ROMANCING THE RATINGS: WOMC VS WNIC . . . JULY 20, 1985
A MCRFB news brief:
WOMC Makes Push On WNIC For Share Of Night Time Hearts
DETROIT — In an ongoing battle for the hearts of the Motor City’s 7 to midnight listeners, WOMC is taking WNIC to task with a move to expose both its romantic side and its increasingly sexy-sounding night man Kevin Scollin. While neither side has declared war officially, WNIC’s night talent Alan Almond has reportedly been peeved at the growing likeness between WOMC’s “Love Songs” show and his own “Pillow Talk” 7 to 12 weeknight program on WNIC.
To get the edge on a camera-shy Almond, WOMC is sending photos of Scollin to entrants in its daily “Night Of Summer Love” contest. This promo runs through September, with listeners submitting their version of the most romantic evening, either real or imagined. Each night, Scollin reads the day’s best entry, with the winner getting a midnight cruise dinner for two. When the promotion ends, WOMC is prepared to grant the final winning wish to a romanticized winner (or either a winning pair) — provided its not too kinky, of course. END.
(Information and news source: July 20, 1985).
GOLDEN OLDIE
NEW RADIO FLASHBACK!
WNIC 100.3 GEARS UP FOR A REUNION WEEKEND . . . MAY 18, 1985
A MCRFB news brief:
Former Detroit Radio Greats Will Return To Reminisce Broadcasting Motor City Airwaves During ’60s, ’70s
DETROIT — With much excitement, anticipation currently being delivered through the station’s own promotional radio advertisements, WNIC 100.3 and Detroit is gearing up for its radio reunion several weekends from now. WNIC-FM, “Detroit’s Nicest Rock,” the current calls and resident of the former legendary WKNR-AM FM studios in Dearborn, will be bringing back the likes of former Detroit radio personalities such as Bill Gable (whose now at WMAGic in High Point); WLW Cincinatti’s Gary Burbank; Super Max Kinkel, who can be heard late nights on WCBS-FM, and Jim Davis (who back then was Big Jim Edwards on CKLW; today Davis manages WVAF in Charleston, W. Va.).
Word is that WKBW Buffalo’s Tom Shannon and record executive Scotty Regen will also be on hand, to name a few. Other former Detroit radio names are tentative, on the list they may possibly appear, but are as of yet (several names) still pending and unconfirmed.
Now, if you want to see this for yourself, Art Vuolo, Mr. Radio himself, “Radio’s Best Friend,” will be videotaping the scheduled 2-day event in its entirety, as he did recently for the Chicago get-together at WLS (as it seems there’s been a rash of these events in the Midwest lately). Vuolo’s has those tapes ready for sale, and you can reach him at (313) 5*9-79*0). Art can also tell you where you to get some of the best sounding audio tapes of that particular WLS gathering. When you phone, Art suggests you ask for details regarding the Landecker-Sirott video/audio package of that Windy City radio event as well.
Vuolo also hinted the special Detroit reunion broadcast on WNIC will eventually be available on tape and will be offered to avid radiophiles more the same, thanks to the filming, recording and video services he is well known in providing of such radio events around the country so do stay tuned. . . . END.
Addendum: Also, Art Vuolo currently writes commentary for Mike Austerman’s radio and television Michiguide.com website. And last, for more on Art Vuolo videos see the “introduction” to his website as attached to this post, down below.
(Information and news source: Billboard; May 18, 1985).
Art Vuolo Jr.
“Radio’s Best Friend”
In 1977, Art Vuolo saw a B&W ¾” videotape of a color 8mm film taken by the legendary San Diego personality, Shotgun Tom Kelly. The film, which was actually a “video presentation” for KFMB-FM “B-100,” was shot in 1976. Vuolo was dazzled. He thought “Wow . . . a video aircheck, what a concept.” This offered a chance for people to SEE what goes on in a radio studio while air personalities are actually on-the-air! That did it.
Back in April of 1978 Art borrowed a crude early edition color TV camera, hooked into an industrial Sony Beta deck with BI speed only and taped his first video aircheck at Indianapolis’ legendary Top 40 radio station 13/WIFE. Similar to the B-100 video, the WIFE tape was a video tour of the station featuring key employees and all of the various jocks actually on-the-air. It included: Danny McGuire in the Morning (aka Ron Fraiser), Steve “Super Cooper”, Diane Shannon, Thom Christy and Jerry Steele. It was the beginning of an era.
It was the start of Vuolo Video Air-Chex.
Now it’s easy to order as many as you want on Art Vuolo’s Video Air-Chex website. This site includes many sensational “moments” in radio history both on audio and videotape. Enjoy your visit and I hope you find something you would like to have in your personal collection. — Art Vuolo Video Air-Chex (An introduction from the Vuolo website)
LOST GOLD * 1963
1950S GOLDEN OLDIE * FATS DOMINO * 1956
FATS DOMINO IN PERSON! RHYTHM AND BLUES SHOW!
’50s: DESEGREGATION OF CHART CATEGORIES EARMARKS ’56 . . . JANUARY 26, 1957
From the MCRFB news archives:
Presley topped parade with five singles on all three best selling charts plus high album sales
Jock assists made ’56 sock comeback year for half dozen vet artists via concentrated spinning
B y J A C K B U N D Y | B i l l b o a r d ; J a n u a r y 2 3 , 1 9 5 7
Rock and roll — as in 1955 — was the most important artist and repertoire trend during 1956, in spite of numerous wishful predictions and reports of its “grossly exaggerated” importance and early demise.
Elvis Presley, of course, led the popularity parade, and was an outstanding example of the growing trend toward “integration” of chart categories. In fact, Presley was something of a trend all by himself. As many as five of his single discs appeared on all three best-selling charts, while his first two albums registered high on the jockey and retail package lists.
