WWJ: MICHIGAN REACTS TO DEATH OF THE PRESIDENT

WWJ-FM John Hultman NOVEMBER 22, 1963

— FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 22, 1963 —

JOHN HULTMAN * WWJ * NBC DETROIT

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WWJ WWJ FM John Hultman anchors and reports on the immediate Michigan and Detroit reactions to the news of President Kennedy’s assassination and his death.

Breaking momentarily from the national NBC radio coverage from New York, this WWJ news report was broadcast 7:00 p.m., Detroit, November 22.

In 1963, WWJ AM WWJ FM was owned and operated by the Detroit News. A NBC affiliate, WWJ was represented nationally by Peters, Griffin, Woodward, Inc.

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NOTE: This is the first of two Detroit WWJ news reports — as broadcast late Friday, November 22, 1963 — Motor City Radio Flashbacks is featuring today.

The second featured broadcast was reported by WWJ’s Don Perrie.

— A SPECIAL ACKNOWLEDGMENT —

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A special ‘THANK YOU’ to Bob Pratt of Farmington Hills, Michigan, for sharing this historic, WWJ recording (he personally taped) from November 22, 1963 – exclusively – with this website.

Motor City Radio Flashbacks featured Bob Pratt’s historic recordings, having covered those four tragic days on Detroit radio — as was recorded in their entirety in November 1963.

The reeled recordings were presented in their entirety — digitized in mp3 format — on this website last November 2018 covering those four tragic days. (See and click on the link below.)

THE BOB PRATT COLLECTION

— ABOUT THESE IMAGES —

The above featured images was ‘clipped,’ saved, and imaged from the credited source by Motor City Radio Flashbacks

Photo caption: President John F. Kennedy Is Dead. Detroiters gaze at the WXYZ TV news ticker marquee above the old Detroit Bank and Trust Building, downtown Detroit (1212 Griswold Ave. and State), Friday, November 22, 1963.

A Note of Interest: The old Colonial Department Store is seen to the right in photo, facing State St., as it appeared in 1963. You can view the same building today in this May 2019 Google street map imagery here.

VIEWING NOTES

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Last November 2018, in commemorating the 55th Anniversary of President Kennedy’s assassination, Motor City Radio Flashback featured a comprehensive Detroit NBC Radio coverage of those four dark days in November 1963 as was reported on WWJ-AM WWJ-FM and WJBK-AM WJBK-FM radio in Detroit.

Our special ‘Kennedy Tapes’ Detroit radio coverage can be found archived HERE

WWJ: MICHIGAN REACTS TO DEATH OF THE PRESIDENT

WWJ-FM Don Perrie NOVEMBER 22, 1963

— FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 22, 1963 —

DON PERRIE * WWJ * NBC DETROIT

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WWJ WWJ FM Don Perrie anchors and reports on the immediate Michigan and Detroit reactions to the news of President Kennedy’s assassination and his death.

Breaking momentarily from the national NBC radio coverage from New York, this WWJ news report was broadcast 10:45 p.m., Detroit, November 22.

In 1963, WWJ AM WWJ FM was owned and operated by the Detroit News. A NBC affiliate, WWJ was represented nationally by Peters, Griffin, Woodward, Inc.

NOTE: This is the second of two Detroit WWJ news reports — as broadcast late Friday, November 22, 1963 — Motor City Radio Flashbacks is featuring today.

The first featured broadcast was reported by WWJ’s John Hultman.

— A SPECIAL ACKNOWLEDGMENT —

_______________

A special ‘THANK YOU’ to Bob Pratt of Farmington Hills, Michigan, for sharing this historic, WWJ recording (he personally taped) from November 22, 1963 – exclusively – with this website.

Motor City Radio Flashbacks featured Bob Pratt’s historic recordings, having covered those four tragic days on Detroit radio — as was recorded in their entirety in November 1963.

The reeled recordings were presented in their entirety — digitized in mp3 format — on this website last November 2018 covering those four tragic days. (See and click on the link below)

THE BOB PRATT COLLECTION

— ABOUT THESE IMAGES —

The above featured images was ‘clipped,’ saved, and imaged from the credited source by Motor City Radio Flashbacks

Photo caption: Mrs. Daisy Fisher reflects on the JFK memorial display at the J. L. Hudson building (closed), downtown Detroit, Friday evening, November 22, 1963.

