_______________
Honoring Rosalie Trombley
A special tribute video shared on Motor City Radio Flashbacks. Created by “Radio’s Best Friend,” Art Vuolo
_______________
MUSIC BUSINESS | WANTED – A SOUND OF THEIR OWN . . . DECEMBER 5, 1964
Jay and The Americans have been searching for an identifiable sound ever since they started recording. So far they’ve had three smash hits, and they have all been different
That nervous feeling. “I used to feel physically sick every time we did a personal appearance,” said Jay Black of Jay and the Americans. “Honest, it was no laughing matter, even though you might think I’m joking about it. Literally, before every performance, the rest of the boys would have to kick me into shape.
“I don’t know why this happened. I mean, I wasn’t particularly scared, or any of that jazz. Maybe it was a feeling of insecurity.”
“This is the one thing I’m serious about. It didn’t show outwardly, and still doesn’t if I have a nerve attack before a performance.
No laughing matter. Jay must have had butterflies when he and the group – Kenny Vance, Sandy Deane, Marty Sanders and Howie Kane (who has been in the army but gets out in time for Christmas) – were chosen to open the Beatles first ever American concert in Washington last January.
It was no laughing matter, as the audience believed they were there to see the Beatles only, and they let out hoots and hollers en masse when they discovered there were other acts on the bill. The group, having a natural sense of comedy in situations like this, decided it was easier to pitch in than fight. Jay walked on the stage, observed the Beatlemania first hand on stage and said, “How did you know we were going to be here?” The place broke up laughing.
Have played everywhere. “It’s not always as easy as that,” said Sandy Deane. “Audiences are different everywhere. I guess we’ve played to all types of crowds. Clubs, one-nighters, colleges. You name ’em and we’ve played ’em. We’ve appeared in clubs where the audience has been so drunk they didn’t even know we were on. We feel like standing there and not singing a note.
“Talking to Jay and the Americans, you get the feeling that you’ve been thrown into a punch line game with five comedians. This is an image that doesn’t need developing. If anything, they prefer to play it down, even though the comedy bit comes in handy during their act.
“We’ve had three big record hits,” said Jay. “We’d like to be more consistent. We’ve been together for two years. We’ve had good and not so good experiences. Right now, life is pretty good.”But who are we? I mean, people buy our records and we make personal appearances but we haven’t yet reached the stage where we’re immediately identifiable.
College dates tops. “The one direction which we’re serious about – apart from upwards – is colleges. We like playing college dates best. Maybe it’s because we look a little like University freshmen.” (The boys wear turtle neck sweaters and bright-red cardigans on stage).
“When we do a college concert we feel at home, and we also get the feeling that the rest of the audience is able to identify themselves with us. This is a great field with a terrific future.”
Look at the Lettermen. They play colleges for about nine months out of every year. Only there’s one difference. Their music isn’t the same as ours, and we can’t afford to ignore the commercial market.”
A different sound. “In choosing material, we always look for something a little different. If you remember, all three of our hits have had a different sound. Good songs too, if we have to say so ourselves.
“Wesley Farrell wrote, ‘Come A Little Bit Closer’. Right up until the time of release, we didn’t know whether it was going to be the topside or not. People told us it was going to be a smash. We didn’t believe them until it happened. What’s the point of having false illusions.“
Our next record is a real groove. It’s called “Let’s Lock The Door (And Throw Away The Key)”. For our own career we hope it’s a hit. That’s been the one thing lacking. A follow up hit.
Won’t follow trends. “We don’t follow trends in music we prefer to create for ourselves, and then we don’t get stuck when the band wagon has been rundown. We’re not always right, but at least we can’t be accused of being copyists.”
One person who is leading Jay and the Americans in the right direction is their co-manager, Vic Catela of Concerts Incorporated who they dig. “We leave everything in his hands,” says Jay. “He’s so great. We’d love to have him on the road with us, but we’d be so impossible to control he’d probably resign. That would be no good.
“Someone’s just started a fan club for us. They’re running a contest. The two winners get to spend an evening with us. Hope they don’t get disillusioned when they meet us. Probably think we’re some kinda nuts or something.” END
_______________
Information, credit and news source: Music Business; December 5, 1964
_______________
Note: Americans’ frontman Jay Black passed away on October 22, 2021. He was 82. For his obituary, published in NPR.org please go HERE
CJSP 710 FASCINATIN’ FIFTY! NOVEMBER 26, 1962
_______________
Heard in the United States, Detroit, Michigan, CJSP was a Canadian station situated on the AM dial at 710 KHZ. The station was owned by Sun Parlour Broadcasting. A daytimer, the CJSP studios was located across the Detroit River in Leamington, Ontario. In 1962, CJSP was a Top 40 station when the featured Fascinatin’ 50 chart went to print, 58 years ago, this week.