Last year also lined up as a sock “comeback” year, with such veteran artists as Bing Crosby, Vic Damone, Johnnie Ray, Guy Mitchell and, most recently, Frankie Laine, showing up amongst the most-played platter fraternity for the first time in several years. In each case, concentrated deejay play was largely responsible for putting each disk on top with repeated plays.
Vic Damone, with his “On The Street Where You Live” waxing was the most dramatic illustration of the power of jockey play. The Damone record had been out for more than three months and was considered a dead disk both by Columbia Records and the retailer, when persistent deejay exposure finally turned the sales tide and put the disk high on the charts. It’s also worthy of note that four of the five comeback stars record for Columbia.
Male warblers dominated The Billboard in the year 1956 year-end recapitulation of the jockey and retail charts, with nine disks by men making the year’s top 20. This compares to four by female vocalists (Gogi Grant, Kay Starr, Doris Day, Patti Page), four by vocal groups, (two by the Platters and two by the Four Lads), and three instrumental as well.
Many Newcomers
Many newcomers made the year’s top 50, but few managed to break through with more than one record. Gogi Grant, for instance, who holds down the No. 1 spot on the jockey’s 1956 list, only made it once last year with “The Wayward Wind,” following her initial hit, “Suddenly There’s A Valley,” Cathy Carr and Don Robertson, both newcomers, had but one hit in 1956.
Established artists who continued to rate plays during 1956 included Perry Como, Pat Boone and Gale Storm, each with three records in the top 50; Teresa Brewer with two, and one each for Doris Day and the Chordettes, Bill Haley, Mitch Miller and Dean Martin. Martin, however, is evidently not as popular with jocks as he is with buyers. His “Memories Are Made Of This” was No. 9 on the retail re-cap list, but only No. 46 on the most-played jockey list for 1956.
Absent from the top 50 last year was Eddie Fisher, the McGuire Sisters, Georgia Gibbs, the Four Aces and — surprisingly — Frank Sinatra. Sinatra, however, did show up strongly on the most-played and best selling album charts, thus accounting for the heavy jockey play he received throughout 1956 regardless of his “single” stature.
Almost half of the top 50 most-played pop disks were in the rock and roll category, with many appearing simultaneously on the pop and rhythm and blues charts. and several originating first on the R&B list. Platters by Presley, Carl Perkins’ “Blue Suede Shoes,” and Fat Domino’s “Blueberry Hill” actually showed up on all three charts (pop, r&b and country and western); while Jim Lowe’s “Behind The Green Door,” “Canadian Sunset,” by Eddie Heywood and Winterhalter, and disks by the Platters, Bill Haley, Little Richard, Otis Williams, Frankie Lyman and the Teenagers, and Bill Doggett all made both pop and R&B charts.
Other R&B artists, who showed up in pop last year — although not in the top 50 — were Chuck Berry, the Teen Queens, Little Willie John, Clyde McPhatter, and the Cadets. Tennessee Ernie, Gene Vincent, Presley and Carl Perkins showed up strongly on both the pop and country and western charts.
Instrumentally, the jocks went for sweet, sentimental wax last year, particularly platters with a romantic European flavor, such as the Nelson Riddle retail favorite “Lisbon Antigua,” and Les Baxter with “Poor People Of Paris,” and “Theme From The Three-Penny Opera” by Dick Hyman. Counterpoint was also spotlighted, via Morris Stoloff‘s and George Cates’ waxing of “Moonglow” and “Picnic.“ Also in the soft and gentle groove was “Song For A Summer Night,” a TV-theme click by Mitch Miller.
New Rhythm Styling
An ironic footnote to the longstanding battle between veteran publishers and the rock and roll music clique last year was the trend for top-flight rock and roll stars to revive old pop standards into the hit class, via new rhythm styling, epitomized by the Platters’ “My Prayer,” and Fat Domino‘s “Blueberry Hill,” and so on.
LPs celebrated a banner ’56, with jockeys across the country spinning more and more selections from albums. As a result, some albums selections — notably several Elvis Presley sides, Bing Crosby‘s “True Love,” from his ‘High Society’ sound track album, and “My Prayer,” from the Platters first Mercury package — were spun into the hit single class by heavy jockey radio and dance play.
“My Fair Lady” vied with Harry Belafonte for top album honors in 1956, with other Broadway original-cast and Hollywood sound track LP’s grabbing off sizeable most-played honors in the field, including, “The King And I,” “Oklahoma!” “Eddie Duchin Story,” “Carousel,” “Most Happy Fella” and “Picnic.”
The jockeys gave heavy play to all Belafonte albums (thereby giving him a solid start into the single best-seller class in 1957), and to Pat Boone‘s ‘Howdy’ album. Ella Fitzgerald‘s ‘Cole Porter Song Book album showed up in the top 25 LP’s, thus indicating the jockey’s increasing exposure to the best in jazz, along with Stan Kenton‘s extended-play ‘Kenton In Hi-Fi’ and June Christy‘s own “Misty Miss Christy.”
Jockeys played somewhat less Lawrence Welk than moved across retail counters last year, but on the other hand, helped boost bands by putting several orchestras on their most-play list that didn’t make the retail top 25. Capitol Records’ ‘Dance To The Bands,’ Percy Faith‘s ‘Passport To Romance’ and Sammy Kaye‘s “What Makes Sammy Swing And Sway,” are examples of these popular top band packages.
The turntable set also gave heavy play to several vocal albums which failed to hit the top 25 best-selling album list, including Vic Damone‘s “That Towering Feeling,” Julie London‘s “Lonely Girl,” and Don Cherry‘s “Swingin’ For Two.” END.
(Information and news source: Billboard; January 26. 1957).
ANSWER SONGS * 1959