“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.
The date is April 19, 1966.WXYZ 1270is set on your radio dial. The time is 9:00 PM on a Tuesday evening here in the Motor City.
Coming in fresh from Cleveland’s WIXY, listen in as Joey Reynolds introduced himself on The Joey Reynolds Show for the very first time when he first came over to Detroit.
FROM THE MCRFB AIRCHECKS LIBRARY
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WXYZ-AM * JOEY REYNOLDS * APRIL 1966
…Well uh I don’t understand quite frankly Al what you’re getting at. What are you trying to say is you don’t like me?….
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WXYZ 1966 radio personality Joey Reynolds’ station- profile brochure cover(click on image for larger view).
In this classic 1966 WXYZ aircheck, Joey Reynolds did all he could to keep his composure with a certain caller, Al Evans from South Junior High School.
When this aircheck was taped in May of 1966, Joey Reynolds was known for his propensity to berate other radio stations and on-air personalities during his shows while in Detroit. Whether his on-air rhetoric might have been described as “good clean fun” or just a display of Reynolds own personal ego, these assumptions might have been taken more than lightly by some listeners, such as the one noted particular call to The Joey Reynolds Show would come to obviously demonstrate.
In April 1966, WXYZ had many of the best radio voices covering the Detroit radio map at that time. Marc Avery. Lee Alan. Dave Prince. Jimmy Hampton. Pat Murphy. Danny Taylor.
Under Lee Alan, now as program director, WXYZ retained its star status with their legendary top 40 personality-plus line-up. The ABC-owned station’s share for higher numbers was paramount moving forward against WKNR and CKLW. The station was locked in battle to regain the top 40 crown they once held over Detroit several years back. Detroit, in 1966, was a three-station top 40 market.
But it was the Reynolds star, despite the anticipated expectation he’d be held for higher ratings and audience popularity the moment he first signed on, never came to fully rise during his short stay here in the Motor City.
By July 1966, a little over two months after WXYZ General Manager Charles Fritz and station Program Director Lee Alan brought the Gavin Award winning radio host to Detroit, the station found itself floundering at third place with only a 24 percent share of the Detroit radio audience overall.
Joey Reynolds as he looked back in the ’60s on the radio. (Click on image for larger view)
In contrast, CKLW held their ground just a short-distance ahead with a 29 share at second place. Meanwhile, WKNR was still at the top with a 47 percent share of the total Detroit audience who were listening to Keener 13 at any given time throughout their entire broadcast day.
As to his statement, “well I hope we last”… he didn’t.
By the first week of November 1966, and six months after first coming on WXYZ, Joey Reynolds was completely removed far away east from the Detroit radio scene at WDRC in Hartford, Connecticut.
But according to Wikipedia, the Reynolds resume reflects he’s had an illustrative career in both radio and television during his later years in broadcasting as well. He even came back to Detroit on WHYT for a short while during 1983 into 1984.
Today, as of this date, Reynolds is presently hosting All Night With Joey Reynolds on the WNBC-TV owned sub-channel station WNBC-TV2 in New York City.
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(The Joey Reynolds poster courtesy of the Art Vuolo Collection)
FROM THE MCRFB AIRCHECKS LIBRARY
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WXYZ-AM * JOEY REYNOLDS * MAY 1966
(The Joey Reynolds poster courtesy of the Art Vuolo Collection)
DETROIT — WKNR has found a way to help take the severe bite out of Old Man Winter with it’s “Think Summer” campaign.
WKNR “Think Summer” 1965 promotion button
The station has distributed some 77,000 “Think Summer“ buttons in conjunction with extensive newspaper ads and billboard displays. On-the-air, WKNR is conducting a contest and awarding barbeque grills, badminton sets, and other summertime items. To keep things psychologically warm, weather forecasts include the more desirable temperatures of Hawaii, Florida, Southern California and other southern resort areas.
As a result of the promotion, Russ Yerge, Columbia Records promotion director for Detroit, suggested his record label cut a record on the theme. Clyde Otis obliged and the label has released a single by Susan Wayne entitled “Think Summer.” A Special tie-in promotion has been arranged by Columbia Records with 65 radio stations using the “Think Summer” theme by endorsing the Wayne single. END
ADDENDUM: for more on WKNR’s “Think Summer” radio contest and station promotions, see our previous “Think Summer” exhibit post (January 29, 2012) with mp3 audio, archivedhereon Motor City Radio Flashbacks.
(Information and news source: Billboard; February 20, 1965)
From Keener13.com: In December, 1963,Jerry Lewis‘ first solo foray into a television variety show was in trouble.ABCexecutives were scrambling to find a replacement for his Saturday night slot and decided to keep the variety without regular host. On January 4th,The Hollywood Palace made it’s debut and for the next six years, it was one of the most watched variety shows on television. Visit Keener13.comfor more of the Hollywood Palace backstoryand see the Supremes performance on the program from 1966.
