Category: Flashbacks

WKNR TURN ON DETROIT WITH “NEW RADIO 13” . . . JANUARY 11, 1964

From the MCRFB NEWS archive: 1964

TOP 30 Makes Noise In Detroit

 

 

 

WKNR Flashback: WKNR Music Guide December 24, 1964 (Click on image for larger view)
WKNR Flashback: WKNR Music Guide December 24, 1964 (click on image for larger view)

DETROIT — The impact of the newly formed WKNR (formerly WKMH) is being felt in the Detroit market with the station less than two months into its new Top 30 fare.

The station–long associated with soft instrumental music–was reformatted and reorganized to a Top 30 plus-one sound by consultant Mike Joseph (newly-appointed vice-president, NBC-owned stations) and is staffed by Sam Holman (formerly of WABC), Mort Crowley (a KHJ, Hollywood alumnus), Robin Seymour, (veteran Detroit radio stalwart) and Gary Stevens, among others.

The station, which was in 9th or 10th place in the market several months ago, is now reporting that its morning ratings have doubled while the afternoon number have tripled. It was also revealed by WKNR that it is now tied for third place in the market during weekdays and has moved into second place on Saturdays.

Detroit is perhaps the only city in the country where there is a four-way battle among pop-music formatted stations in the market. Leading giants of the area are Storer-owned WJBK (Radio 1500); ABC-owned WXYZ (Radio 1270), and RKO’s 50,000-watter CKLW (Radio 800), located just across the border in Windsor, Ontario.

WKNR Flashback: WKNR Music Guide December 31, 1964 (click on image for larger view)
WKNR Flashback: WKNR Music Guide December 31, 1964 (click on image for larger view)

WKNR has launched a major promotional campaign in conjunction with its new programming. One hundred and five thousand two-color school book jackets are being distributed through local drive in restaurant and doughnut shop chains. A (WKNR) pop music list entitled, “Music Guide,” is being handled by 130 retailers of phonograph records (majority record shops) with 50,000 surveys printed each week. Ninety-seven Cunningham Drug Stores are distributing two and a half million serialized match books which are tied in with a WKNR on-the-air contest which has a basic $13 jackpot with $1 being added each hour the prize is not claimed. The station also effected a link with the 77 Kroger food markets in the area for a forthcoming giveaway of Top Value Stamps.

On January 31, the station will co-sponsor with the Ford Motor Company, the 17th annual March of Dimes to take place at the Light Guard Armory, located on 4400 E. Eight Mile in Detroit. Ford will be displaying several of their custom and experimental car products during the two-day benefit event ending Feb., 1st. END

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 (Information and news source: Billboard; January 11, 1964)

A MCRFB Note

During the two-day WKNR March Of Dimes event at The Eight Mile Armory, dance and entertainment was also provided by WKNR and Ford Motor Company, attended by some of the top record acts of that time, hit-makers and recognized popular artists both on the national and local level here in 1963 – 1964.

On the billing during the two Keener 13 March Of Dimes dates: Johnny Nash; The Riveras; Santo and Johnny; Jamie Coe and the Gigolos; Eddie Holland; Timmy Shaw; Tony Clarke; Gino Washington; Tommy Frontera; The Coronados; Timmy Shaw; The Adorables; Dee Edwards; Chris Peterson and more . . . to be there, what a memorable event that must have been! — MCRFB.COM

 

 

A MCRFB NEWS brief: 1964

Mort Crowley Laments Quitting WKNR In 1964

 

 

 

WKNR-AM * Mort Crowley Quits Keener 13 * FEBRUARY 1964

 

WKNR Mort Crowley in 1964.CHICAGO — Detroit’s “Bad Boy” Mort Crowley who hit the front pages by quitting on the air at WKNR has since become the model of deportment. Mort joined Storz-owned WDGY, Minneapolis, in July 1964 and moved to St. Louis with Storz’s KXOG last January (1965). Mort told Billboard by phone he hopes to regain the ground he lost by his mistake and noted: “Thank God, I have an opportunity to do it.” END

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(Information and news source: Billboard; July 17, 1965)

Addendum: Here’s the WKNR “Key Men of Music” line-up for January, 1964: Mort Crowley, 5 AM – 9 AM; Robin Seymour, 9 AM – 12 Noon; Jerry Goodwin, Noon – 3 PM; Gary Stevens, 3 PM – 7 PM; Bob Green, 7 PM – 12 Midnight; Bill Phillips, 12 Midnight – 5 AM.

