Category: Russ Gibb

WKNR FM! RUSS GIBB, BACK ON THE RADIO: JULY 1969

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Russ Gibb, WKNR FM underground DJ and Detroit rock & roll visionary extraordinaire, passed away at the age of 87 on April 30, 2019.

In the featured aircheck, Russ Gibb interviews Jeff Beck on his Saturday mid-afternoon show. Inasmuch, Beck was billed to perform at the Grande Ballroom that same night. On another note, and across town as well, Creedence Clearwater Revival was to take the stage at the Olympia at 8:30 p.m.

In wake of his passing, the Detroit Free Press highlighted his career as a WKNR FM broadcaster, rock promoter, and ultimately, as an instructor/teacher in the Dearborn area.  In remembrance of Russ Gibb, you can read the article online, here.

This is our very first Russ Gibb inclusion (the first of two) for the site’s Aircheck repository. A nameless donor, in sharing this recording, expressed complete anonymity. The said donor has made two audio contributions, here and here. He resides elsewhere outside the State of Michigan today.

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Audio was digitally remastered by Motor City Radio Flashbacks

WKNR-FM Russ Gibb, circa 1969 (Detroit Free Press file photo)

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REMEMBERING A WKNR FM RADIO LEGEND: RUSS GIBB

Russ Gibb circa 1971
Russ Gibb circa 1969 (Photo courtesy the Detroit Free Press files)

 

 

Russ Gibb – 1931-2019

 

Russ Gibb — Detroit rock visionary, schoolteacher and ‘Paul is dead’ prankster — dies at 87

 

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, Detroit Free Press Published 11:26 p.m. ET April 30, 2019 | Updated 2:36 p.m. ET May 1, 2019

 

(For the complete story click on the Detroit Free Press article/link highlighted above)

 

 

 

 

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WKNR-FM GOES PROGRESSIVE ROCK . . . JUNE 1, 1968

From the MCRFB NEWS archive: 1968

Progressive Rock Is Bowed by WKNR-FM

 

 

 

 

DETROIT — WKNR-FM has marched into the fray against WABX-FM with a progressive rock format. Frank Maruca, operations manager of WKNR and WKNR-FM, said the 50,000-watt horizontal and 50,000-watt vertical monaural FM operation is simulcasting the the Hot 100 format of the AM station 6 a.m. – 3 p.m., then splitting from 3 p.m. – 2 a.m. daily.

The new format run was slated to begin Sunday, May 26.

WKNR-FM radio personality Russ Gibb

There is a possibility of going 24-hour with progressive rock if the station’s format is acquired in rank with the current FM radio surge in popularity. WABX-FM has been programming progressive rock in Detroit since last year.

Among the air-personalities on WKNR-FM are Russ Gibb, owner and operator of the Grande Ballroom in Detroit, who does 6 hours on Saturday and six hours on Sunday; Jerry Taylor mans the evening hours from 3 p.m. – 9 p.m., and is followed by Ed Busch, from 9 p.m. – 2 a.m.

Paul Cannon, program director of the AM operation, will be selecting the music for the FM band as well. In the few days the station has been on the air, there has already been “excellent reaction,” Maruca said. END

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(Information and news source: Billboard; June 1, 1968)

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A WKNR RADIO BACK PAGE: KEENER KILLS PAUL! 1969

On October 12, 1969, WKNR killed Paul McCartney. Russ Gibb, working on WKNR-FM, heard from an Eastern Michigan University student about a series of clues that seemed to point to Paul McCartney’s death. The story took on a life of its own, both on Keener and WKNR-FM and Russ received credit for making the tale of McCartney’s supposed demise a national story. In the Spring of 2007, Dutch documentarians came to Dearborn to ask Russ to recount the adventure for posterity. Read the full story at Keener13.com. And watch the full documentary here.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xqBf6iNPVOg

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