On October 12, 1969, WKNR killed Paul McCartney.Russ Gibb, working on WKNR-FM, heard from an Eastern Michigan University student about a series of clues that seemed to point to Paul McCartney’s death. The story took on a life of its own, both on Keener and WKNR-FM and Russ received credit for making the tale of McCartney’s supposed demise a national story. In the Spring of 2007, Dutch documentarians came to Dearborn to ask Russ to recount the adventure for posterity.Read the full story at Keener13.com. And watch the full documentary here.
WKNR all-night personality Jim Jeffries in 1965. (Click on image for larger view)
We’re going to take you back to January 30, 1967. A time when Keener 13 was still hot on the radio dial in Detroit.
During the time this aircheck was recorded, WKNR arbitrarily still held the number one slot overall in total audience ratings. Number one for three consecutive years since the Keener Sound took a phenomenal hold on Detroit radio early-on in 1964.
When Keener DJ Bill Phillips left the overnight shift open at Keener 13 in mid-1965, Frank Maruca, station program director for WKNR at that time, promptly filled the void. He knew where to call. He made the call for Jim Jeffries from sister-station WKFR “Keener 14” in Battle Creek, Michigan.
Jim Jeffries on WKNR Keener 13.(Click on image for larger view)
While doing the overnight 1AM to 6AM shift, once on board, Jim Jeffries popularity rose to prominence at WKNR. Jim connected well with his audience with his blend of personality, humor, exuberance and warmth. The Jeffries brand soon became the overnight sensation during his entire radio stay in Detroit. By mid-1966, Jeffries became the most listened to deejay doing the all-night show in Detroit at the time.
But before the end of 1967, Jim Jeffries would set sail for newer horizons outside of Detroit. This time he was offered a ‘prime-time’ radio slot for another radio market outside of Michigan. Keener newsman Bob Neal, along with Keener DJ Bob Harper, would soon follow Jim Jeffries down to WQXI in Atlanta, Georgia.
Sadly, Jim Jeffries passed away suddenly on November 17, 2009. (For more on his passing, see Scott Westerman’s special tribute to Jim Jeffries at Keener13.com).
But as you listen to this January, 1967 Jim Jeffries aircheck, you’ll understand why a generation of Detroiters during that time stayed up faithfully throughout the night listening to the Jim Jeffries Show on Keener 13.
If you ever called WOodward 3-8925 to request a dedication, you remember the days when telephone numbers started out with a word. Can you match these numbers with their owners? TYler 8-7100, TOwnsend 9-2800, WOodward 5-0043, TExas 4-1100?
Charlie Van Dyke’s Bicentennial Salute to the American Flag in 1976
… Is it possible to wave the flag too much … provided of course, that you wave it with integrity….
Charles Leo Steinle aka Charlie Van Dyke, first launched his career in radio broadcasting in 1966, as a nineteen-year old with the legendary KLIF 1190 in Dallas, Texas. By the early 1970s, and rapidly-rising in the industry known for his baritone pipes, his distinct voice behind the radio microphone would eventually carry him to major markets around the country.
Harnessed by Bill Drake for his RKO radio stable, stops would include morning drives at KFRCin San Francisco, KHJin Los Angeles, a short stint at CKLWin Windsor/Detroit and then it was on to WRKOin Boston.
But it’s the Bicentennial Year. 1976.
Seemingly what was lacking was a narrative to commemorate the country’s bicentennial celebration for that year. And that’s when Van Dyke decided to step in.
Charlie Van Dyke “The Flag” 45 RPM record sleeve from 1976
According to Charlie Van Dyke, he had retained a particular speech his uncle had written and prepared for an oratory-speech contest while in high school. His mother, in adding to the Van Dyke story, had saved a copy of that award-winning speech. That narrative saved would become The Flag.
With minor changes in the lyrics, Clive Fox worked on the produced project for release through United Artists Records. Jimmy Haskell would provide the music behind Van Dyke’s saturated, patriotic salute he voiced-over in The Flag.
Today, while no longer in radio, Charlie Van Dyke continues to free-lance his voice talents for media markets in both radio and television affiliates across the country.
Charlie Van Dyke, we thank and salute you for your acclimated 1976 display and show for true-American patriotism!
CHARLIE VAN DYKE * THE FLAG
Special thanks to George Griggs for contributing “The Flag” record/audio featured with this exhibit.
If WKNR’s owner, Mrs. Knorr, thought that Tommy James’ “I Think We’re Alone Now” was a little too much for the Keener airwaves, then “Jungle Fever” by the Chakachaswas well over the edge of the envelope. That it became a hit at all is one of those improbable stories that seem to proliferate in the music business. Here’s the backstory from Keener13.com.
From Scott Westerman and Keener13.com:
