STEVE LAWRENCE & EYDIE GORME * THAT HOLIDAY FEELING! (COMPLETE LP) * 1964
—ABOUT THIS ALBUM—
The husband-and-wife duo of Steve Lawrence & Eydie Gorme were firmly established as one of the best traditional pop acts in the United States when they recorded this lush Christmas offering for Columbia Records in 1964. On ‘That Holiday Feeling!‘, Steve and Eydie deliver solid solo performances — Gorme on “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas” and “White Christmas,” Lawrence with “Let Me Be The First To Wish You Merry Christmas” and “The Christmas Song” — while they show off the splendid vocal give and take that made them stars on “Sleigh Ride,” “Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!,” and “Baby, It’s Cold Outside.” Featuring arrangements from some of the best studio men in the business (including Don Costa, Al Cohn, and Patrick Williams), That Holiday Feeling! is a beautifully crafted artifact from the era of great singers, and captures Steve & Eydie at their best.
(Source: AllMusic)
— Christmas Memories From the Soundtrack of Your Life —
Click on (COMPLETE LP) for the complete track listing on this album.
— THE STORY OF DETROIT BROADCASTING LEGEND ROBIN SEYMOUR —
AVAILABLE NOW on AMAZON BOOKS
*****
‘THE DJ WHO LAUNCHED 1,000 HITS’
The long anticipated Robin Seymour story is now available!
(Photo credit Frank Pettis | Photo courtesy Michael Seltzer)
ROBIN SEYMOUR WKMH circa 1956
‘THE DJ WHO LAUNCHED 1,000 HITS’
Here is the story of a Detroit radio and television pioneer, the great Robin Seymour. . . from his earliest days on WKMH radio, later in 1963 staying with the “new” WKNR Keener 13, to the host of “Teen Town” and “Swingin’ Time,” on CKLW-TV 9. Both of Seymour’s TV broadcasts became two of the original TV dance shows geared for teens — showcasing music legends of the day — beaming out of Windsor, Ontario intoDetroit homes in the 1960s.
If you are a Baby Boomer and want to relive those wonderful days of the ’50’s and ’60’s this story is for you. It is complete with pictures of memorable Motown superstars. It is a most enjoyable read. Writer Carolyn Rosenthal masterfully captures Robin’s fascinating story from his earliest years in the service to his history making radio and television career.
You will find as well great Robin Seymour memories shared by current and former Detroit radio broadcasting luminaries —
Reflections by Pat. St. John (Sirius XM); Art Voulo, Jr. (Radio’s Best Friend’); Scott Morgan (The Rationals); Pat Holiday (CKLW); Jim Harper (ex-Detroit radio morning personality); Lee Alan (Lee Alan Creative); Jerry Goodwin (former WKNR WKNR FM WABX personality); Tom Ryan (former CKLW WOMC personality); Dick Purtan (former WKNR CKLW WOMC Detroit radio morning personality)
Robin is 93 today and resides in Texas.
*****
Get the new Robin Seymour memoirs book today! AvailableHEREonly through Amazon.com
TEEN TOWN HOST Robin Seymour and guest artist Stevie Wonder, early-1965(Robin’s Scrapbook of Memories)
A ROBIN SEYMOUR PHOTO COLLAGE(Created by Jim Feliciano; March 10, 2017)
— A MCRFB NOTE —
Not the least as important as having obtained a copy of this long awaited Robin Seymour memoir I received in the mail in early April, but I must say that I was truly humbled, having seen my Robin Seymour photo collage I put together, there in print, having found its way on the back cover of this Detroit broadcast legend’s book, ‘The DJ Who Launched 1,000 Hits’.
Thanks again for all those great Detroit radio and television memories you shared with us throughout the decades, Robin Seymour. We are all truly grateful 🙂 — Jim Feliciano
A ROBIN SEYMOUR press photo circa 1964
A SECOND ROBIN SEYMOUR PHOTO COLLAGE(Created by Jim Feliciano; March 10, 2017)
RADIO & RECORDS Bill Drake THE TOP 40 STORY (1977)
RADIO & RECORDS Bill Drake THETOP 40 STORY (1977)
RADIO & RECORDS Bill Drake THE TOP 40 STORY (1977)
RADIO & RECORDS Bill Drake THE TOP 40 STORY (1977)
RADIO & RECORDS Bill Drake THE TOP 40 STORY (1977)
— BILL DRAKE —
The Top 40 Story
In this special edition we have interviewed the key programmers that helped shape the direction of the format to its present state. Our sincere thanks to Gordon McLendon, respected as the most creative radio programmer in history. Almost every format heard on the radio today has been influenced by this man. We are also indebted to Rick Sklar, VP ABC Radio, who has guided the ABC stations to dominant market positions,
Bill Drake, who had the most dramatic effect on the format and is still today the most successful programmer with over 200 stations currently under his guidance.
Paul Drew, who until recently was VP Programming for RKO, and Kent Burkhart, a man who has been taught by the best and has since added quite a bit to the format himself.
If it were not for these people and the many others involved in the creation of this publication, taking the time to share their knowledge, the opportunity to learn from history might still not exist.
RADIO & RECORDS
BILL DRAKE
Bill Drake (January 14, 1937 – November 29, 2008), born Philip Yarbrough, was an American radio programmer who co-developed the Boss Radio format with Gene Chenault via their company Drake-Chenault.
It was later at KYNO in Fresno, California that he met Gene Chenault, who became his business partner. Together, the pair developed highly influential radio programming strategies and tactics, as well as working with future “Boss Jocks” (their new name for on-air radio talent).
