WGPR Making Waves in Detroit with Increased Remote Broadcasting
DETROIT — A radio station that’s “kinda movin’ ” gets listeners and WGPR-FM is a station constantly on the move. Floyd M. Jones, station manager, said the station is “No. 1 among FM stations and No. 3 among stations – period.”
Probably the strongest example of how this station moves, however, is a countdown of its remotes – 36 a week. Jones handles a two-hour daily, three – hour Saturday evening jazz record show from the Disk Jockey Lounge. Dan (Bull Frog) Harrison does an rhythm and blues record show from the Chit Chat Lounge. DJ Larry Dixon may handle a random remote broadcast, but nothing steady at the moment; however, he does have a weekly record hop.
The 50,000-watt FM station broadcasts about 20 hours a day covering a radius of 75 miles. One reason for the tremendous success enjoyed by the station, Jones said, is that some 87 per cent of Detroit’s Negro element has FM radios. “But it’s more than that. We’re creating the image here that FM is more than just a background medium. We’re putting out a new sound.”
While the station programs record shows for Detroit populace such as Greeks, Italians, Polish and Mexican, the main portion of each day is used with rhythm and blues programs – a total of three programs a day for a total of seven hours. Jazz takes up about four hours each day. Gospel music is played early in the morning. Sunday is devoted to remote broadcasts most of the day from local churches. The station employs about 40 people. Bob Longwell is the station’s general manager.
Another reason the station is moving, according to Jones, is that programming and air personalities aims at three important and large audience segments. “I take care of the jazz fans,” Jones said. “Larry Dixon is a teen-oriented personality. And Bullfrog is for the rhythm and blues fans.” END
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Information and news source: Billboard; July 17, 1965
From the Desk of Bill Gavin Billboard Contributing Editor
“DIRTY LYRICS!” That’s a term we’re hearing these days more often than ever before. Radio people are becoming increasingly critical about the song lyrics offered for air play. In several instances, program directors have withdrawn a record from the playlist because of listener complaints.
One correspondent, referring to a new record, writes: “A definite hit sound. If stations refuse to program this record because of the lyrics, then there must be 25 more records that should be dropped for the same reason. What is the answer? Action on our part? Action on the record industry’s part? There are so many questionable records that if we refused to play them all there would be a gigantic hole in our playlist.
“I dislike this trend in lyrics, and I feel a deep obligation to serve the public interest, but it is getting more difficult all the time to do that and program some of this trash at the same time.”
OUR NEWSPAPERS carry frequent stories about juvenile immorality and violence. No one would go so far as to place all the blame on the records heard over the radio. The records are simply a mirror of teenage tastes, interests and problems, just as the teenagers themselves reflect some of the turbulent pressures and changes in modem society.
Another radio man writes: “This is a tough problem. If we don’t play (title deleted) the competition will, and we lose listeners who want to hear it. These kids learn real fast when your station isn’t playing something they want. Of course, we’re taking the chance that some screwball will squawk to the Commission. I guess that’s just one of the hazards of the business.
“THE RECORD COMPANIES have to put out this stuff because the kids buy it, I suppose. Maybe it’s just a passing trend. I hope so.” Is it contrary to the “public interest” to broadcast a record dealing with teen marriages? Or with a girl who asserts that she is no “pushover?”Or with a love so great that “I’m gonna give him everything he wants?” Or a boy who sings “Come on, baby, love me all the way?”
Regardless of what lines are to be drawn, and where, one fact seems clear. Radio is in a peculiarly vulnerable position. It holds its right to broadcast from an agency of the government. Unlike a newspaper, whose emphasis on sex and violence is limited only by editorial policy, a radio station is always susceptible – theoretically, at least – to being put out of business because an aroused public opinion demands it.
So far no station license has been canceled because of any records that have been aired. However, thoughtful broadcasters must certainly be aware that public opinion is growing moreconcerned over the problems of youth. Statistics on illegitimate pregnancies among high school girls are being given prominent newspaper space. The press recently quoted a prominent educator as urging that high school students be given instructions in the use of contraceptives.
IT IS LIKELY that if a responsible citizen’s group were to monitor the song lyrics broadcast by the top 40 stations in their community, a strong basis for an official complaint would be found. Regardless of how insensitive a broadcaster’s social conscience maybe, an enlightened self -interest should warn him of the need for cleaning up his playlist.