Frank (Swingin’) Sweeney, formerly program director and air personality at WKBN, Youngstown, Ohio, replaced Mort Crowley for the morning-drive at WKNR in February, 1964. Besides doing mornings on Keener 13, Sweeney was music director at WKNR from August, 1964 through August, 1965, terminated when he abruptly quit on WKNR — as did Crowley — whom he replaced. When Sweeney left in August of ’65, Dick Purtan immediately became the new morning rise on Keener 13 through December, 1967. Purtan left WKNR in January, 1968 for WBAL-AM in Baltimore. Just two months later he would return back to Detroit radio on WXYZ-AM, March, 1968.

Mort Crowley — According to an obit-article in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch dated April 2, 1995, Mort Crowley passed away at his home in Miquon, Wisconsin, Thursday, March 30, 1995. He died after a lengthy bout battling prostate cancer. Mort Crowley was 63.

First_WKNR_Bumper_Sticker

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NO. 1 IN DETROIT! WKNR-AM STAYS ON TOP . . . JULY 2, 1966

From the MCRFB news archive: 1966

WKNR KEEPS SINGLES TITLE

 

 

 

 


From the MCRFB Aircheck Library, featuring:

 

 

 

 

WKNR 1966: WKNR-AM – Bob Green – 1966

WKNR 1967: WKNR-AM – Scott Regen – 1967

WKNR 1967: WKNR-AM – Dick Purtan – 1967

 

 

Billboard WKNR July 2, 1966

DETROIT — Despite a tight playlist — 31 records — WKNR has won the crown again as the major influence on sales on single records in the Detroit market — the nation’s fifth largest radio market. The latest Billboard Radio Response Rating survey shows the station with 47 per cent of the votes from record dealers, distributors, one-stop operators and local and national record executives. The next closet competitor has only 29 per cent of the votes.

WKNR had 44 percent of the votes in last year’s survey. Bob Green, the station’s major deejay, again took top honors as the major individual influence on the teen market with 30 percent of the votes.

 

Bob Green

Though WKNR plays comparatively few records over-all, the new records it exposes get extra emphasis, said program director Frank Maruca. Besides the 31 records on the playlist, Maruca features a key single and key album of the week and the top three selling albums, regardless of what they are. The key single and album, however, are brand new records Maruca feels will make the best seller charts.

Last week, the key single was “Friday’s Child” by Nancy Sinatra. Normally, the key single is by established artists, but “Day For Decision” by Johnny Sea was “out of left field. I even broke our rule and put it out (on the playlist) in the middle of the week and normally I would never do that except with the Beatles or the Supremes.”

 

Scott Regen

The key single of the week gets heavy airplay on the station. But, basically, Maruca believes that the tight playlist is the answer in today’s Hot 100 format radio. But, one thing for sure, the music is getting better,” he said. “The record buyers are becoming more selective and the music has to be much better than three or four years ago. When Frank Sinatra makes No. 1, like he is on our playlist now, that’s something to write home about. Too, the groups are turning out songs now with a melody. . . . the day of hard raucous songs are gone.” He said he thought teen-aimed music would continue to grow and improve.

 

Dick Purtan

WKNR set an all-time record in billings June 13, “and still have the rest of the month to go,” Maruca said. He attributed the popularity of the station in both audience and billings to personalities like Bob Green, who’s “an excellent straight personality with a quiet approach, Scott Regen, who’s become associated with top name artists, and Dick Purtan, who uses a lot of humor.” END

 

Addendum: Here’s the Radio Response Rating for WKNR in Detroit according to the Billboard Magazine July 2, 1966 edition:

* Top Stations (Pop Singles):

1. WKNR AM-FM 47%  2. CKLW AM – FM 29%  3. WXYZ AM – FM 24%

* Top Disk Jockeys (Pop Singles):

1. Bob Green, WKNR; 30%  2. Tom Shannon, CKLW; 20%  3. Scott Regen, WKNR; 15% 

All Others: Lee Alan, WXYZ; Dave Prince, WXYZ; Joey Reynolds, WXYZ; Dave Shafer, CKLW; Duke Windsor, CKLW.

* Top Jockeys (Pop Singles) By Time Slot (Detroit Market):

Morning — Dick Purtan, WKNR;  Mid-Morning — Ted Clark, WKNR;  Early-Afternoon — Jerry Goodwin, WKNR;  Traffic Man — Bob Green, WKNR;  Early-Evening — Scott Regen, WKNR;  Evening — J. Michael Wilson, WKNR;  All Nite — Jim Jeffries, WKNR.

