From the MCRFB AIRCHECK library:
Jerry Goodwin on 1310 WKNR-AM “Keener 13” May, August 1966
…”We have ‘Cherish’ by the Association, which is a pretty, pretty song which we’re gonna play next…”…
In 1963, WKMH-AM, Detroit’s only CBS-affiliated “Flagship Radio” station on the dial, was suddenly transformed overnight on October 31. The former was christened with a new set of calls, WKNR, along with a brand-new “total station sound” that would ultimately be known in Detroit as “Keener 13.”
Atone time floundering dismally with low ratings under WJBK and WXYZ on the Detroit radio dial, the Knorr Broadcasting family, which owned WKMH, made their decision to consult with famed radio-programmer Michael Joseph. Coming off recent successful radio changes he implemented prior at WGR-AM in Buffalo, New York, Joseph was hired to “modernize” the old station located in Dearborn, where he immediately instituted there more of his successful up-to-the-minute ‘Top 40’ and news format, but with a shorten “top 31” playlist Joseph implemented instead.
By early 1964, the Joseph radio formula would become the radio success story in Detroit that was, “Keener 13.” “WKNR – The New Radio 13,” as it first prided itself, also had a new crop of air-personalities whose names and popularity rose to prominence a short couple of months after the station’s inception in November 1963.
By March 1964, WKNR was alone at the top as No. 1. in Detroit. But more so, it was primarily those Keener deejays who were instrumental in retaining high the station’s popularity and sound — Swingin’ Sweeney, Robin Seymour, Bob Green, Gary Stevens, Bill Phillips and Jerry Goodwin.
Jerry Goodwin began his 40-year span broadcasting in radio, beginning in 1959, as Sam Hill in Amarillo, Texas on KFDA-AM. By 1961, Jerry moved over to Dallas’ own KBOX doing evening-drive under a new name while there, as Danny Preston.
But by 1962, it was on to Florida. Jerry found his place in the Sunshine State with the legendary WQAM-AM, the Storer Broadcasting-owned affiliate in Miami. By February 2, 1963, Jerry Goodwin was doing noon to 3 on the famous AM-560 and within three weeks time, he became the new morning man (6-9 a.m. time), replacing Charlie Murdock for that spot on February 23, 1963. During that time, Jerry Goodwin found himself in good company with some of the greatest 560 voices while there, some very familiar — Ted Clark, 9-12; Bob Green, 12-3; Charlie Murdock, 3-6; Tom Campbell, 6-10; Jim Dunlap; 1-6 a.m.
But by mid-November in 1963, Jerry was no longer at WQAM. By then, Goodwin, along with WQAM’s Bob Green, had made the switch going north to Detroit on “the new Keener 13.”
From late 1963 through the early part of ’68, Jerry Goodwin rode the entire radio success story that was WKNR while here in the Motor City.
But by early 1967, the market was beginning to see some drastic changes across the Detroit radio landscape. The advent of FM radio was on the rise, coupled with the fact there was a new radio station, CKLW, which was starting to dominate the Detroit airways with its massive 50,000-watts of transmitted-power located across the Detroit river in Windsor, Ontario.
WKNR-AM * Jerry Goodwin * MAY 12, 1966
By the end of 1967 WKNR dropped in ratings at No. 2 radio for the very first time. Along with it’s deficient night-time signal, it was by then the station was beginning to lose of their appeal, no longer retainer of the largest audience share WKNR once had embraced in the market the year prior when the station was still hot on top at No. 1.
By April 1968 more changes became evident at WKNR-AM, both in staff and the management level. By that time ‘The Miami Four’ Bob Green, Ted Clark, Scott Regen (from WFUN; Miami) and Jerry Goodwin were no longer on board on AM Keener 13.
As WKNR-FM began experimenting with an album-rock format in 1968, Jerry Goodwin would instead take to the new “underground” movement in radio by crossing over to the WKNR FM side. At the time, WKNR-FM music director Paul Cannon decided they would compete going against WABX-FM. But the station’s “free-form” run would be entirely short-lived. As changes were on-going at WKNR both on the AM and FM sides, the “album-rock” format was soon dropped on 100.3 FM. It was replaced with an “easy-listening,” MOR music format the station dubbed as “Stereo Island.”