In fairness, it must be pointed out that only a small percentage of the current singles output contains offensive lyrics. It is also true that the great majority of radio stations resolutely ban any material that is questionable in the slightest degree. Unfortunately, however, this minority influences reaches a majority of teenagers. If only a few of them are wrongly influenced by some of the things they hear on radio, it is still too many.
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Information and news source: Billboard; June 8, 1963
NEW YORK —Bill Drake, programming consultant who has just been hired to guide all of the RKO General radio stations, lashed out at the record men who would tag him with the image of a tight playlist addict.
Drake, who scored ratings successes with both KFRC in San Francisco and KHJ in Los Angeles, was in New York last week trying to work his magic on an FM station – WOR-FM, a stereo operation that had already made a sizable dent in New York ratings with a rock ‘n’ roll format.
One of the first moves of Drake was to install Gary Mack, formerly of KHJ, as program director of the station, replacing Art Wander.
As for other changes in the station, Drake said he would try to improve the presentation of the music and the content. “The station will continue to play a lot of diverse album music, aiming at the 18 -35 age group. It’s going to be rock, using every type of LP cut. Oldies would have a lot of influence, a lot of Motown product, for example.”
He said that other stations under his banner had been playing album cuts, “but to take an album and put it in the control room and say the deejay can play from it is the same fallacy a lot of stations make in saying that Sinatra is a super star. You don’t play Sinatra for the sake of Sinatra; he’s had some bad cuts, too. You don’t play Dylan for the sake of Dylan, Sinatra for the sake of Sinatra, Motown for the sake of Motown.
“The object is to play the good Dylan, the good Sinatra,” he said. And a lot can determine this. People working at the various stations guided by Drake listen to every cut of every LP, every single. Drake credits his success to “hard work and the good people working with me.”
Swap Information
Information between the stations is exchanged in writing, there are conference telephone calls on the music itself, they all exchange playlists. “But the music lists at various stations vary an awful lot. This actually gives us the opportunity, contrary to opinion, to expose and test nine times as many records as anyone else. If a radio station plays three new different records each week that the other stations are not playing, this would run to 27 new records each week.”
Basically, he felt his radio station policy isn’t just to play the top few records. . . but he does advocate not playing “losing” records. “The object is to play winners. Its good for us, it’s good for the record companies. If you have a weak record on the air, it’s obviously going to limit the amount of exposure you can give a strong record.
“I could never understand why record companies wouldn’t be irritated because their good product was being hurt by the amount of weak product sometimes played.”
Fresh Product
Drake does believe definitely in playing new records, saying his stations were spinning LP cuts by the Jefferson Airplane before the group hit pay-dirt with the single. “You’ve always got to have fresh new product on the air, good new records. . . whether by a new or known artists. Otherwise your station winds up with a staleness.”
Playing records by and for the hippies will not lead to a successful radio station, he felt; he believes the whole ofSan Francisco movement is a myth. Request radio is also too narrowly aimed . . . “what’s wrong is that these stations get the teen-tween listeners. You want them, too, but not exclusively. Younger kids are the only ones, however, who have the time and patience to dial. They aren’t going anywhere anyway.”
The object of winning radio is to please everybody without going after them. “You play ‘Happy Together’ by the Turtles. ‘You Keep Me Hanging On’ bythe Supremes. . . those are monster records that everybody likes.”
Still, aside from the “monster” policy, Drake’s stations do have some leeway. Tom Rounds, he said, picked up on “Ode To Billy Joe” early and began playing it under the assumption it was going to become a monster.
The record hit the chart a week ago like gangbusters and it’s still climbing. So, obviously, is Drake. END
— Initially posted on Motor City Radio Flashbacks, August 10, 2016 —
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Information and news source: Billboard; August 12, 1967
Popular Big 8 Jock Finds Place On Local TV Dance Show
CKLW Tom Shannon 1965
DETROIT — “The Lively Spot,” hosted by CKLW deejay Tom Shannon, bowed here on CKLW-TV (Channel 9) September 30 replacing the Robin Seymour “Swingin’ Time” show.
The show will be seen 3:30-4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday and 6-7 p.m. Saturday when it will be known as “The Tom Shannon Show.”
