got a real break from E. Rodney Jones. He’s a famous deejay and he’s on WVON in Chicago today, but then he was in St. Louis. He booked me and a group onto the Jackie Wilson show and later on, we did our first TV show with Rodney.
“When we’re home in Chicago, we try to listen to Rodney on the air. He’s an old friend. But if I’m not listening and not working, well then, I like bowling and horseback riding. I like seeing stars like Nancy Wilson, the Impressions and the Temptations too.”
As for Charlie Tait and Eddie Lance, both live at home, but both also have their own interest. “I like to draw cartoons and I spend a lot of time doodling at it,” said Charlie.
Ed, on the other hand, is a sports fan and enjoys playing pick-up basketball games at Chicago’s Jackson Park Field House. “I dig the Harlem Globetrotters too,” he admitted. “But the way things are going now, I guess I won’t be having too much time for basketball.” END
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Information, credit and news source: Music Business, February 20, 1965
Audio digitally remastered by Motor City Radio Flashbacks
This list is selected each week by WXYZ Radio reports of records sales gathered from leading record outlets in the Detroit area and other sources available to WXYZ.
The above WXYZ 02/02/1965 chart survey was digitally restored by Motor City Radio Flashbacks.
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By mid-January 1965, the Detroit Sound Survey charts was no longer printed for the public in general. The WXYZ charts, as featured above, were instead published solely for Detroit record retailers, music outlets and one-stop jobbers and distributors only.
These Radio 1270 top 40 charts was the largest of the WXYZ Detroit Sound Survey charts ever printed, having measured 17.5″ W x 22 L” inches in size. These charts were primarily used for weekly record rank based by popularity, position, retail sales, and were used for record retail rack displays as well.
For the very first time, Motor City Radio Flashbacks will be featuring these extremely rare WXYZ 1965 surveys throughout the new year, 2024.
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The above WNIC music/concert chart was digitally restored by Motor City Radio Flashbacks
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A sincere, thank you, Mrs. Patti Griggs. This featured presentation would have not been possible without your generosity, dedication, and your continuous support.
Above WNIC music chart courtesy of Mrs. Patti Griggs and the George L. Griggs estate.
NEW! The above featured Dave Prince WCZY personality card (from 1983) is courtesy of Roy Stephens. Thank you, Roy, for sharing this memory and for your contributions. Much appreciated! 🙂
The featured WCZY image was digitally restored by Motor City Radio Flashbacks.
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WGPR Making Waves in Detroit with Increased Remote Broadcasting
DETROIT — A radio station that’s “kinda movin’ ” gets listeners and WGPR-FM is a station constantly on the move. Floyd M. Jones (aka Sporty J), station manager, said the station is “No. 1 among FM stations and No. 3 among stations – period.”
WGPR (Floyd M. Jones) Disc Jockey Lounge billing, mid-1960s. (Click on ad for largest PC view; or tap image, stretch image across MOBILE device screen for detailed view).
Probably the strongest example of how this station moves, however, is a countdown of its remotes – 36 a week. Jones handles a two-hour daily, three – hour Saturday evening jazz record show from the Disk Jockey Lounge. Dan (Bull Frog) Harrison does an rhythm and blues record show from the Chit Chat Lounge. DJ Larry Dixon may handle a random remote broadcast, but nothing steady at the moment; however, he does have a weekly record hop.
The 50,000-watt FM station broadcasts about 20 hours a day covering a radius of 75 miles. One reason for the tremendous success enjoyed by the station, Jones said, is that some 87 per cent of Detroit’s Negro element has FM radios. “But it’s more than that. We’re creating the image here that FM is more than just a background medium. We’re putting out a new sound.”
While the station programs record shows for Detroit populace such as Greeks, Italians, Polish and Mexican, the main portion of each day is used with rhythm and blues programs – a total of three programs a day for a total of seven hours. Jazz takes up about four hours each day. Gospel music is played early in the morning. Sunday is devoted to remote broadcasts most of the day from local churches. The station employs about 40 people. Bob Longwell is the station’s general manager.
Another reason the station is moving, according to Jones, is that programming and air personalities aims at three important and large audience segments. “I take care of the jazz fans,” Jones said. “Larry Dixon is a teen-oriented personality. And Bullfrog is for the rhythm and blues fans.” END
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Information, credit, and news source: Billboard, July 17, 1965
NEW!A special THANK YOU to our friend, Jim Nuznoff, of Port Charlotte, Florida, for this featured and rare WGPR aircheck contribution (he recorded 55 years ago) for our Motor City Radio Flashbacks aircheck repository.
Jim writes (01/09/2024): “Remote broadcast of the Sporty J. Show, live from the Disc Jockey Lounge, 15509 Livernois. A unique taste of Detroit radio.”
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Audio remastered! This selected audio recording was digitally enhanced by Motor City Radio Flashbacks.
The Honor Roll of Hits comprises the nation’s top tunes according to record sales and sheet sales, disk jockey and jukebox performances as determined by The Billboard’s weekly nationwide sales.
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Audio digitally remastered by Motor City Radio Flashbacks
The above Honor Roll Of Hits music chart was digitally restored by Motor City Radio Flashbacks.
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When WHNE AM-FM intially signed on in 1973, the jingle package for the station’s automated format was first created by Drake/Chenault. It was Bill Drake who did the voice over — “This is WHNE Birmingham, WHND Monroe“– one of three Greater Media stations advancing their new “all oldies” format, likewise, heard in Pasadena (KRLA 1110) and in Philadelphia (WPEN 950).
In the early 70s with AM and FM stations in all market sizes coming under the FCC rule and following the large market model, Drake-Chenault entered the radio syndication business in earnest, making taped formats available to non-RKO stations. Drake-Chenault syndication established a studio at 8399 Topanga Canyon Blvd. in Canoga Park, CA. Among the early format offerings were Classic Gold, created for KHJ-FM (which became KRTH), Solid Gold, Hit Parade and Great American Country. The original 48-hour History of Rock and Roll, which had been created for KHJ, was made available nationwide, and was followed by other syndicated “special” programs.
James Kefford, who became the company’s President, joined the firm in 1973 and teamed up with the automation suppliers to visit radio station owners and detail the benefits of using the automation system and the Drake Chenault programmers. Bill Drake and Gene Chenault tapped Kefford to spearhead the next growth phase for the company in 1977.
By the late 70’s, with a staff of regional managers, programming consultants, production engineers and administrative personnel the Drake Chenault format client list grew to over 300, with many of the consulted stations number one in their markets.
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Source information (portions): Drake-Chenault [Wikipedia]
NEW! A special THANK YOU to Randall Carlisle and Charlie O’Brien for recently contributing this featured CKLW 20 20 News audio memory, from April 1972, for our airchecks repository.
Compiled by the Music Popularity Chart Dept. of Billboard, from national retail store and one-stop sales reports, and radio airplay reports.
ON YOUR PC? To fully appreciate this Billboard Hot 100 (week-ending) February 8, 1964 chart feature click on image 2x and open to second window. Click image anytime to return to NORMAL image size.