CJSP signed on in March 1955. The station’s call letters was retained for 12 years until September 1967, when the CRTC (Canadian Radio Television Commission) approved the station’s request to change its calls to CHYR. The daytimer’s new calls letters also adopted a new station moniker, C-H-Y-R, popularly referenced by the late 1960s as, ‘CHEER Radio’.
By late 1967, the station had the distinction having operated under two licenses, in the daytime it was CHYR and during the night-time hours it switched over to CHIR. Sometime in 1974, the calls letters were re-amended and became CHYR-7 during the station’s broadcasting night-time hours.
_______________
Information source: CHYR CJSP; Wikipedia
The above CJSP chart was digitally restored by Motor City Radio Flashbacks
— ACKNOWLEDGEMENT —
_______________
NEW! A special THANK YOU to Ray Tessier, of Allen Park, MI., for contributing this rare CJSP chart with Motor City Radio Flashbacks.
From the Ray Tessier Collection . . . more CJSP charts to come!
** A MCRFB VIEWING TIP **
ON YOUR PC? To fully appreciate this CJSP Fascinatin’ 50 chart for the week of November 26, 1962 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 image. Open to second window. “Stretch” chart image across your device screen to magnify for larger print view.
A SPECIAL TRIBUTE: REMEMBERING CKLW’S ROSALIE TROMBLEY
_______________
A special THANK YOU to Scott Westerman for providing Motor City Radio Flashbacks his featured Vimeo video tribute to Rosalie Trombley.
This special ‘Rock and Roll Revisited’ segment was created and was produced by Scott Westerman.
_______________
DETROIT WXYZ RADIO SOUND BYTE: DON ZEE, NOVEMBER 28, 1963
A special THANK YOU to our senior site contributor Greg Innis of Livonia, MI., for recently providing this rare WXYZ Don Zee Detroit radio audio memory to our Motor City Radio Flashbacks aircheck repository.
ROSALIE TROMBLEY: CKLW LEGENDARY HIT-MAKER DIES AT 82
_______________
Dalson Chen | November 24, 2021
Rosalie Trombley — a Windsor radio figure whose influence reverberated across the region and beyond — has passed away at the age of 82.
A pioneer in music radio broadcasting from the days when CKLW was known as The Big 8, Trombley died peacefully on Nov. 23, according to her loved ones.
Through her programming choices, Trombley has been credited with jump starting the music careers of The Guess Who, Bob Seger, Bachman-Turner Overdrive, Gordon Lightfoot, Kiss, Alice Cooper, and many more.
_______________
Courtesy The Windsor Star. Complete article published in The Windsor Star, November 24, 2021
_______________
For the rest of this published Windsor Star Obituary please go HERE
_______________
Motor City Radio Flashbacks extends our heartfelt condolences to the entire Trombley family, her friends, to CKLW, and to her fans everywhere.
THIS WEEK, 1964: THE HOTTEST RECORD SINGLE IN THE U.S.A.!
— NUMBER ONE 1964 —
_______________
TWELVE WEEKS overall on the singles pop charts, “Leader Of The Pack” by The Shangri-las peaked this week at #1 (1 week) on the Billboard Hot 100. Beginning November 22 through week ending, November 28, 1964. (Source: Billboard)
For our previous Billboard 1964 Number One U.S.A. Hits go HERE
_______________
DETROIT RADIO MOURNS PASSING OF JOHN O’ LEARY, WABX ‘AIR ACE’
_______________
John O’ Leary. There was no equal.
No words can fully express how much John has meant to Detroit radio, he was loved by his fans and admirably respected by his peers. The name would become as synonymous as WABX.
For the name itself would come to be a special radio brand. To a (X99) generation from long ago, he left an indelible broadcasting imprint that will be remembered always. And never having heard on Detroit radio ever since.
_______________
WABX Aces Chuck Santoni, Jerry Lubin, John O’Leary, Karen Savelly.
_______________
In paying homage to his dear friend, another Detroit radio legend, Jim Harper beautifully worded John’s passing this morning. We share his heart-felt sentiments, here, today —
_______________
Detroit Radio has given up another Legend, to that big station in Heaven.
John O’Leary, one of the original WABX Air Aces, and longtime Detroit DJ has passed away.