Shannon will continue his popular 6-9 p.m. CKLW-AM show on the radio. Elmer Jaspan, director of programming for CKLW-TV, predicts Shannon will became a great favorite of Detroit young people on local Detroit/Windsor (Canada) television.
Shannon joined CKLW four years ago. A songwriter, he wrote the 1963 hit, “Wild Weekend,” while a jock in Buffalo. He also wrote “Soul Clappin,” a local hit now currently playing Detroit radio. END
— Initially posted on Motor City Radio Flashbacks, May 17, 2015 —
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(Information and news source: Billboard; October 5, 1968)
Tom Shannon Show on CKLW TV-9; TV Guide ad March-22-28-1969
Former Detroit Radio Greats Will Return To Reminisce Broadcasting Motor City Airwaves During ’60s, ’70s
WNIC logo from the ’80s
DETROIT — With much excitement, anticipation currently being delivered through the station’s own promotional radio advertisements, WNIC 100.3 and Detroit is gearing up for its radio reunion several weekends from now.
WNIC-FM, “Detroit’s Nicest Rock,” the current calls and resident of the former legendary WKNR-AM FM studios in Dearborn, will be bringing back the likes of former Detroit radio personalities such as Bill Gable (whose now at WMAGic in High Point); WLW Cincinatti’s Gary Burbank; Super Max Kinkel, who can be heard late nights on WCBS-FM, and Jim Davis (who was Big Jim Edwards on CKLW; today Davis manages WVAF in Charleston, W. Va.).
Word is that WKBW Buffalo’s Tom Shannon and record executive Scotty Regen will also be on hand, toname a few. Other former Detroit radio names are tentative, on the list they may possibly appear, but are as of yet (several names) still pending and unconfirmed.
Now, if you want to see this for yourself, Art Vuolo, Mr. Radio himself, “Radio’s Best Friend,” will be videotaping the scheduled 2-day event in its entirety, as he did recently for the Chicago get-together at WLS (as it seems there’s been a rash of these events in the Midwest lately).
Vuolo’s has those tapes ready for sale, and you can reach him at (313) 5*9-79*0). Art can also tell you where you to get some of the best sounding audio tapes of that particular WLS gathering. When you phone, Art suggests you ask for details regarding the Landecker-Sirott video/audio package of that Windy City radio event as well.
Vuolo also hinted the special Detroit reunion broadcast on WNIC will eventually be available on tape and will be offered to avid radiophiles more the same, thanks to the filming, recording and video services he is well known in providing of such radio events around the country so do stay tuned. . . . END
— Initially posted on Motor City Radio Flashbacks, March 8, 2013 —
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Information and news source: Billboard; May 18, 1985
At Motown ‘Quality Control’ Opportunities Granted as Artists Critique Talents, Projects Inside Gordy’s Stables
LOS ANGELES — At Motown Records one can be an executive and an artist at the same time. Smokey Robinson and his three associates who work as the Miracles outside the environments of Motown s Detroit headquarters, are three such executive/artists.
Robinson is a producer and vice-president with the company. Bobby Rodgers and Pete Moore work in quality control. Checking sound quality, and Ronny White spends his “white collar” time with Jobette Music, auditioning tunes and distributing songs among the firm’s own talent.
The Miracles have been with Motown since its inception. Because they are salaried employees with important posts, the quartet limits itself to three – week personal appearance junkets. The major change in the Miracles act is that Robinson’s wife Claudette doesn’t travel with the group anymore.
Robinson classifies the company as a “family affair” in which many people work on projects. While he has auditioned and recorded sessions by a number of the label’s top acts, he says it’s not unusual for several producers to work on an album project.
On the first Saturday of each month, Motown holds open auditions. A number of producers are assigned to attend the sessions and select the top representatives.
At Motown, Robinson contends, everyone listens to everyone. Martha of Martha and the Vandellas was a former company secretary, given an opportunity to perform. The company maintains its own artists’ development school where state presence and presentation are taught. For two years Lon Fontaine ran the operation; now Harvey Fuqua and Johnny Bristol handle the “kick, turn, and smile” school. END
— Initially posted on Motor City Radio Flashbacks, February 27, 2017 —
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Information and news source: Billboard; February 11, 1967
Family, Friends, Industry Bids Farewell to a Music Giant
LOS ANGELES – Some 400 friends and relatives of Nat King Cole attended funeral services at St. James Church here (Thursday) (18) in a final tribute to the artist who died of lung cancer Monday (15) at St. John’s Hospital, Santa Monica. Another 3,000 persons waited outside the Episcopal church.
