WRIF-FM ’70s NEWS BRIEFS . . . MAY 22, 1971; AUGUST 4, 1979

From the MCRFB NEWS archive: 1971

Detroit Rocker WRIF-FM Moves Towards 24-Hour Broadcasting

 

 

 


 

Paul Greiner, 1971; Ann Arbor Sun article. (Click on image for larger view)

DETROIT — WRIF-FM has added two new broadcasters as they move toward a 24-hour format with live programming — Dan Carlisle and Paul Greiner. WRIF started moving toward  full live coverage over a year ago. With the two new personality additions, the FM station now offer 21 hours of live broadcasting and three hours of taped programming. Both voices, Carlisle and Greiner, are familiar to Detroit audiences.

Carlisle was one of the original deejay aces at WABX-FM in Detroit before going to Chicago’s WDAI-FM where he held the 10 P.M. to 2 A.M. time slot. Carlisle will be on WRIF-FM from 3 to 7 P.M. Crossing town from WKNR-FM where he filled in from 2 to 6 P.M. is Greiner. Airtime for Greiner will be from 11 P.M. until 3 A.M. END

 

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(Information and news source: Billboard; May 22, 1971)



 

From the MCRFB NEWS archive: 1979

KAREN SAVELLY ACES WRIF-FM

 

 

 


Karen Savelly, 1984 WRIF Press photo. (Click on image for larger view)

DETROIT — Karen Savelly has joined the on-air staff at ABC’s WRIF-FM in Detroit. She will handle the 6 to 10 P.M. time slot. Savelly comes from WRIF rival WABX-FM, where she also worked evenings. Prior to working both stations she was at WWWW-FM where she worked weekends. Experience at these three progressive Detroit radio stations has prompted WRIF to dub her the “first lady of Detroit FM radio.”

WRIF is also introducing a new concert series called “The Friday Night Late Show,” to run from 11 P.M. to midnight. The show will present “up and coming new talent,” according to program director Tom Bender. “We’re screening the list very carefully, not only to get the best talent, but a recording of them in concert that will show off their music to the fullest.” END 

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(Information and news source: Billboard; August 4, 1979)



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WXYZ, CKLW ’60s NEWS BRIEFS… MARCH 31, 1962; APRIL 21, 1962

From the MCRFB news archives:

CHANGE OF THEME FOR WXYZ AM IN DETROIT

 

 

 

 

DETROIT — There has been a personnel shuffle at WXYZ, Detroit, but station program director Bob Baker reports that the station’s programming will remain the same. Marty McNeely is leaving the station, and Lee Alan is returning in the 7 to 12 midnight time slot. Joel Sabastian, previously the night man, is taking over the 3 to 7 P.M. spot, effective for this week, and Paul Winter, formerly the afternoon man at WXYZ, is moving up into the 11 A.M. to 3 P.M. hours this week as well. END (Billboard; March 31, 1962).

 

From the MCRFB news archives:

DETROIT CKLW-AM DJ FIRES COUNTRY BOOM

 

 

 

 

DETROIT –The pop record business was only so-so last week, but dealers and distributors noticed an upsurge in country and western record disks sales, which was mainly attributed to the impact of deejay Bob Staton‘s 7 P.M. to 12 Midnight C&W show on CKLW.

At the same time, dealers and distributors lost an exposure outlet for singles when station WKMH started a new programming policy last Monday, featuring only “up-beat music,” with the bulk of its wax culled from long-play albums. The move leaves Detroit with only two strong influential and exposure outlets for singles — WJBK and WXYZ.

WXYZ-AM in Detroit started swinging on new releases only a few months ago. Deejays Lee Alan and Joel Sabastian recently returned to WXYZ, and the jocks, who do their own programming from 3 to 11 P.M. daily, are putting strong emphasis on “breaking” new singles here.

The impact of Staton’s C&W show on CKLW is also felt in the pop market categories, according to Tommy Schlesinger of Jay Kay Distributors here. For example, he cited James O’ Gwynn’s “My Name Is Mud,” which was played heavily by Staton and was then picked up by WJBK for its pop music records rotation.

In the album field, Capitol’s original-cast album of Richard Rodgers’s “No Strings” musical hit is chalking up strong sales and heavy radio play. The show was premiered here at Detroit’s new Fisher Theater.

Among the newer singles mentioned as showing local action was “Let’s Stick Together” by Wilbur Harrison on Fury Records and “You’re To Blame” by the Fascinators on the Trans-Atlas label. END (Billboard; April 21, 1962).