WKNR-AM * Jerry Goodwin * AUGUST 23, 1966
By year’s end 1969, and no longer at WKNR-FM, Jerry found himself with a new home with “album rocker” WABX-FM in Detroit. He was given the 7-11 a.m. time slot and, immediately found his niche there with the station both in popularity and with management personnel. In May 1971, Tim Powell, music director at WABX, had left the station for KLOS in Los Angeles. With that move, Jerry Goodwin, who was chief of creative productions for the station, became the new music director at ‘ABX up until 1972, when thereafter he would leave WABX for his next venture in radio, this time it was on to Toledo’s WIOT-FM. Historically, WIOT became Toledo’s first FM rock station. According to WiKipedia, it went on the air on December 25, 1972.
By early 1973, and having left WABX the previous year, Jerry had moved his family to Onsted, MI., a small township located just outside of Adrian. At the time, WCAR-AM in Detroit was still doing top 40 radio. Jerry Goodwin was hired at WCAR, though briefly, by Paul Christy as a ‘filler’ deejay for the station — a relief man. WCAR luminaries Dave Prince and Dave Shafer were also there, as well as Jim Harper, Kevin Sanderson and Tom Ingram. While at WIOT and while briefly at WCAR, Jerry went on to complete his academics by enrolling at Siena Heights College (today it is a university), where he graduated cum laude in 1974.
Later that same year, in late 1974, Goodwin was back in the Motor City. He was hired by station program director Paul Christy once again, but this time on WWWW-FM. WWWW was a progressive rock station with a unique format, with program emphasis on rock-oriented LP stop-sets they would play (albums in their entirety) during the evenings — well into the all-night hours. All during the time he was at WWWW, Jerry attended the University of Detroit. By 1975, within a year’s time there, he would graduate from the university with honors earning his Masters.
After a brief stay on W4 in Detroit, it was back east in 1976 to his hometown in Boston, where he would do PhD. work at Boston University. It was also during this time Jerry Goodwin would find himself back in radio, one more time, on WCOZ. He would remain in broadcasting in the Boston area for the remainder of his illustrious radio career while there. Stops would include Boston’s WBCN (as the Duke of Madness) from 1979-1982, WCGY (as the Duke of Madness) in 1985, and then it was off to Boston’s WROL from 1994 through 1999, thus capping off a very successful 40-year span in the radio business.
While doing radio in Boston, Jerry Goodwin was teaching radio courses and television performances at the Northeast School of Broadcasting where he taught for 20 years, until 2008. Today, the very same institution where Jerry had taught courses in the arts, the school has since evolved into an accredited four-year college course as the New England Institute of Arts.
Retired from radio since 1999, Jerry Goodwin today invests quality time in the art of theater, film and television. He is an award-winning actor in the New England area, and is a registered member of the New England Actors Guild. Demand for his professional “voice over” production work has earned him such clients as Perrier, American Airlines and Goodyear, to name a few, and he also “characterized” his voice-talents with multiple commercial CD-ROM game productions as well.
Currently, Jerry Goodwin has two Indie Films pending, The Red Death and Autonomy, which is slated for film shooting this month, May 2012. Also beginning in June (through October 2012), Jerry Goodwin will take to the stage as an actor in Cry Innocent. According to Jerry, “it will be a live performance based on the trial of Bridget Bishop, the first woman to be tried and executed as a witch” in Massachusetts. The stage production is tentative for its scheduled run at The Olde Salem Town Hall in Salem, MA.
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Today, Jerry Goodwin enjoys the comforts of home in Boston with his family. He is the proud grandfather, “of two amazingly beautiful grand-daughters, Jesse and Mimi Goodwin,” daughters of his son Jason Goodwin, who was born here in Detroit.
MCRFB would like to express our sincere gratitude to Jerry Goodwin for contributing to this exhibit. Photos courtesy of George Griggs, Art Vuolo, and also Scott Westerman’s Keener13.com.
Thank you Jerry Goodwin for sharing with us those special memories you shared with us on the radio during your successful long broadcasting years on WKNR-AM, WABX-FM and WWWW-FM in Detroit.