Drake-Chenault perfected theTop 40radio format, which had been created byTodd Storz, Gordon McLendonand other radio programmers in the late 1950s, which took a set list of popular songs and repeated them all day long, ensuring the widest possible audience for the station’s music.Jingles, news updates, traffic, and other features were designed to make Top 40 radio particularly attractive to car listeners. By early 1964, the era of the British Invasion, Top 40 radio had become the dominant radio format for North American listeners and quickly swept much of the Western world.
(Source: WiKipedia)
RADIO & RECORDS Bill Drake TOP 40 1977
A MCRFB VIEWING TIP
ON YOUR PC?To fully appreciate this Radio & Records feature click on 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 home page.
On your mobile device?Tap on chart image. Open to second window. “Stretch” chart across your device screen to magnify for largest print view.
THE RAY CONNIFF SINGERS CHRISTMAS ALBUM * (COMPLETE LP) * 1962
—ABOUT THIS ALBUM—
We Wish You a Merry Christmas is a 1962 album by Ray Conniff. The album was one of twoplatinum albumsover the course of Conniff’s career and earned him the title ofCBS RecordsBest Selling Artist for 1962.
(Source: WiKipedia)
— Christmas Memories From the Soundtrack of Your Life —
Click on (COMPLETE LP) for the complete track listing on this album.
WXYZ RADIO 1270 Detroit Sound Survey DECEMBER 12, 1966
THE DETROIT SOUND SURVEY
— DECEMBER 12, 1966 —
*****
This list is selected each week by WXYZ Radio from reports of record sales gathered from leading record outlets inthe Detroit area and other sources available to WXYZ.
— The Jim Heddle Collection —
This WXYZ chart was digitally restored by Motor City Radio Flashbacks
A MCRFB VIEWING TIP
ON YOUR PC?To fully appreciate this WXYZ Detroit Sound Survey chart for 1966 click on 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 home page.
On your mobile device?Tap on chart image. Open to second window. “Stretch” chart across your device screen to magnify for largest print view.
. . . By 1967, the band was traveling to performances in Redding’s Beechcraft H18 airplane. On December 9, 1967, they appeared on the Upbeat television show produced in Cleveland. They played three concerts in two nights at a club called Leo’s Casino. After a phone call with his wife and children, Redding’s next stop was Madison, Wisconsin; the next day, Sunday, December 10, they were to play at the Factory nightclub, near the University of Wisconsin.
Otis Redding, The Barkays, 1967
Although the weather was poor, with heavy rain and fog, and despite warnings, the plane took off. Four miles (6.4 km) from their destination at Truax Field in Madison, the pilot radioed for permission to land. Shortly thereafter, the plane crashed into Lake Monona. Bar-Kays member Ben Cauley, the accident’s only survivor, was sleeping shortly before the accident. He woke just before impact to see bandmate Phalon Jones look out a window and exclaim, “Oh, no!” Cauley said the last thing he remembered before the crash was unbuckling his seat belt. He then found himself in frigid water, grasping a seat cushion to keep afloat. As a non-swimmer, he was unable to rescue the others. The cause of the crash was never determined. James Brown claimed in his autobiography The Godfather of Soul that he had warned Redding not to fly in the plane.
The other victims of the crash were four members of the Bar-Kays—guitarist Jimmy King, tenor saxophonist Phalon Jones, organist Ronnie Caldwell, and drummer Carl Cunningham; their valet, Matthew Kelly; and the pilot, Richard Fraser.
Redding’s body was recovered the next day when the lake was searched. The family postponed the funeral from December 15 to 18 so that more could attend. The service took place at the City Auditorium in Macon. More than 4,500 people came to the funeral, overflowing the 3,000-seat hall. Redding was entombed at his ranch in Round Oak, about 20 miles (32 km) north of Macon. Jerry Wexler delivered the eulogy. Redding died just three days after re-recording “(Sittin’ On) The Dock of the Bay.” He was survived by Zelma and four children, Otis III, Dexter, Demetria, and Karla. On November 8, 1997, a memorial plaque was placed on the lakeside deck of the Madison convention center, Monona Terrace.
(Source: Wikipedia)
THE DETROIT FREE PRESS
—Tuesday, December 12, 1967—
___
Above article is courtesy freep.com newspaper archive. Copyright 2019. Newspapers.com.
The above newspaper feature was ‘clipped,’ saved, and was digitally imaged from the credited source by Motor City Radio Flashbacks.
Otis Redding photographed standing before his personal plane, 1967. (Photo credit: Zelma Redding)
Otis Redding’s personal plane rests on a barge after having been pulled up from lake Monona, Madison, Wisconsin. December 1967
BEACH BOYS * THE BEACH BOYS’ CHRISTMAS ALBUM (COMPLETE LP) * 1964
—ABOUT THIS ALBUM—
The Beach Boys’ Christmas Album is the seventh studio album by the Beach Boys, released in November 1964. ii contains five original songs and seven standards on a Christmas theme. The album proved to be a long-running success during subsequent Christmas seasons, initially reaching number six in the US Billboard 200 chart in its year of release and eventually going gold. Music historian James Perone wrote that it is “regarded as one of the finest holiday albums of the rock era”.
While leader Brian Wilson produced and arranged the rock songs, he left it to Dick Reynolds (an arranger for the Four Freshmen, a group Wilson idolized) to arrange the forty-one piece orchestral backings on the traditional songs to which the Beach Boys would apply their vocals. One single was released from the album, the original song “The Man with All the Toys” backed with the group’s rendition of “Blue Christmas”. “Little Saint Nick”, a single which had already been released the previous year, was included on the album.
(Source: Wikipedia)
— Christmas Memories From the Soundtrack of Your Life —
Click on (COMPLETE LP) for the complete track listing on this album.
