This article/advertisement courtesy freep.com newspaper archive. Copyright 2024. Newspapers.com
Originally printed in black and white, the featured Detroit Free Press ad was digitally re-imaged, colorized, and was entirely restored by Motor City Radio Flashbacks.
Missed any of our previous ‘Detroit Radio Back-Pages‘ features? GO HERE
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MCRFB Note: Special THANKS to our friend, John Bartony (a.k.a. Jukebox John) St. Clair Shores, Michigan, for providing the above Detroit Free Press WXYZ 1270 ad (Sunday, October 2, 1955) for this site, as featured today.
A special thank you to senior MCRFB consultant Greg Innis, of Livonia, MI., for contributing the Newspapers.com archives (Detroit radio related) articles, ads, and images we have provide for this site since 2016.
Thank you, Greg Innis, for making these historic Detroit radio features possible. 🙂
ON YOUR PC? You can read this entire newsprint article/ad — the fine print — 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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This list is selected each week by WXYZ Radio reports of records sales gathered from leading record outlets in the Detroit area and other sources available to WXYZ.
The above WXYZ 05/03/1965 chart survey was digitally restored completely in its entirety by Motor City Radio Flashbacks.
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By mid-January 1965, the Detroit Sound Survey charts was no longer printed for the public in general. The WXYZ charts, as featured above, were instead published solely for Detroit record retailers, music outlets, one-stop jobbers, and distributors only.
These Radio 1270 top 40 charts were the largest of the WXYZ Detroit Sound Survey charts ever printed, having measured 17.5″ W x 22 L” inches in size. These charts were primarily used for weekly record rank based on popularity, position, retail sales, and were used for record retail rack displays as well.
For the very first time, Motor City Radio Flashbacks will be featuring a dozen or so — as chart dated — of these extremely rare WXYZ 1965 surveys throughout the year.
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ON YOUR MOBILE DEVICE? Tap over WXYZ chart image. Open to second window. “Stretch” chart across your device screen to magnify for largest detailed view.
ON YOUR PC? Click on chart image 2x for largest detailed print view.
This list is selected each week by WXYZ Radio reports of records sales gathered from leading record outlets in the Detroit area and other sources available to WXYZ.
The above WXYZ 04/26/1965 chart survey was digitally restored completely in its entirety by Motor City Radio Flashbacks.
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By mid-January 1965, the Detroit Sound Survey charts was no longer printed for the public in general. The WXYZ charts, as featured above, were instead published solely for Detroit record retailers, music outlets, one-stop jobbers, and distributors only.
These Radio 1270 top 40 charts was the largest of the WXYZ Detroit Sound Survey charts ever printed, having measured 17.5″ W x 22 L” inches in size. These charts were primarily used for weekly record rank based by popularity, position, retail sales, and were used for record retail rack displays as well.
For the very first time, Motor City Radio Flashbacks will be featuring a dozen or so — as chart dated — of these extremely rare WXYZ 1965 surveys throughout the year.
_______________
ON YOUR MOBILE DEVICE? Tap over WXYZ chart image. Open to second window. “Stretch” chart across your device screen to magnify for largest detailed view.
ON YOUR PC? Click on chart image 2x for largest detailed print view.
Lee Alan, a native of Detroit, was born in 1934 and grew up in the city. His passion for broadcasting sparked at the age of 14 while he was an avid fan of WXYZ’s serial, “The Lone Ranger.” After graduating from Cooley High School, he pursued his interest in broadcasting by enrolling at Wayne State University.
His journey in radio began at WCAR, located in Pontiac, followed by a stint at WJLB. Despite a brief period of service in the Army, Alan returned to WJLB for a short time, handling the overnight shift. In 1959, he secured the all-night slot at WJBK, occasionally filling in elsewhere. However, in December of that year, he parted ways with WJBK due to what management described as “simple economics.”
Alan then joined WKMH, where he hosted two shows. In 1962, he departed Detroit for Cincinnati. Shortly after arriving there, Alan received an unexpected call from WXYZ, offering him a new broadcasting opportunity back in Detroit. At one point, he juggled roles in both television and radio, serving as the host of “Club 1270” in 1963 and later transitioning to “The Swingin’ Kind” in 1966, both on WXYZ-TV. Lee Alan concluded his radio career and retired in 1970. For decades thereafter, after opening his own ad agency, his voice was heard on countless car dealership commercials on radio and television in Detroit and around the country.
Today we are presenting Lee Alan’s WXYZ show-opening theme. From 1958 – ZING! WENT THE STRINGS OF MY HEART – by Les Elgart & Orchestra. One of the best remembered, if not the best, themes heard on Detroit radio in the past 60 years.
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Audio digitally remastered by Motor City Radio Flashbacks
Mickey Shorr transitioned from WJBK to WXYZ during the summer of 1957. He was a disk jockey at WJBK for two years, starting there in 1955. When Ed McKenzie left WXYZ in the spring of 1959, Mickey Shorr took over his 3 to 6:15 p.m. weekday show. For a time Mickey also conducted McKenzie’s old Saturday Dance Party on WXYZ-TV. Denied ever having taken any pay-for-play, commonly referred to as “payola,” Schorr was terminated by WXYZ during the height of the scandal in November of 1959.