VIEWING NOTES

Click on newspaper image 2x on your PC monitor for largest detailed view.

If viewing on your mobile device, tap over newspaper images. Open to second window. “Stretch” images across your device screen to magnify detailed view.

Our special ‘Kennedy Tapes’ Detroit radio coverage can be found archivedHERE

WJBK 1500 FORMULA ’40 SURVEY SOUNDS: 11/11/1957

— NOVEMBER 1957 —

WJBK RADIO 15

62 YEARS AGO THIS WEEK

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The WJBK FORMULA 40 hits was compiled, tabulated and produced by Radio 1500’s Bob Martin and Rosemary McGann.

This survey was tabulated overall by each record’s popularity and its appeal, sales, listener requests and record airplays based on the judgement of WJBK Radio.

*****

Previewed for the week of November 11, 1957

Note: By year’s end, 1957, Casey Kasem was no longer at WJBK 1500. Kasem left Detroit for Buffalo’s WBNY, New York, in November 1957. To fill Kasem’s departure, Dan Baxter became the new replacement. Baxter was hired for the all-night shift on WJBK.

Eventually, by early-1958 Tom Clay would fill the time slot allocated the same hours Casey Kasem held prior his exit on WJBK.

A MCRFB VIEWING TIP

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— In Memory of George Griggs —

A SPECIAL THANK YOU

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Above WJBK music chart courtesy of Mrs. Patti Griggs and the George L. Griggs estate.

‘BROADCASTING’ 1962: A WWJ 950 DETROIT RADIO AD

**A ‘BROADCASTING’ WWJ-AM 1500 AD** PAGE RIP: March 26, 1962 *(On your PC? click image 2x for largest view)*

On your mobile device? Tap on image. Open to second window. “Stretch” news print across your device screen to magnify for largest print view.

WXYZ DETROIT SOUND SURVEY: THE TOP 100 HITS! 1965

**WXYZ DETROIT SOUND SURVEY** Top 100 **1965**

WXYZ 1270

— SOUND SURVEY TOP 100 DETROIT RECORDS for 1965 —

*****

This list was selected from our weekly surveys as was determined by WXYZ Radio, based on reports by leading record outlets, record sales and popularity in the Detroit area throughout 1965.

— The GREG INNIS Collection —

This WXYZ (year-end) 1965 chart was digitally restored by Motor City Radio Flashbacks.

A MCRFB VIEWING TIP

ON YOUR PC?To fully appreciate this WXYZ Detroit Sound Survey chart for 1965 click on image 2x and open to second window. Click image anytime to return to NORMAL image size.

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SPECIAL ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

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A special THANK YOU to Greg Innis, Livonia, Mi., for previously sharing this WXYZ music chart with Motor City Radio Flashbacks.

MIKE JOSEPH: WHO INVENTED SHORT TOP 40 PLAYLIST?

— MIKE JOSEPH —

A DETROIT TOP 40 RADIO PIONEER

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Before there was Bill Drake, Ron Jacobs, Paul Drew in the mid-1960s, in the beginning of Top 40 radio in the 1950s there was Mike Joseph. In essence, before the KHJ phenomenon was to hit the radio top 40 industry in 1965, Joseph was the perennial radio programmer who birthed the shortened ’30 hits playlist’ in Buffalo’s WKBW in 1957.

Mike Joseph also transcended the short playlist concept here in Detroit when WKMH hired the legendary programmer in 1963. Under Mike Joseph, WKMH became the former on October 31, 1963 — becoming the new WKNR Radio 13 — short playlist and all — and the rest is Detroit radio history.

In the early 1980s, Mike Joseph would return back to Detroit. WJR and station owner Capital Cities Communications hired Joseph for program consultancy for its adult, easy-listening WJR-FM — turning it instead into a new and successful Top 40 powerhouse in the Motor City in 1982 with his ‘Hot Hits’ formula — the new FM WHYT 96.3.

