WBBC/WJLB ERNIE DURHAM SHOW THEME * Hand Clappin’ * RED PRYSOCK * 1955

‘FRANTIC ERNIE’ DURHAM

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Ernie Durham, sometimes referred as ‘Ernie D., but more commonly remembered as ‘Frantic Ernie’ on the radio, began his Detroit radio career as a newscaster and host of a jazz show on WDET, prior 1955. With a desire to get more into mainstream popular music, Ernie landed a DJ stint with WBBC in Flint, in 1955, which was owned by Booth Broadcasting.

Sometime during 1956, Booth Broadcasting, which owned parent-station WJLB, would also hire Durham for their Detroit outlet, eventually splitting his weekly shift between both stations. Mornings on WBBC. Evenings on WJLB. At one time, Ernie Durham commuted daily between the two stations for well over a year. Before year’s end, 1958, Durham would leave Flint’s WBBC to work for WJLB in Detroit.

The popular Detroit soul radio legend would remain there for decades and some years after WJLB 1400 transitioned into WQBH 1400 on the AM dial in 1982. Thereafter, for a brief time, Ernie D. was on WJR. He would return to WDET-FM with a nightly show in 1991, where he was still employed, at time of his death.

Ernie Durham passed away, twenty-five years ago, Wednesday, December 2, 1992.