We are presenting Mickey’s show’s opening theme – NIGHT TRAIN – heard nightly when he signed-on at 7:15 p.m. at Radio 1270 in Detroit, some 65-70 years ago.
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A CORRECTION — We are grateful from having recently heard from the quintessential, Detroit radio historian, David Carson (July 7, 2024), author of ‘Rockin’ Down the Dial’.
David pointed out a couple of date anomalies he found in the Mickey Shorr post this site presented, above:
“Mickey Shorr took over the 7:00 pm to 12:30 am evening hours on WJBK in June, 1955. His last show on WJBK was broadcast on Saturday, April 29, 1956 – not in 1957. His first day on the air at WXYZ was Monday, August 27, 1956.
You also mentioned that Mickey filled in for Ed McKenzie on his TV show in the summer of ’58 – this is correct. However, upon his return from medical leave Ed decided to give up his show: “Ed McKenzie’s Saturday Party.” The show was renamed “Mickey’s Saturday Dance Party” and moved to 3:30 in the afternoon where it aired from Sept. 1958 thru November 1958.”
There you have it. It just goes to show, at times, even the newspapers we rely upon with their provided information in print (source info provided for the M.S. post was from the Detroit Free Press archive), sometimes even the publication can get it wrong.
Thank you, David, for setting the record straight. And thanks as well, for providing the two articles, below, which clearly provides added support to the correct dates we missed in our (April 15) Mickey Shorr /theme/timeline/presentation.
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Motor City Radio Flashbacks
Audio digitally remastered by Motor City Radio Flashbacks
This list is selected each week by WXYZ Radio reports of records sales gathered from leading record outlets in the Detroit area and other sources available to WXYZ.
The above WXYZ 04/12/1965 chart survey was digitally restored completely in its entirety by Motor City Radio Flashbacks.
_______________
By mid-January 1965, the Detroit Sound Survey charts was no longer printed for the public in general. The WXYZ charts, as featured above, were instead published solely for Detroit record retailers, music outlets, one-stop jobbers, and distributors only.
These Radio 1270 top 40 charts was the largest of the WXYZ Detroit Sound Survey charts ever printed, having measured 17.5″ W x 22 L” inches in size. These charts were primarily used for weekly record rank based by popularity, position, retail sales, and were used for record retail rack displays as well.
For the very first time, Motor City Radio Flashbacks will be featuring a dozen or so — as chart dated — of these extremely rare WXYZ 1965 surveys throughout the year, 2024.
_______________
ON YOUR MOBILE DEVICE? Tap over WXYZ chart image. Open to second window. “Stretch” chart across your device screen to magnify for largest detailed view.
ON YOUR PC? Click on chart image 2x for largest detailed print view.
This article/advertisement courtesy freep.com newspaper archive. Copyright 2024. Newspapers.com
Printed in black and white, the featured Detroit Free Press ad was digitally re-imaged, colorized, and was entirely restored by Motor City Radio Flashbacks.
Missed any of our previous ‘Detroit Radio Back-Pages‘ features? GO HERE
MCRFB Note: Special THANKS to our friend, John Bartony (a.k.a. Jukebox John) St. Clair Shores, Michigan, for providing the above Detroit Free Press WXYZ 1270 ad (November 1960) for this site, as featured today.
A special thank you to senior MCRFB consultant Greg Innis, of Livonia, MI., for contributing the Newspapers.com archives (Detroit radio related) articles, ads, and images we have provide for this site since 2016.
Thank you, Greg Innis, for making these historic Detroit radio features possible. 🙂
ON YOUR PC? You can read this entire newsprint article/ad — the fine print — ENLARGED. For a larger detailed view click above image 2x and open to second window. Click image anytime to return to NORMAL image size.
Click your server’s back button to return to MCRFB.COM home page.
ON YOUR MOBILE DEVICE? Tap on newsprint image. Open to second window. “Stretch” image across your device screen to magnify for largest print view.
This list is selected each week by WXYZ Radio reports of records sales gathered from leading record outlets in the Detroit area and other sources available to WXYZ.
The above WXYZ 03/29/1965 chart survey was digitally restored complete in its entirety by Motor City Radio Flashbacks.
_______________
By mid-January 1965, the Detroit Sound Survey charts was no longer printed for the public in general. The WXYZ charts, as featured above, were instead published solely for Detroit record retailers, music outlets, one-stop jobbers, and distributors only.
These Radio 1270 top 40 charts was the largest of the WXYZ Detroit Sound Survey charts ever printed, having measured 17.5″ W x 22 L” inches in size. These charts were primarily used for weekly record rank based by popularity, position, retail sales, and were used for record retail rack displays as well.
For the very first time, Motor City Radio Flashbacks will be featuring a dozen or so — as chart dated — of these extremely rare WXYZ 1965 surveys throughout the year, 2024.