Nat King Cole 1959
A caravan of limousines brought such celebrities as Jack Benny, Frank Sinatra, Jerry Lewis, Edie Adams, Gene Barry, Jose Ferrer, Rosemary Clooney, Danny Thomas, Vic Ramone, Sammy Davis, Eddie Rochester) Anderson, Frankie Laine and George Jessel to the church.
When the silver hearse pulled up to the church, pallbearers of the bronze coffin included James Conkling, former president of Warner Bros. Records; Glenn Wallichs, chairman of the board of Capitol Records; Harold Plant, the artist’s business manager, and Henry Miller, his agent.
Jack Benny, who delivered the eulogy, called Cole “a great professional who gave so much and had so much to give.” He added: “Here I stand, a man granted so many years of life, good health, a measure of contentment, delivering a eulogy for a man whose span of life was so short. Nat Cole was an institution, a tremendous success as an entertainer, but an even greater success as a man, husband, father and friend.”
After the funeral services, the procession proceeded to Forest Lawn Memorial Park in Glendale for brief interment ceremonies.
Honorary pallbearers included Cab Calloway, Duke Ellington, Jack Benny, Ricardo Montalban, George Burns, Nelson Riddle, Gordon Jenkins, Peter Lawford, Edward G. Robinson, Gov. Edmund G. Brown of California, Sen. Robert F. Kennedy of New York and Count Basie. Cole leaves his widow, Mrs. Maria Cole; a son, Kelly, and four daughters, Timolin and Casey (twins), and Carol and Natalie. He also leaves two brothers, Edward and Fred, and a sister, Evelyn. END
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Information and news source: Billboard; February 27, 1965
Ed McKenzie guest star Nat King Cole on his WXYZ show in 1955.
Meeks Enters Third Decade Providing PAMS Jingles Service . . . And More
DALLAS — Nearly twenty-years ago Bill Meeks thought up the name PAMS for a banking client. A short time later the bank gave it back to him. PAMS then became the name of Meek’s new company, one which would revolutionize the commercial jingle and station industry.
PAMS means Production-Advertising-Merchandising-Service. To Meeks and his companions, it means a great deal more. Not only is it the largest company of its kind in the world (more than 1,000 clients), but it has been a salvation to the music industry in Dallas.
It was on March 8, 1951, when it all started. Bill Meeks was a musician — a saxophone player — who worked in a staff band for WFAA, and then for KLIF, when Gordon McClendon put it on the air in 1947.
It was here that Meeks invented the concept of musical station breaks. He was the contractor for the station, and he sort of “put things together.” Leaving his saxophone (plus clarinet and flute) behind him, he went into time sales. He sold many accounts, began to form a good relationship with his clients, and then — inevitably — formed his own agency. That’s when he invented the PAMS name, only to have it given back. It would be the greatest bit of Indian giving in musical history.
Meeks began his musical jingles with a syndicated series, “We put a man on the road, cut the background music and sang the call letters over the music, customizing for each city,” he said.
The jingle impresario said he immediately began to check with the Union to be sure we were on safe ground. “As an old Union musician, I wanted to be sure. Petrillo told us to do our own thing in Dallas, whatever we thought best. He told us to ignore the rule that said the voice and sound must be done at the same time, so we did.” That rule of course, has since been changed. And Dallas has always continued to do its own thing, despite some pressure from unions in other cities.
PAMS had about 12 or 13 jingles in its first series, and 23 in its second. Series 3 was a disk jockey introduction. Series 4 was the first variable length station ID. Series 5 was a group of merchant jingles cut for Chevrolet dealers, and made available to the entire United States.
It was Meek’s first big commercial success.
Series 6 was a new sound, using a group called the Moonmaids. On and on it went; rhythm and blues on one, a top 40 sound on another, all-male groups, all-female groups, mixed groups, mixed groups, station signatures, music logos, a living radio series, high school fight songs (done on location), sounds of the cities (with seasonal backgrounds), a New Frontier series, and then a pair of Sonovox series, with talking guitars, flutes, trombones, etc.