* Music Director, Program Director, Or Librarian (Most Influential In Exposing Records):

Paul Cannon, Assistant Program Director, WKNR;  Hugh Frizzell, Program Director, CKLW;  Dave Prince, Music Librarian, WXYZ.

MCRFB Note: Click all images for larger views.

(The WKNR Billboard July 2, 1966 page scan courtesy Scott Westerman’s  Keener13.com; Bob Green, Scott Regen and Dick Purtan photos all courtesy the George Griggs Collection).

The 1965-1966 WKNR bumper sticker. (WKNR bumper-sticker was re-created by Dave Riley of Redford, Michigan; scan courtesy Scott Westerman’s facebook/Keener13.com).

 (Information and news source: Billboard; July 2, 1966)

MCRFB.COM Logo (2)

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JIM HAMPTON * TOM CLAY * AIRCHECK LIBRARY * WHYT-FM

AIRCHEX OF THE WEEK WITH JIMMY HAMPTON

Posted April 16, 2012: this exhibit has been updated. One new WXYZ-AM Jim Hampton aircheck, two new JH photos has been added.

CKLW AND TOM CLAY SPLIT… JULY 11, 1964

Posted February 15, 2012: this exhibit has been updated. One new CKLW-AM Tom Clay aircheck has been added.

MOTOR CITY RADIO FLASHBACKS AIRCHECK LIBRARY

Posted January 28, 2012: this exhibit has been updated. Fourteen (14) new airchecks have been added to the MCRFB Aircheck Library. As you browse the page they can be found there, exactly as listed, here: CKLW – Tom Clay – 1964; CKLW – Stevie O’Brian – BIG 8 CKLW 1971; CKLW – Charlie Van Dyke – CKLW 1969; CKLW-AM – Dave Shafer – 1965; CKLW – Don Zee – 1966; WKNR-AM – Paul Cannon – 1965; WKNR-AM – Scott Regen – 1966; WKNR-AM – Dick Purtan – 1967; WKNR-AM – Scott Regen with the Supremes – December 1965; WJBK – Terry Knight – August, 1963; WXYZ – Joey Reynolds – WXYZ Radio 1270 1. 1966; WXYZ – Joey Reynolds – WXYZ Radio 1270 2. 1966; WXYZ – Joey Reynolds – WXYZ Radio 1270 3. 1966; WXYZ-AM 1270 – Jim Hampton – 1966

WJR-FM SEEKS NEW CALLS: WHYT-FM… JULY 3, 1982

Posted May 29, 2012: This exhibit has been updated. Four WHYT-FM airchecks, two new photos have been added.

— OR FOR MORE —

Go to ‘CATEGORIES‘ on the left panel and click JIM HAMPTON and TOM CLAY. For more great Detroit radio airchecks go to site menu under AIRCHECK LIBRARY.

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WAY-BACK DETROIT RADIO PAGES: WWJ-AM… NOVEMBER 10, 1945

from the MCRFB radio news scrapbook:

WWJ Pitches For Teenagers In New Airing

 

 

 

 

 

DETROIT — November 3, 1945. WWJ, encouraged by its recent move towards producing shows especially for the teen-age crowd, is embarking on an all-out effort to catch it’s listeners young. Back of the move, which which has obvious public service value in the attention given to the forgotten youngsters, is the sound commercial realization given of two factors:

1. Tastes of the youngster give direction to family buying habits and family listening habits as well.

2. Youngsters are going to be the adult audiences who will be vitally needed to build up Hooper ratings for the individual radio station within a very few years., and paying attention to their special wants now should pay off in establishing listening habits then.

Billboard cover; November 10, 1945

Two more teenage shows have been added by WWJ to three programs set up to answer high school complaints that “radio has nothing especially for us.”

New programs are in a more serious vein than the original three fast-moving shows. One is an hour’s broadcast of the Detroit Symphony Orchestra’s Young People’s Concerts, Saturday at 10 a.m., with a brief, informative commentary on the musical selections by Karl Krueger, director of the orchestra, or by Valter Poole, assistant conductor.

Another program is Musical Youth, Thursdays, at 1:15 p.m., put on in cooperation with the Detroit Public Schools. This is beamed to school rooms at WWJ audience alike each week, featuring different high school orchestras, bands, choruses or other outstanding musical groups of proved excellence. Concept behind this series is to acquaint Detroit with the type and quality of musical education offered in the schools, stressing a maximum of music with a minimum of continuity. END.