A MCRFB VIEWING TIP

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A MCRFB NOTE: This page/article was taken from a R&R (Radio & Records) special edition published in 1996. The magazine, ‘Bill Gavin’s Top 40’, was published twenty-three years ago in recognition of the 40th anniversary, birth of top 40 radio, 1956.

VINTAGE AMERICAN HOME ELECTRONICS AD: 11/1963

**GENERAL ELECTRIC** Coffee Table AM-FM Stereo Phonograph AD (LIFE) November 8, 1963

— AN AMERICAN HOME ENTERTAINMENT PRODUCT AD from 1963 —

A MCRFB VIEWING TIP: On your PC? You can read this entire ad ENLARGED. For a larger detailed view click above image 2x and open to second window. Click image anytime to return to NORMAL image size.

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Above 1963 GE ad digitally restored by Motor City Radio Flashbacks

VINTAGE AMERICAN HOME ELECTRONICS AD: 03/1964

**ADMIRAL** AM-FM Table Top Radio Advertisement (LIFE) March 27, 1964

— AN AMERICAN HOME ENTERTAINMENT PRODUCT AD from 1964 —

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VINTAGE AMERICAN HOME ELECTRONICS AD: 11/1965

**GENERAL ELECTRIC** Portable Radio Advertisement (*LIFE*) November 5, 1965

— AN AMERICAN HOME ENTERTAINMENT PRODUCT AD from 1965 —

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A CKLW EDDIE CHASE NEWSPRINT FLASHBACK: 4/1955

Saturday, March 19, 1955

A DETROIT RADIO BACK-PAGE

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DETROIT FREE PRESS

The above CKLW newspaper feature was ‘clipped,’ saved, and imaged from the credited source by Motor City Radio Flashbacks.

A MCRFB VIEWING TIP: On your PC? You can read this entire article ENLARGED. For a larger detailed view click above image 2x and open to second window. Click image anytime to return to NORMAL image size.

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Missed any of our previous ‘Detroit Radio Back-Pages‘ features? GO HERE.

A WORD ON THE ABOVE ARTICLE —

THE YOUNG MAN IN PHOTO’S CENTER? . . . JIM SANDERS!

**Jim Beasley today.** *(Photo courtesy Jim Beasley; Facebook)*

A few days ago, in search for materials on Eddie Chase (CKLW) in the Detroit Free Press newspaper archives, I inadvertently came across the featured article above.

Looking closely, I noticed the young man centered in the photograph, identified as Jim Beasley. To me, the photo bore a striking likeness to a Jim Sanders (whose real name, by the way, was Jim Beasley), a Detroit radio personality on WKMH in 1963.

But I really wasn’t sure.

Looking for some confirmation, I reached out to Jim, who recently wrote —

“Yup. That was me.

I was 18 there. I was attending Wayne State University then. I sang on WJR as Jim Beasley, was on air and student PD at WDET in 1957 and was the Jim Sanders on WKMH.

We recorded two sides as a quartet. I recording one duet with Jack Costello, “My Little Fool” and I did a single, “Caught, Roped and Tied.” The latter was released in 1959. Under Jim Beasley and the Charmers.

The Classmates were active in 1956-1957. Dick Allman and I left the group in 1958 when it was picked up by Dot Records. He and I did not want to leave college to travel and promote.

Two other singers replaced us for one release on Dot, “Who’s Gonna Take You To The Prom.” The record company put the group on the shelf, and consequently, disbanded before 1960.

Insofar as (former members of) The Classmates, Kris Dorjath is now deceased. I lost contact with Jack Costello. Dick Allman became an ABC TV engineer in New York. He did a lot pioneering graphics for ABC sports. Allman is now retired, living in New York. His mother was an actress on the Lone Ranger radio shows.

“Caught, Rope And Tied” was me recording as Jim Beasley, not the Classmates. “Gotta Go See My Baby” was the Classmates single that did the best in Detroit and throughout the Midwest.

My solo record did best in the South and Europe. It is still streamed in Denmark on rockabilly channels. It was re-released later as part of a rockabilly collection.”

Jim Beasley was a WKMH radio personality and was part of the first original lineup as Jim Sanders when WKNR launched on October 31, 1963. Jim is actively involved in the entertainment field as an actor, singer, dancer, and musician.

He currently resides with his family in Nashville, Tennessee.