_______________
ON YOUR MOBILE DEVICE? Tap over WXYZ chart image. Open to second window. “Stretch” chart across your device screen to magnify for largest detailed view.
ON YOUR PC? Click on chart image 2x for largest detailed print view.
This article/advertisement courtesy freep.com newspaper archive. Copyright 2024. Newspapers.com
Printed in black and white, the featured Detroit Free Press ad was digitally re-imaged, colorized, and was entirely restored by Motor City Radio Flashbacks.
Missed any of our previous ‘Detroit Radio Back-Pages‘ features? GO HERE
MCRFB Note: Special THANKS to our friend, John Bartony (a.k.a. Jukebox John) St. Clair Shores, Michigan, for providing the above Detroit Free Press WXYZ 1270 ad (November 1960) for this site, as featured today.
A special thank you to senior MCRFB consultant Greg Innis, of Livonia, MI., for contributing the Newspapers.com archives (Detroit radio related) articles, ads, and images we have provide for this site since 2016.
Thank you, Greg Innis, for making these historic Detroit radio features possible. 🙂
ON YOUR PC? You can read this entire newsprint article/ad — the fine print — ENLARGED. For a larger detailed view click above image 2x and open to second window. Click image anytime to return to NORMAL image size.
Click your server’s back button to return to MCRFB.COM home page.
ON YOUR MOBILE DEVICE? Tap on newsprint image. Open to second window. “Stretch” image across your device screen to magnify for largest print view.
Radio Veteran No Longer Finds Place Nor Pleasure on the Dial at 1270
DETROIT — Veteran deejay Ed McKenzie resigned from station WXYZ here last week in protest of the station’s “formula radio” programming policy.
Detroit radio’s two biggest names, Ed McKenzie, Robin Seymour in the late-1950s.
Rallying to McKenzie’s side was his long-time competitor and another veteran Detroit spinner, Robin Seymour, of WKMH who came out strongly last week for McKenzie and against “formula radio.” Seymour stated: “It’s a crime and a shame when one of the true deejays – one of the men who made the jockey a major factor in broadcasting – has to bow to the dictates of a program director.”
Although Seymour and McKenzie – two of Detroit’s key deejays – have vied for audience ratings for the past 11 years (they occupied the same afternoon time slot) Seymour said they have remained friends — their friendship dating back to the time McKenzie gave Seymour his first radio job at WJBK here.
Seymour has asked McKenzie to appear on his WKMH show this week to discuss the whole formula radio situation and his reasons for leaving WXYZ. Seymour said they will explore the jockey’s need for freedom of programming and speculate on whether the advent of “formula radio” has anything to do with the fact that no new name deejay (other than Dick Clark) has come up from the ranks in recent years.
Seymour said his station, WKMH, is now the only major Detroit station operating on a non-formula programming policy. The outlet did adopt a non – rock and roll format last year, but Seymour said the management dropped the policy last January, and pert record programming back in the deejays’ hands. As a result, the jock said WKMH’s ratings are already showing a small rating climb – the first rating increase for the station in some time.
The WXYZ “formula,” (featuring the Top 40 singles) was adopted by the station about a year ago, and WXYZ vice president in charge of radio, Hal Neal opined “Our interpretation of formula radio is that it is a step forward.”
Ed McKenzie on WXYZ circa 1955
McKenzie on the other hand expressed his opinion that this “formula” did not jibe with his interpretation of radio as “being intimate and friendly.” He stated that his ratings were dropping since the “formula policy” has gone into effect and that he would sooner “dig ditches or sell hot dogs” than go back to formula radio because “I can’t do something I don’t believe in.”
The radio station disagreed with McKenzie’s use of bird calls on the air and his “on the air” comment on office typing and the programming. The station also found themselves in disagreement with McKenzie about their new policy to boost the station on his programs, which the jockey termed `unnecessary.”
McKenzie’s 3 p.m. to 6.15 p.m. spot is being taken over by Mickey Shorr, who will have another replacement for his own Night Train program. Reportedly making between $60,000 and $80,000 a year in his 29th year with radio. McKenzie was Jack the Bellboy at WJBK before he changed to WXYZ radio in 1952. END
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Information, credit and news source: Billboard, March 16, 1959
Ella Fitzgerald guests on WXYZ with Ed McKenzie, circa 1954.
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This article/advertisement courtesy freep.com newspaper archive. Copyright 2024. Newspapers.com
MCRFB Note: Special THANKS to our friend, John Bartony (a.k.a. Jukebox John) St. Clair Shores, Michigan, for providing the above Detroit Free Press WXYZ 1270 ad (Sunday, October 2, 1955) for this site, as featured today.
A special thank you to senior MCRFB consultant Greg Innis, of Livonia, MI., for contributing the Newspapers.com archives (Detroit radio related) articles, ads, and images we have provide for this site since 2016.
ON YOUR PC? You can read this entire newsprint article/ad — the fine print — ENLARGED. For a larger detailed view click above image 2x and open to second window. Click image anytime to return to NORMAL image size.