There were weather-ettes, “sonomagic and animajic”His and Hers Radio, an All-American series, a Jet Set thing utilizing “iconagentics,” a go-go series, pussycat, swisle, music power, the new generation, and modules.
Right now Meeks and his associates are working on Series 41, which hasn’t yet been named. Musical contests are being put together at this time.
Basic Staff
All of this, of course, has required not only great musicianship, but the ability of singers to sight read, to innovate, to adopt a mood at once, and to perform anytime of night or night.
“Through the years we have maintained a basic staff,” Meeks said, “but we always brought in outside musicians when we need them. Among them has been such guitar players as Glen Campbell. We could name many other big ones.”
Bill Meeks circa 1958
Bill Meeks is president of the company, and his wife, Majorie, is vice-president. Another vice-president is Clifford Moore. Toby Arnold, a ten-year veteran with the firm, is sales manager, and has a working knowledge of virtually every radio operation in America. Bob Piper is musical director and Marvin Show is an arranger-producer. Ray Hurst is a creative writer and producer, and Jim Kirk is a writer-producer-musician-singer. There are two engineers and mixers. Bruce Collier, chief engineer, is regarded one of the finest in his field. He is ably aided by Bob Peepols.
Alan Box works in editing, and Gloria Watkins is a friendly, attractive, capable singer, writer, musician. Jim Clancy is a singer, and there are two lead girl singers (unusual in itself) in Carol Piper and Jackie Dixon. Jack Peters is another writer-arranger-musician.
Only people who believe in being a full part of the staff work for PAMS. All are on a guaranteed staff salary, and some of those salaries are extremely high even by Texas standards.
“There are many advantages in having our own people,” Meeks said. “First of all, they’re an integral part of the organization and they are loyal. They work well together. And when we play an audition for a client he knows exactly what the master will sound like.”
PAMS does sound tracks for films, and does many commercials but station ID’s constitute about 80 per cent of the business. Yet, Meeks estimates that 50 per cent of all jingles done in Dallas comes from the PAMS studios. There are three studios in all.
To make his point emphatic about bringing in musicians when he needs them, Meeks points out that PAMS has spent $110,000 on outside talent through the first nine months of this year.
Meeks began his company modestly. Originally he had a couple of Ampex machines, with no equalization equipment, no echo-chamber. Now, with three studios, he has a complete operation. His newest board, a Neuman, was custom-made in Germany with 10 and 16 tracks. His American board is an Electrodyne. He has his own Moog.
The newest studio is for privacy, for creativity. Its doors are locked, with keys held only by the staff talent. It has a telephone, but the number is unlisted. This is where creative production is done.
“We serve as production arm to radio stations,” Meeks said. “We give them complete service; we owe it to them.” This close relationship is attested to by the fact that the clients, now above the 1,000 mark, keep climbing.
Dallas is attracting new talent, according to Meeks. “We used to have to shuffle around to find people, but now they come in to audition. And they’re coming in droves from such places as New York and Los Angeles. They know it’s happening in Texas.”
PAMS now is scoring many films — and it has the talented musicians to get the job done. This is being done by both American and Canadian companies.
And what is next? “I’ve been thinking for a long time about the record business,” Meeks said. “All of us have been talking about it, and we just might involve ourselves in records.” And why not, with 1,000 satisfied radio stations already customers. END
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(Information and news source: Billboard; November 21, 1970)
NEW YORK — In the six months prior to the peak of their American success, Beatles records grossed $17,500,000, according to EMI Managing Director John Wall.
This figure, which does not include the huge sales of Beatles records here in the United States, shows the staggering impact the group has had on the record industry around the world.
Beatles in Montreal September 8, 1964
Beatles records, whether “I Want To Hold Your Hand” or “I Saw her Standing There,” have risen to the top of the charts around the world on a grand scale. Besides England and the United States, the Beatles have topped charts globally whether in Australia, Eire, France, Holland, New Zealand, Norway and Hong Kong. Yet to be tapped by the hot British band are the Spanish speaking nations in Europe and South America, Germany and Japan.
