FLASHBACK POP MUSIC HISTORY: JULY 27

From the MCRFB music calendar:

Events on this date: JULY 27

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1958: A study by Esso Oil (formerly Standard Oil, eventually Exxon) finds that drivers speed more and therefore waste more gas when listening to the new fad of rock and roll music blaring over the car radio.

Sly and the Family Stone; Epic Records 1967. (Click in image for larger size).

1968: A riot erupts at Chicago’s Grant Park after Sly and the Family Stone fail to appear for a free concert.

1969: Robin Gibb of the Bee Gees purportedly collapses from “nervous exhaustion” just as the group is about to embark on their first U.S. tour, but its actually a ruse designed to hasten his exit from the group.

1974: After 23 years, Dinah Shorr leaves the NBC-TV network when it cancels her morning program Dinah’s Place in order to concentrate on games shows.

1976: John Lennon ends his four-year battle to stay in the United States, as a special government hearing grants him a US immigration department green card (Number A-17-597-321).

1976: Bruce Springsteen’s meteoric rise is stalled when he sues his manager Mike Appel for fraud and breach of contract, keeping him from performing and recording over a year.

Tina and Ike Turner, as they were. (Click on image for larger view).

1976: After years of alleged physical and verbal abuse, and having been left over the Fourth of July holiday with nothing but pocket change and a gas station credit card, Tina Turner files for divorce from her husband of sixteen-years, Ike.

1979: A firebomb destroys Alice Cooper’s Indian art store in Scottsdale, AZ., causing $200,000 worth of damages to, among other things, some of Cooper’s gold records. The singer jokes that perhaps “a disco music freak” torched the place, as Alice has gone on the record as being boisterous about not liking the new music trend.

1992: Michael Jackson sues the London tabloid Daily Mirror over claims that too many plastic surgeries has left him permanently disfigured.

1994: Bob Seger serves jury duty in Michigan and, as the foreman in a criminal trial, finds the defendant guilty as charged.

 

Deaths: Bobby Day; 1990. Leon Wilkeson (Lynyrd Skynyrd); 2001. John Entwistle (the Who); 2002.

Releases:  “Sleepwalk,” Santo & Johnny; 1959. “People Got To Be Free,” The Rascals; 1968. “Dream A Little Dream Of Me,” Mama Cass Elliot; 1968. “Sweet Home Alabama,” Lynyrd Skynyrd; 1974.

Recording: “Why Don’t You Do Right,” Peggy Lee; 1942. “The Lion Sleeps Tonight,” The Tokens; 1961.

Charts:  1955: “Maybelline,” Chuck Berry; enters the charts. 1957: “Mr. Lee,” The Bobbettes; enters the charts. 1974: “Annie’s Song,” John Denver; hits No. 1. on the charts.

Certifications: None for this date.

 

 

 

 

And that’s just a few of the events which took place in pop music history, on this day….

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WGPR-FM STAYS REMOTELY ON DIAL… JULY 17, 1965

From the MCRFB news archives:

WGPR Station on Move, Has 36 Remotes a Week

 

 

 

 

 

DETROIT — A radio station that’s “kinda movin'” gets listeners and WGPR-FM is a station constantly on the move. Floyd M. Jones,  station manager, said the station is “No. 1 among FM stations and No. 3 among stations — period.”

Probably the strongest example of how this station moves, however, is a countdown of its remotes — 36 a week. Jones handle a two-hour daily, three hours every Saturday evening doing a jazz record show from the Disk Jockey Lounge. Dan (Bull Frog) Harrison does a R&B record show from the Chit Chat Lounge. Deejay Larry Dixon may handle a random remote every now and then, but nothing steady at the moment; however, he does have a weekly record hop.

The 50,000-watt FM station broadcasts about 20 hours a day covering a radius of 75 miles around the Detroit metropolis. One reason for the tremendous success enjoyed by the station, Jones said, is that some 87 per cent of Detroit’s  Negro element has FM radios. “But it’s more than that. We’re creating the image here that FM is more than just a background medium. We’re putting out a new sound.”

While the station programs record shows for the diverse Detroit populace such as Greeks, Italians, Hungarians, Polish and Mexicans, the main portion of each day is used for programming R&B — a total of three programs a day for a total of seven hours. Jazz takes up about four hours each day. Gospel music is played early in the morning. Sunday morning is devoted to remote broadcasts throughout most of the day through local churches. The station employs about 40 people. Bob Longwell is the station’s general manager.

Another reason the station is moving, according to Jones, is that programming and air personalities aims at three important and large audience segments. “I take care of the jazz fans,” Jones said. “Larry Dixon is a teen-oriented personality. And “Bull Frog” is for the rhythm and blues fans.” END.

 

(Information and news source: Billboard; July 17, 1965).

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