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(Information and news source: Billboard; March 31, 1962 and April 21, 1962)


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FLASHBACK POP MUSIC HISTORY: JULY 5

From the MCRFB music calendar:

Events on this date: July 5

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1956: Doubleday publishes the autobiography of Billie Holiday, entitled, “Lady Sings The Blues.”

The Four Seasons circa 1964.

1964: Lyndon B. Johnson, sitting U.S. president inside the White House, invites the Four Seasons to perform at a private reception in the East Room.

1965: Today’s guest on CBS-TV’s panel game show To Tell The Truth is none other than Motown President Berry Gordy, who fools the entire panel.

1966: The Animals’ Chas Chandler, on a recommendation from Keith Richards’ girlfriend, Linda Keith, venture to New York City’s Cheetah Club to see an unknown artist by the name of Jimmy James. By the end of the night Chandler is Jimi Hendrix’s manager.

1966: The Righteous Brothers’ Bill Medley enters Cedars-Sinai Hospital in Los Angeles to have nodes from his vocal cords removed.

Brian Jones, founder of the Rolling Stones, in 1967. (Click on image for larger view)

1969: Two days after the drowning death of Rolling Stones founder Brian Jones, a free concert at London’s Hyde Park that was intended as a showcase for his replacement, Mick Taylor, becomes an impromptu memorial instead.

1974: The redecoration that turned Elvis Presley’s mansion, “Graceland,” into a testament of excesses begins today, with the “jungle room” being created by green carpet.

1978: The cover of the Rolling Stones’ new album ‘Some Girls,’ is halted mid-production when the band is sued by several celebrities, Lucille Ball among them; the cover, which features famous faces (and the band in drag) inserted inside an old magazine ad for wigs, hadn’t been cleared with any of its subjects.

The Everly Brothers in 1984. (Click on image for larger view).

1984: The Everly Brothers begin their much-anticipated reunion tour in Cincinnati, playing onstage together for the first time since 1973.

Deaths: 1982: Bill Justis. 1983: Harry James. 2000: Cub Koda; Brownsville Station. 2001: Ernie K-Doe. 2005: Shirley Goodman; of duet Shirley and Lee.

Releases: 1965: “In The Midnight Hour,” Wilson Pickett. 1968: ‘Creedence Clearwater Revival,’ LP; Creedence Clearwater Revival. 1972: “Liar,” Three Dog Night. 1975: “Feel Like Making Love,” Bad Company.

Recordings: 1958: ‘Ray Charles In Newport,’ LP; Ray Charles. 1961: “Hit The Road Jack,” “Unchain My Heart,” Ray Charles. 1964: “Gloria,” by Them. 1965: “It’s The Same Old Song,” Four Tops.

Charts: 1952: “Delicado,” Percy Faith. 1969: “Polk Salad Annie,” Tony Joe White; enters the charts. 1969: “Ruby Don’t Take Your Love To Town,” Kenny Rogers and the First Edition; enters the charts.

Certifications: None for this day.

 

 

 

 

And that’s just a few of the events which took place in pop music history, on the day…. JULY 5.

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FLASHBACK POP MUSIC HISTORY: JULY 4

From the MCRFB music calendar:

Events on this date: July 4

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1958: Buddy Holly drives his new Lincoln Continental to Angola, Indiana to kick off the Cricket’s first Summer Dance Party tour.

The Stones on British TV ‘Juke Box Jury’ on July 4, 1964. (Click on image for larger view).

1964: The Rolling Stones create a stir with their appearance on the BBC hit show Juke Box Jury, cutting up, looking bored, using crude language, and trashing most of the records they turned up for review.

1966: The Beatles play Manila in the Philippines, performing before a crowd of 80,000 Filipinos during two concerts at Rizal Memorial Football Stadium. President Ferdinand Marcos, however, feeling the band had snubbed him by not showing up for a planned visit with the first family, publicly denounces the Beatles, leading to mob outrage among the Philippine public. Turns out the group had never been informed of the invitation, but the damage is done: Manager Brian Epstein pubic apology is censored on local state TV, and Marcos pulls all police protection for the group, forcing them to be besieged by angry mobs as they head for the airport the next day. After also being extorted by government officials for a large portion of their concert receipts, the Beatles leave the country, vowing never to return.

