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Saturday, October 18, 1997

A DETROIT RADIO BACK-PAGE

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DETROIT FREE PRESS: ‘Slain Brighton Deejay’s Music Collection Is Huge – And Valuable’ 

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IN MEMORY of TOM KNIGHT

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I still recall when having received stunning word Tom Knight passed away. It was June 5, 1997.

For those of us familiar with Detroit oldies radio from 30-35 years ago, Tom (Knight Train Productions) was an invaluable asset in having produced and provided some of the finest programming on Detroit radio when it came to 50s and ’60s oldies music. His resume comprised largely having worked on Detroit radio stations WHNE-FM, WHND-AM, WMJC-FM and WKSG-FM during the 1980s and early-1990s.

Personally, I knew Tom for some 14-years, having first met Tom at a records meet at the Southgate Civic Center, Southgate, Mi., in 1983. And after several meets of such, a friendship developed and grew from there. On several occasions, he invited me over to his modest brick home in Dearborn, on Raymond St., near Outer Drive. I can still remember the first time when Tom and I went down to the basement. I was in complete awe – having seen firsthand for the first time his massive collection of pristine records, albums, all shelved in protective sleeves. It was amazing. He once told me his interest in record collecting began early on in his teens while having worked for some years at a record store shop located on Ford Rd., near Middlebelt, in Garden City, Mi.

The last several times I saw Tom, prior his passing, he was still at WMJC and WHND (Greater Media). Tom was working on his ‘oldies’ production shows there, and I saw his production skills at work. (I still have my “Honey Radio All Oldies 560” blue wind-breaker Tom gave me during a Honey Radio Car Club Cruise-cast in Wyandotte back in 1985, lettered in gold with their famous ‘milk shake fountain glass’ logo blazoned across the back). One Saturday, April 1994, I stopped by to see him in his new home in Holly, Michigan. He just purchased a large home there, with much larger quarters that would accommodate his massive collection of records, CDs, music artifacts, jukeboxes, Detroit radio paraphernalia, and a vast library of books about the music he, loved so much. Now all housed in a climate-controlled environment as he always wanted for his life’s entire collection. While there I met his estranged wife, Linda, for the first time. Tom introduced me to her, she simply nodded and walked up the stairs saying nothing. Never saw her again while I was there. Now having moved some distance away, I saw less of him. But we kept in touch.

Tom Knight was one of the most kindest, generous person I was blessed having met. He was a music and radio production genius. He was my friend.

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Twenty years ago today. Tom Knight, we miss you still.

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(Above TOM KNIGHT related article is courtesy freep.com newspaper archive. Copyright 2017. Newspapers.com).

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