Detroit Radio Jingles – Motor City Radio Flashbacks

LIGHT, AND LIVELY: ANITA KERR SINGS ‘THE DETROIT SOUND’ FOR WXYZ, 1966

Audio digitally remastered by Motor City Radio Flashbacks

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In 1965, the Anita Kerr Singers achieved a major milestone by winning two Grammy Awards. They were honored with the ‘Best Performance By A Vocal Group’ award for their RCA album ‘We Dig Mancini’, triumphing over The Beatles’ ‘Help!’ in that category. Additionally, they received the ‘Best Gospel Album’ award for their collaboration with George Beverly Shea on the 1964 RCA album ‘Southland Favorites.’

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Later that year, a brief article in the October 16, 1965, edition of Billboard magazine reported that Anita Kerr had relocated from Nashville to Hollywood. There, she established Anita Kerr Enterprises to explore opportunities in commercial radio and the jingle industry. Partnering with former RCA Victor European sales administrator Alexandre Grob, they also enlisted Charlie Williams, a former songwriter and personal manager from RCA Records. While based on the West Coast, Anita Kerr continued to work with her Nashville-based group, intending to bring them to California for jingle recordings. According to the Billboard article, the group was to remain an act under the RCA label.

By 1967, Anita Kerr Enterprises had crafted jingles for a range of radio stations across the country, including KMPC AM 710 in Los Angeles, WLS AM 890 in Chicago, WGH AM 1310 in Newport News (Virginia), and WXYZ AM in Detroit.

At WXYZ AM 1270 in Detroit, Lee Alan served as the program director. In late 1965, as part of the station’s preparations for 1966, Lee Alan composed the “Personality Plus” jingle series for the new upcoming “Detroit Sound” programming, geared in a new direction and with anticipated excitement. WXYZ-AM, at the time, was an ABC Radio Network affiliate based in New York.

Once ABC approved the “Personality Plus” jingle package, General Manager Chuck Fritz authorized Lee Alan to hire Dick Marx Productions from Chicago to finalize the arrangements and contract Anita Kerr for the vocal work. Lee Alan noted, “Years earlier, Dick Marx had produced jingles for our sister station WLS-AM in Chicago.”

Lee Alan explained, “The jingles were meticulously crafted to refresh and elevate WXYZ’s sound. I produced the package with Dick Marx, and we brought in Anita Kerr and her singers for two recording sessions over two days.”

He further added, “I was later asked to create another jingle series for WXYZ-FM, which was broadcast separately from AM due to FCC regulations. At the same time, I composed and produced opening jingles for the new ‘Martin and Howard’ show starting in 1967, again working with Dick Marx and Anita Kerr” (Lee Alan’s comments, July 2, 2012).

In conclusion, take a moment to listen to those classic jingles Anita Kerr recorded for WXYZ radio in 1966. It’s clear that this custom package remains one of the most beautifully arranged sets of jingles ever produced for Detroit radio in the 1960s.

A special thanks is due to Lee Alan for making this remarkable WXYZ custom series possible in 1966.

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‘STEREO ISLAND’ FOUND on 100.3 on the DIAL: A WKNR FM ‘PAMS’ JINGLE PACKAGE, 1971

Audio digitally remastered by Motor City Radio Flashbacks

In 1971, WKNR-FM shifted from its progressive rock format to “Stereo Island,” a blend of Beautiful Music and Middle of the Road styles, foreshadowing what would later be known as Soft Adult Contemporary. This transition proved successful, inspiring others like WFMK in Lansing, Michigan. By early 1972, both WKNR and WKNR-FM were sold. On April 25, 1972, at 8:00 a.m., WKNR-FM bid farewell to the Stereo Island format, rebranding as WNIC and WNIC FM. They began simulcasting a straightforward Beautiful Music format, with the call letters “WNIC” chosen to reflect the station’s commitment to “NICe” music. In 1976, WNIC embraced (48 years ago) a more lively tone dubbed “Rock ‘n’ Easy,” eventually evolving into its current (and much successful) adult contemporary format, a status those same call letters still maintains today.

Partial information, presented in this post, was obtained from credited source: WNIC Wikipedia

The featured WKNR Stereo Island Jingle PAMS package is licensed, property of JAM, Incorporated. The PAMS logo and brand is licensed and marketed by JAM Productions, Dallas.

