Category: Flashbacks

DETROIT’S WRIF SET CONCERT SERIES . . . JUNE 12, 1982

Motor City Radio Flashbacks logoFrom the MCRFB news archive: 1982

2nd WRIF June Free Concert Fest Set For Hart Plaza

 

 

 

 

DETROIT — WRIF and Dr. Pepper kick off the second annual “Free Concerts On The Plaza” series Tuesday, set for June 8 (Tuesday) with Bitter Sweet Alley set for the opening act. Nine noontime concerts featuring top local rock bands will follow on consecutive Tuesdays. WRIF personalities Steve Kostan, Karen Savelly and Carl Coffey will host the performances.

(Click image for larger view)
(Click image for larger view)

“Last year’s concerts were attended by a surprisingly diverse audience,” say promotion director Julie Finkel. The 1981 concert series culminated in a highly successful “WRIF Motor City Jam” at the Pine Knob Music Theater, which raised $25,000 for WDET, Detroit’s public radio station. Plans for “Motor City Jam II” are in the works.

WRIF took 1,000 listeners for a cruise Wednesday (June 2), the third year the station has run such a cruise. Winners of the cruise tickets were drawn from a station drawing. Local rock band The Urbations played for the three-outing. The station also planned a six-hour concert on Saturday (June 5) in connection with the Detroit Grand Prix. The Urbations and the Automatix were lined up as performers for this WRIF-FM promoted event. END

(Information and news source: Billboard; June 12, 1982).

ADDENDUM: Listed here the local performers from the WRIF-FM Concert Series 1982 event: Bitter Sweet Alley. The Look. Pendragon. The Automix. Letter O. Toby Redd. The Stingrays. Dick The Bruiser Band. Art In America. Marshall Crenshaw.

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STAX ARTISTS SAYS ‘STAY IN SCHOOL’ . . . SEPTEMBER 9, 1967

Motor City Radio Flashbacks logoFrom the MCRFB news archive: 1967

Stax/Volt Artists Promote School Education With Anti-Drop-out LP

 

 

 

 

Stax Volt logoMEMPHIS — Stax/Volt artists are featured in a special “Stay In School” campaign album, which is being mailed to 4,000 radio stations and deejays throughout the country. The LP includes talks by the artists as well as previously unreleased performances.

The album, which includes Otis Redding, Carla Thomas, Sam and Dave, Booker T and the MG’s, William Bell, the Mar-Keys, and Rufus Thomas, was prepared, written and waxed as a public service by producers under Al Bell, company vice-president.

Vice-President Hubert Humphrey, who wrote (below) the liner notes for the pressings, invited Redding and Miss Thomas to participate with him in a forthcoming program of the Celebrity Showcase for Youth, which stages visits by show business personalities to urban poverty neighborhoods. END

(Information and news source: Billboard; September 9, 1967).

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The Vice President

Washington

An Open Letter To Young People From Vice President Humphrey

First, I want to commend the Stax/Volt family of recording artists for their special interest in trying to help you help yourself.

These artists know the value of a good education and what it will do for you.

By singing their songs and talking to you in this album, they are trying to give encouragement and direction to these young people who are struggling against hardship and difficulty. They are trying to make sure, fully, the difference an education will make in your life.

These artists know that the high school dropout is headed for disappointment and frustration when he looks for a job. He’ll meet disappointment when he looks for a job. He’ll meet disappointment when he tries to get a good-paying job, and then face frustration when the job he finally gets does not last too long. Machines are taking over more and more the unskilled jobs that the uneducated used to get.

Today’s good jobs are going to young people who are educated, who have “brain power” and skills. The name of the game is this: those who learn more, earn more. That high school diploma could mean the difference between a real future and a mere existence.

As you listen to what the talented Stax/Volt artists sing and say, make up your mind to complete your education. Remember, THOSE WHO LEARN MORE . . . EARN MORE! My young friends, that’s where the action is!!!

Sincerely,

Hubert Humphrey

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Addendum: The Hubert Humphrey letter as it appeared verbatim, on the back of the Stax LP, ‘Stay In School’, released in 1967.

Stax Records "Stay In School" 1967 LP
Stax Records’ “Stay In School” 1967 LP
OTIS REDDING
OTIS REDDING
“STAY IN SCHOOL” * Otis Redding * STAX RECORDS (1967)

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MARTY BUFALINI AND GARY O’BRIEN: THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS!

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MOTOR CITY RADIO FLASHBACKS

COMMENTS: MAY, 2014

 

 

 

 

It was GREAT in having recently heard from two of Detroit radio’s finest broadcasters! MCRFB.COM

Submitted on 2014/05/16 at 8:52 AM

comments images 6PXXIV47Marty Bufalini: Just found this site and LOVE IT!!! As a long-time Detroit area broadcaster, it brings back a lot of memories of the friends I’ve worked with. I’ll be visiting this site often!!!

 

Submitted on 2014/05/21 (9 days ago via email: jim@mcrfb.com)

comments images 6PXXIV47Gary O’Brien: Wow! What an incredible site! I stumbled across it this morning and have been listening and in some cases wiping a tear from my eye. There are so many people on your site that I worked with over the years, especially the late Dave Shafer. What an amazing man to work for. My name is Gary O’Brien and I worked at many stations in Detroit over the years and this site is going to be my new home. The memories are knee deep.

I do have a question for you and hope that you can help me out. I have just finished a book with Art Cervi (Bozo the Clown) about his life and the man behind the make-up entitled “I Did What?” My question is this, there are a couple of pictures that I would like to use in my book that are on your site and I would like to know how I would go about getting permission to include them in the book. One is of Ron Knowles who was doing remotes at a store that Art was working at and told him he was in the wrong business which started him on his path to entertainment. The other is a shot of Robin Seymour who Art became friends with and eventually turned that friendship into Swingin Time.

Any information you can help me with would be greatly appreciated. I’d like to chat more, but I have to get back to your site. It’s the best.

Regards,

Herb Mentzer

Gary O’Brien (WHND, WNIC, WOMC, WCZY, WCLS, WYUR, WBRB)

THANK YOU! Marty Bufalini and Gary O’Brien for your recent comments and visiting with us here on Motor City Radio Flashbacks!

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