1969: The two-day Atlanta Pop Festival begins in Hampton, Georgia, with featured acts Led Zeppelin, Janis Joplin, Creedence Clearwater Revival, Chuck Berry, Chicago, Canned Heat, Joe Cocker, Blood, Sweat and Tears, Johnny Winter, Delaney & Bonnie, Spirit, Paul Butterfield, and a new band called Grand Funk Railroad. The band was signed by a Capitol Records rep after he catches their act onstage.

1970: The first American Top 40 radio show, hosted by Casey Kasem, is broadcast on a total of eight radio stations.

Barry and his wife, Glodean White.

1974: Barry White marries his second wife, backup vocalist Glodean James of his own discovery, of the girl group Love Unlimited.

1976: Paul Revere of the Raiders marries his second wife, Sandra Campbell, on America’s Bicentennial at King’s Island Amusement Park in Cincinnati, Ohio.

1982: Diana Ross begins her first world tour as a solo artist by playing Giants Stadium in New Jersey, with Miles Davis doing the opening act before Ross’ concert show.

1982: Ozzie Osbourne marries his second wife, manager Sharon Arden.

1987: Bob Dylan begins a historic joint tour with the Grateful Dead at Foxboro Stadium in Massachusetts.

 

 

Papa John Phillips in 1999.

1992: “Papa” John Phillips of the Mamas and the Papas is the recipient of a liver transplant at Los Angeles County Medical.

2001: By court order, a U.S. federal judge orders the file-sharing service Napster to cease and desist all operations immediately.

 

Deaths: 2003: Barry White. 2007: Bill Pinkney; The Drifters. 2009: Drake Levin; Paul Revere & The Raiders.

Releases: 1976: “Don’t Go breaking My heart,” Elton John & Kiki Dee.

Charts: 1953: “I’m Walking Right Behind You,” Eddie Fisher; hits No. 1 on the charts. 1964: “I Get Around,” The Beach Boys; hits No. 1 on the charts. 1970: “Tighter And Tighter,” Alive and Kicking; enters the charts.

Certifications: None for this date.

 

 

 

 

And that’s just a few of the events which took place in pop music history, on this day…. JULY 4.

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FLASHBACK POP MUSIC HISTORY: JULY 3

From the MCRFB news archive:

Events on this date: July 3

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1956: Returning to Memphis after his disastrous appearance on the Steve Allen Show, Elvis Presley meets Gene Vincent at Pennsylvania Station in New York and congratulates the singer 0n his success with the Elvis sound-a-like hit, “Be-Bop-A-Lu-La.”

1967: Brian Epstein’s NEMS Enterprises, who are handling the Monkees first UK tour, hold a party for the group at London’s Speakeasy Club, featuring Beatles John, Paul and George with their girlfriends/wives. Also in attendance: Dusty Springfield, The Who, Procol Harum, Mannfred Mann, Lulu, and Eric Clapton. The event will inspire Mickey Dolenz to write their 1967 UK hit, “Randy Scouse Git.”

Joni Mitchell and David Crosby at Cass Elliot’s house, February 25, 1968. (Click on image for larger view).

1968: Joni Mitchell holds a get-together for her musician friends at her home in Los Angeles’ Laurel Canyon; there David Crosby of the Byrds, Stephen Stills of Buffalo Springfield, and Graham Nash of the Hollies start up an informal jam session which would eventually lead to the formation of Crosby, Stills and Nash.

1975: Three Dog Night suffers a hard-hit blow when singer and defacto leader Chuck Negron is arrested in his Louisville, Kentucky hotel room for cocaine possession. The charges would later be dropped, but the resulting tension between the band members would result in the eventual disbandment of the pop group.

Teddy Pendergrass with Dick Clark in 1986. (Click on image for larger view).

1986: Teddy Pendergrass suffers another debilitating car crash when his handicap-accessible van hits a telephone pole in Philadelphia.

2002: Elton John becomes the first musician to be granted an honorary Doctorate from England’s Royal Academy of Music.

2009: A half-century after his untimely death, Los Angeles officially declares today Ritchie Valens Day.

 

Deaths: 1969: Brian Jones; The rolling Stones. 1971: Jim Morrison; The Doors. 2005: Audrey Brickley; The Orlons. 2007: Boots Randolph. 2008: Colin Cooper; The Climax Blues Band.

Releases: 1957: ‘Ray Charles,’ LP; Ray Charles. 1959: “Dedicated To The One I Love,” The Shirelles.

Recording: 1968: “Ob-Bla-Di, Ob Bla Da,” The Beatles.

Charts: None.

Certifications: None.

 

 

 

 

And that’s just a few of the events which took place in pop music history, on this day…. JULY 3.

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