W4 106.7 FM COUNTRY! A LATE-1980s ‘JAM PRODUCTIONS’ JINGLES PACKAGE

Audio was digitally enhanced by Motor City Radio Flashbacks

Shamrock Broadcasting purchased W4 in July 1979. The station is most remembered today as one of the early radio jobs for Howard Stern, who was brought in from Hartford, Connecticut, to host mornings, beginning April 21, 1980. However, W4 was one of four Detroit stations with an AOR format, and faced with increasing competition and rapidly falling ratings, management decided to make a change.

With no advance notice, Shamrock changed the station’s format to country music on January 18, 1981. At first, the DJs, including Stern, were kept on to play country hits. The station reportedly planned to brand Howard Stern as “Hopalong Howie,” which he declined after two weeks, moving to WWDC-FM in Washington, D.C. In the film “Private Parts”, Stern announces his departure in the middle of a song, claiming he didn’t understand country music.

The move to country music paid off; the Detroit radio market, the nation’s fifth largest at the time, had no FM country music station. In addition, Detroit and its suburbs had a sizable percentage of the population whose families hailed from the Southern United States and grew up with the genre. W4 Country’s first years coincided with the rise in popularity of country music, even outside the South. At the time of the country format’s launch, the immediate Detroit area’s only country music station was on AM, WCXI at 1130 kHz. WWWW became the first FM country station in Detroit since WCAR-FM’s and CKLW-FM’s brief tries at the format in the mid-1970s. As a result, WCXI’s ratings fell. By the early 1990s, AM 1130 was being used as a simulcast for W4.

“W4 Country” lasted almost two decades and did reasonably well in the ratings, under the leadership of programmer Barry Mardit, who joined the station in late 1981. The station posted a #1 finish in the Fall 1992 Detroit Arbitron radio ratings with an 8.7 share. The following year, the station gained a strong competitor in WYCD, causing WWWW’s ratings to decline. Recording artist Holly Dunn served as morning co-host on W4 Country during the late 1990s. Declining ratings and revenue led owners AM-FM (which became part of Clear Channel Communications in August 2000) to drop the country format at 6 p.m. on September 1, 1999. The final song played on “W4 Country” was “The Dance” by Garth Brooks, followed by “The Star-Spangled Banner.”

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Source and information, credit: WWWW Wikipedia

The featured WWWW Jingle package is property of JAM, Incorporated. The JAMS logo and brand is licensed and marketed by JAM Productions, Dallas.

WHNE FM 95! A 1973 ‘HONEY RADIO DRAKE/CHENAULT JINGLE PACKAGE

Audio digitally enhanced 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]

TM PRODUCTIONS: DETROIT RADIO JINGLES! WXYZ 1971

Featured TM jingles audio remastered by Motor City Radio Flashbacks

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The TM Companies (1967–1979)

In 1967 TM Productions began as a music production company, producing commercial jingles and broadcast station identifications (IDs). Jim Long (born Timothy John Moynihan; February 7, 1943 – May 30, 2022) conceptualized and co-produced an entirely new approach to station IDs which provided stations a natural flow from commercial breaks to station IDs to music programming, increasing listenership and ratings. Called “Phase 2”, “The Propellants” and “The Winning Score”, these programs were quickly adopted by top stations including KILT Houston, WCFL Chicago and KHJ Los Angeles (also WXYZ ABC in Detroit).

TM Studios, Inc. is a radio jingle and promotional music service company based in Dallas, Texas. It is currently the oldest radio jingle company still in business, with roots tracing back to 1955 when Tom Merriman (the original “TM” in TM Studios) founded Commercial Recording Corporation (which closed in 1968). Tom Merriman left CRC in 1967 and founded TM Productions (later known as TM Communications, Inc. – a publicly traded company) with Jim Long. By this time, Century 21 Productions (later known as Century 21 Programming, Inc.), another Dallas jingle company, was founded.

Both jingle companies remained in business until 1990, when TM Communications, Inc. and Century 21 Programming, Inc. merged to become TM Century, Inc.

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Source: Jones Radio Networks [Wikipedia]

DETROIT RADIO JINGLES! CLASSIC PAMS RE-SINGS BY JAM: WHND HONEY RADIO

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The above featured WHND/JAM jingle package was audio enhanced by Motor City Radio Flashbacks

The featured WHND Jingle package is property of JAM, Incorporated. The PAMS logo and brand is licensed and marketed by JAM Productions, Dallas.