 

(Information and news source: Billboard; November 10, 1945).

 

 

From the MCRFB radio news scrapbook:

WWJ vs KDKA: Who Was First? It All Depends

 

 

 

 

 

DETROIT — November 5, 1945. That old feud between KDKA, Pittsburgh, and WWJ, Detroit, concerning which one was the first on the air, flared up anew two weeks ago when KDKA , commemorating the radio twenty-fifth anniversary, decided to buy a page ad in the Pittsburgh Press, a Scripps-Howard paper. At that time The Press told the station that there were no space available.

Week later, WWJ, which is owned by Scripps-Howard interests, decided that it would take an ad dealing with its claim to being the nation’s oldest station. WWJ bought space in whole Scripps chain. Among the papers that carried it was The Pittsburgh Press. END.

 

Addendum: Today we are debuting a new flashback feature on MCRFB — Way-Back Detroit Radio Pages — on what had been said, what had been printed about Detroit radio during the ’40s and early-’50s. These articles are historic at best, it reflects in how radio was simply the best means of communicating and entertaining Detroiters at a time when radio reigned supreme during those golden years of early-radio broadcasting. More to come!

 

(Information and news source: Billboard; November 10, 1945).

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COUNTRY SINGER-SONGWRITER JOE SOUTH DIES AT 72

From current MCRFB news wires:

Joe South Dies At 72; Singer-Songwriter Did ‘Games People Play’

 

 

 Joe South also wrote ‘Down In The Boondocks,’ ‘Hush’ and other pop-rock hits in the 1960s and 1970s. He won two Grammy Awards for ‘Games People Play.’

 

September 06, 2012 | Los Angeles Times staff and wire reports

 

Joe South (Click on image for larger view).

Joe South, a versatile singer-songwriter who penned “Games People Play,” “Down In The Boondocks” and other pop-rock hits in the 1960s and ’70s, has died. He was 72.

South died at his home in Buford, Georgia, northeast of Atlanta, said Butch Lowery, president of the Lowery Group. The company published South’s music. Marion Merck of the Hall County coroner’s office said South died of natural causes stemming from a heart attack.

Beginning in the late 1960s, South rode a wave of success with his combination of melodic tunes and compelling lyrics. Billy Joe Royal scored a hit with his cover of “Down In The Boondocks” in 1965, and Deep Purple had one with “Hush.” Then South won Grammy Awards for song of the year and best contemporary song of 1969 for his own recording of “Games People Play.” He had hits with “Don’t It Make You Want To Go Home” and “Walk A Mile In My Shoes.” He collected a Grammy nomination for country singer Lynn Anderson’s recording of “(I Never Promised You A) Rose Garden.”

“The Grammy Awards are a very nice gesture by the record industry, but they can really mess up your head,” South told Times rock-critic Robert Hilburn in 1970, months after he accepted the honors for “Games People Play.”

“The Grammy is a little like the crown, After you win it, you feel like you have to defend it. In a sense, I froze. I found it hard to go back into the recording studio because I was afraid the next song wouldn’t be perfect.”

He struggled emotionally after his brother, Tommy Souter, committed suicide in 1971. Drug abuse derailed South’s career, and he disappeared from the stage and recording studio while living in Maui in the early 1970s. His first marriage ended in divorce, and he made comeback attempts to little notice.

He eventually went through drug rehabilitation programs and married his second wife, Jan, in 1987.

Born Joseph Souter in Atlanta on February 28, 1940, he began playing guitar when he was about 11. He was later signed to a recording and publishing contract by country music disc jockey Bill Lowery.

In 1958, South recorded his debut single, a novelty song called “The Purple People Eater Meets The Witch Doctor.” His hit songwriting abilities were next on display in 1962 when the Tams reached No. 1 with their R&B recording of “Untie Me.”

South worked as a session musician for a time, playing gutiar on Aretha Franklin’s “Chains Of Fools,” Bob Dylan’s “Blond On Blond,” Simon and Garfunkel’s “Sounds Of Silence” and albums by Eddie Arnold, Marty Robbins and other country, R&B and rock bands.

South was an inductee in the Nashville Songwriters Hall Of Fame and the Georgia Music Hall Of Fame.

JOE SOUTH 1940-2012

(This article originally published in the Los Angeles Times, Thursday, September 6, 2012).

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