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In April 1956, Clark Reid transitioned from WJR to WJBK to become the new morning host, replacing Joe Gentile, who was moved to early-afternoons. We are presenting his show’s opening theme and this one was from 1961 – I WANT TO BE HAPPY – heard Monday thru Saturday when he signed-on for his show at 6:00 in the morning on Radio 1500.
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Audio digitally remastered by Motor City Radio Flashbacks
These old DJ theme songs are great to hear BUT did the DJs performances measure up to such monumental introductions? I mean what did they do during their shows which highlighted their personalities? I would like to hear some examples of where these Disc Jockies hit it out of the park with their audiences.
Hi Jim, not sure how I can answer to your question. But as I have directed my response to a commenter on our Facebook page (who, having commented twice, obviously the “themes” was not quite his liking) and so I replied to him:
(That) this was the one singular purpose why I created these posts. To showcase the various, obscure, radio show themes which was heard time-and-over-again on Detroit top 40 stations during the 1950s and 1960s. All are from so long ago. Some may be recognized. Others, long forgotten. But these “themes,” just the same, also represented a time in radio when few DJs were selectively allowed that they were able to do so. Just the same, the listeners came to identify these “themes” with the DJs who incorporated them to become part of their daily shows. So I have resurfaced their selections, last week, and this week as well. This is something Motor City Radio Flashbacks has never presented before. I enjoyed working on these, and having featured them for the first time. We do have an aircheck going up for tomorrow. Our last “show theme” will be featured on Friday (for this week), and with that, will be the ninth.
But just this morning, I did find one more I have been looking for which has been quite elusive for a very long time. Nobody seemed to know precisely what was the song title to this legend’s radio show, and who was the artist.
Finally, now it has been found! And with that, it will be our 10th. and final Detroit radio show theme (we covered those nine that we know of) and I will have that one up as well, Friday, of next week.