THE HIGH SCHOOLERS! WXYZ SALUTES THE CLASS OF ’63 and ’64

WXYZ SALUTES DETROIT HIGH SCHOOLS | A-B-C | ’63-’64

THE WXYZ ‘PAMS’ HIGH SCHOOLERS!

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In 1963, WXYZ commissioned PAMS of Dallas to create a plethora of outstanding jingles saluting all the high schools in the metropolitan Detroit area. They were aired mostly during the Detroit high school graduation season and were highlighted on WXYZ during the Detroit high school football seasons, 1963 and 1964.

At the time, WXYZ chose to tally every high school in alphabetical order on the Detroit map with their own jingle, from A through Z. The presented WXYZ jingle sampler was created for high schools lettered A, B, and C . . . from All Saints to Cody High.

Throughout the decades having passed since, many of the named schools recalled in this PAMS sampler, those institutions no longer exist today. But you just may find your high school’s ‘jingle’ played here — as they were selectively saluted on WXYZ radio, some 58 years ago.

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NOTE: For all the other WXYZ High School tributes — 1963-1964 — you can find them archived HERE

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THE PAMS ‘CLYDE’ PRODUCTION ’70s SERIES: WKNR 1310

**WKNR ‘PAMS’ Jingles HEARD on MOTOR CITY RADIO FLASHBACKS**

WKNR-AM | “CLYDE” | 1970-1971

PAMS PRODUCTIONS, DALLAS, TX

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According to renown master jinglecologist Ken R., by 1970, WKNR had returned to a male-voiced custom package from PAMS which originally was titled “Sig Alert.” Accordingly, the package had been dubiously named after a traffic reporter in Los Angeles. The title of the package was later changed to “Clyde.” PAMS later told Ken R. the name was given because they didn’t come up a specific title for the (WKNR) package at the time. Adding as well, according to the keener.com webpage (see: Jingles) . . . . “Jonathan Wolfert, who went on to found JAM Creative Productions, made up some words to justify the title: “contemporary logos you don’t expect.” But listeners didn’t know that and PAMS never made it public.”

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The featured PAMS WKNR jingle package was audio enhanced by Motor City Radio Flashbacks

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Licensed by PAMS, Dallas, this PAMS jingles package was made available (in the early 2000s) by Ken R Productions, Toledo, Ohio.

PAMS DALLAS! WXYZ CUSTOMS and AUDITIONS: 1967 and 1968

WXYZ ‘PAMS’ JINGLES HEARD on MOTOR CITY RADIO FLASHBACKS

WXYZ-AM | “AUDITIONS and CUSTOMS” | 1967-1968

PAMS INCORPORATED, DALLAS, TX

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BY THE BEGINNING of 1967 WXYZ 1270 was no longer into the top 40 foray. By year’s end, 1966, the ABC brass in New York decided instead to introduce the ABC-owned station in Detroit with an easy-listening, contemporary format. A format no longer geared for its previous teen audience. Instead, WXYZ became, “The Good Life”.

We present today a composite of customs and auditions jingles created by PAMS in Dallas for WXYZ in 1967. You will note one of the prominent jingle(s) heard in this package was created for the station’s Cash Call contest, what would become their popular cash-giveaway game geared for their new adult radio following, early-on, and having played well into 1970.

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The featured PAMS WXYZ jingle package was audio enhanced by Motor City Radio Flashbacks

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Licensed by PAMS, Dallas, this PAMS jingles package was made available (in the early 2000s) by Ken R Productions, Toledo, Ohio.

THE ‘FUTURESONIC’ PRODUCTION SERIES: WXYZ RADIO 1270

**WXYZ ‘FUTURESONIC’ Jingles on MOTOR CITY RADIO FLASHBACKS**

WXYZ-AM | “Action Radio” | 1963-1964

FUTURESONIC PRODUCTIONS, DALLAS, TX

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According to renown radio historian and master jinglecologist Ken R., Futuresonic “rivaled PAMS for creative output in the late 1950s and early 1960s.” In this featured presentation you will hear a Futuresonic sampler for WXYZ 1270, Detroit, circa 1963-1964.

Futuresonic also created jingle packages for Detroit’s WWJ in the early 1960s.

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The featured Futuresonic WXYZ jingle package was audio remastered by Motor City Radio Flashbacks

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Note: On our site’s Facebook page, according to WXYZ’s Lee Alan, this featured Futuresonic jingle sampler was not used on WXYZ in 1963 nor in 1964.

Thanks Lee Alan, for the noted correction.