The push is already on. In Spain, for instance, strong publicity is being done to further advance the pop group’s sensational rise. Also, the Beatles’ “I Want To Hold Your Hand” and other Beatles chart hits is gaining widespread popular airplay on the radio in Spain. A recent cover of the Spaniard fan magazine Discomania showered the Liverpool group with a large feature coverage. As planned, the strategy would be to further promote the “new Liverpool sound” which could potentially translate into a huge global market share there as well.
With the Beatles’ music popularity on the rise in Spain, it is anticipated it may become easier to introduce Beatle records through Central and South America, in the coming months ahead. It is commonly known that Spanish-speaking nations are tougher markets for English-speaking artists.
For the powerful German market, the Beatles have cut records in that country’s native language. This country has become a tough market for English-speaking artists in recent years as well. The German Beatles disks were cut in France during the group’s recent tour there prior to coming to America.END
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(Information and news source: Billboard; February 29, 1964)
From the Desk of Bill Gavin Billboard Contributing Editor
Record promoters are the personal points of contact between broadcasting and the record business. As is well known, the relationship between the two is not the smoothest. Some of the rough spots are created by inept promotion people.
In daily contacts with radio people throughout the country, I hear a large number of complaints about members of the promotion fraternity. Some of the annoyances arc petty, some are serious. I have tried to sum up DJ views on promotional irritants in the form of the various types below, following where possible verbatim quotes from my friends in radio.
The liar: Examples: “I brought you that record last week.” “I don’t know how the other station got that exclusive. The publisher must have sent it to ’em.” “It’s already sold 20,000 in Chicago, and we’re back- ordered up here.” “Their manager and I are just like that. Make it a pick and I’ll get ’em for your hop.” This man will say almost anything to get his record played.
The big shot: He thinks he’s doing somebody a favor by dropping in. He calls the record librarian and asks her to arrange lunch or dinner dates with the DJ’s. He’s from the big town – works for the big company. He talks about how important he is in the organization – how the a.&r. men ask his advice – how chummy he is with the big name artists. He’s doing you a favor to let you play his records.
The griper: Business is terrible, he says. Nothing is selling. Those short play lists are crazy. It’s a conspiracy by the radio stations to kill the record business. How can a manager be so stupid? Retailers won’t order new records – just the top 40. The other promoters are all liars. The boss expects him to get all his records played, but how can he do that on such a miserably small expense account. He got up at 5 a.m. to take that visiting artist for a TV appearance, but the guy slept in. You can’t win.
The know-it-all: He’s the one who tells you that all the other stations are playing the record. It jumps 30 places in the Billboard chart this week. This is the side we’re working on, he says. If you like the flip, well lots of luck. His idea of promotion is to tell you which side he likes. All the top DJ’s in the country are his personal friends and they’re all wailing on his records.
The Gossip: He knows all the dirt about everybody. He spreads enough rumors to fill a newspaper. So-and-so is breaking up with his wife. So-and-so is getting fired. And so on. You’d never guess that he is being paid for promoting records. His chief delight is in promoting suspicion.
The snoop: He tries to read all the letters and memos on every desk in every office he enters. He’s a master at reading upside down printing. He picks up odds and ends of papers on the desk. It’s hard to tell what he’s looking for or what he finds out, but whenever he comes in the door, any confidential papers on the desk had better be put out of sight.
The loud mouth: He tries to dominate every conversation with his voice. He talks too much – he interrupts -he shouts. He many not have anything important to say, hut he makes sure that nobody else gets a chance. He can’t even keep still while his record is being auditioned – snaps his fingers, jumps around, and keeps talking about it. He barges in on other people’s conversation. He pushes in anywhere. It’s practically impossible to insult hint.
The jelly fish: This man is running over with flattering remarks. The person he is talking to is always the greatest in the business – the greatest ear. the finest voice, the best ad libber. Name it and you can have it. He laughs at your unfunniest jokes. This kind of promoter is often very successful at his job. A surprisingly large number of DJ’s are only too ready to believe every flattering word he says.
And so it goes. The cast of characters outlined above represents some of the more irritating personality traits encountered by radio people in their dealings with record promoters. Fortunately, these objectionable attributes are comparatively rare in their pure form. The majority of promotion people are pleasant companions and a credit to the record business. END
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(Information and news source: Billboard; October 12, 1963)
From the MCRFB NEWS archive: 1965
