From the MCRFB news archive: 1968
Music Happenings In and Around Detroit Town, 1968
Janis Ian appeared Friday, February 2 in concert at the Masonic Auditorium…. The Sam and Dave Revue opened Friday, February 2, at Cobo Hall, including an 18-piece orchestra and other acts from the Stax/Volt stable of artists…. Rhetta Hughes appeared in the Roostertail’s main dining room during the week of January 18 through 24.
…Red Buttons headlined at the Roostertail Supper Club for 10 days through February 3, and the Four Tops are scheduled to open there Monday, February 12…. MGM Records will present their new artist Every Mother’s Son as part of a promotional campaign at the Roostertail’s Upper Deck for Robin Seymour’s celebrity night on Wednesday, February 14…. Bob Harper is the new disk jockey at WKNR, filling the all-night spot…. The all-night hours at Detroit’s super-soul station WCHB is now being filled by Ron White, and Leon Ivan is the new early afternoon deejay at WJLB….
…Dave Shafer, formerly with CKLW, is now head promotion man for Records Distributors here…. Tom Shannon, top disk jockey at CKLW, has scheduled his second TV production at WJBK Channel 2 for Friday, February 16. The format of the show will consist of discussion about radio with other Detroit area disk jockeys. Representing the other stations in the area for Shannon’s discussion will be Ernie Durham for WJLB, Dick Purtan for WKNR, Hank O’Neal for WJBK, and Bill Williams for WCHB. Video tapes will be shown of performances by the Temptations, Marvin Gaye and Every Mother’s Son…. Laura Lee is currently performing at the Phelps Cocktail Lounge, and James Carr has just closed there…. CKLW Channel 9 plans to begin a weekly taping of live, nightclub type shows at the 20 Grand Driftwood Lounge, to be telecast on Thursdays.
…Aretha Franklin will perform her first Detroit concert Friday, February 16, at the Cobo Hall Arena. With her will be Erma Franklin and the Young-Holt Unlimited…. Al Williams will present the “Memphis Sounds Show” at the Riviera Theater for seven-days, February 23-29. This show will include Eddie Floyd, Barbra Merger, Pat Lewis, J. J. Barnes, Pig meat Markham, the Cassanovas, Dusty Williams, Denis Thomas, Ruby Andrews and Timmy Willis.
…Don Davis, formerly the music director for Solid Hitbound Productions here, has set out to start his own operation under the name of Groovesville Records. One of the first acts signed on WCHB, has been appointed production manager for that station.
…Motown Record Company has filed suit for $1 million against a theater here which recently opened, calling itself the “Beverly Motown Theater.” Motown contends the name is a fraud on the public and an “unlawful infringement” on the Motown trade name…. MGM’s Orpheus is set for the Chessmate through Sunday, February 18. Philips Records 4 Seasons are scheduled for a Detroit Concert this coming Friday, February 16. END
(Information and news source: Billboard; February 10, 1968).