The only thing John loved more than being on The Radio was connecting with Detroit listeners like you. He played Rock tunes for many years on a variety of stations, most recently WCSX. He had tremendous talent and was one of the nicest guys I ever worked with.
You won’t find anyone in our business with a bad thing to say about him…he truly was one of the last Peace, Love and Rock Roll DJs around.
We would talk from time to time over the past couple of years. He was always thinking of others and was crushed when his Friend and mentor, WABX ace-legend Jerry Lubin passed away not too long ago.
Here’s an example of the kind of message I would get from John:
_______________
“Thinking about you, Jim. I hope you and yours are healthy and I’m telling you man every time I post that picture the comments goes off the chart! You left your mark with tons of people and I guess after we’re gone that’s all we can hope for!
Stay healthy and all the best to you and yours.”
— John
_______________
You certainly left YOUR mark, Johnny.
I will try for the rest of my Life to be as kind as you were.
Rest in Peace.
Love you, Man.
Jim Harper (Facebook; November 22, 2021)
_______________
_______________
Motor City Radio Flashbacks expresses heartfelt condolences to the entire O’ Leary Family, his friends, and to his fans everywhere.
‘Godspeed, John O’ Leary. Take up your wings and soar high’
RECORD WORLD | TAMI SHOW WHAMMY! . . . NOVEMBER 21, 1964
A Record World ‘Special Event’ Review
NEW YORK — The teen record star cause will get a tremendous shot in its frugging arm along about Christmas when the second Electronovision “special event,” the Teen-Age Music International Show “Teenage Command Performance,” is exhibited for limited two-day, four performance runs (between Dec. 19 and Jan.3) throughout the country and around the world.
The reason is that the outing – a showcase for 12 slick and youthful acts – is a sensation. And some of the pay-offs should be upping record sales and wider acceptance of teen entertainers on the nightclub and TV circuit. There is even the possibility of a cast album to be peddled in theaters where the show is run (see below).
The two-hour entertainment, in format and execution best described as a phantasmagorical “Shindig” segment, was premiered to the press last week and to lucky audiences in 33 Los Angeles-area theaters Nov. 14.
James Brown Scores
The acts, highlighted by a stupendous James Brown turn, are emceed by the fey and funny Liberty team, Jan and Dean.
Strutting their stuff in addition to these guys are the high priest of the current popular beat, Chess’ Chuck Berry; and Laurie’s Gerry and the Pacemakers, Tamla’s The Miracles and Marvin Gaye, Mercury’s Lesley Gore, Capitol’s Beach Boys, Imperial’s Billy J.Kramer and the Dakotas, Motown’s Supremes, London’s Rolling Stones and Joy’s Barbarians.
Each singer(s) and/or instrumentalist(s), with one exception, sings three or four of his (their) hit singles and some of the folks introduce new numbers.
A scantily clad chorus line of well-shaped gals with their motors running provide almost non-stop backdrop activity.
The show, filmed in black and white, is pitched, of course, at teen-agers, but adults in attendance will be impressed by the professional sheen with which most of the acts perform. The Supremes – each a sinuous satin doll – should be able to expand their outlets. Marvin Gaye, Gerry and the Pacemakers – well, just about everyone, under the direction of Steve Binder – show their ability to keep audiences rapt on a high level. Oldsters may gripe at material, but rarely at presentation.
And, as mentioned above, Smash’s James Brown is a standout. Brown has raised caterwauling and camp to a fine art. His stint consists of dancing, playing, shouting and ingenious emotional ploys. Aided by his Terrific Flames, who comfort him like a concerned family, he goes through the pangs of unrequited love and unbounded gaiety. The songster has no end of energy and the audience is exhausted many “Please, Please, Please’s” before he is. His footage is truly unique. It’ll be remembered and well talked about.
The Electronovision process seems extremely well suited to this kind of entertainment. Filming is done before a live audience during a regular performance. A number of cameras are set up around the stage and manipulated much like television cameras. There is heavy and effective use of vaselined lensing, superimposition and tight close-ups.
Electronovision’s producers refuse to call the completed product a film or movie in the usual sense. Instead, they have coined the “special event” tag and liken this presentation, their first presentation (Richard Burton’s “Hamlet”) and all subsequent presentations to closed circuit live shows. They plan no less than 12 releases annually. And another Teenage demand performance can be expected. (“Hamlet” is to be entered in the motion picture Oscar race).
Album Plans
William Sargent Jr., president of Electronovision, Inc. and executive producer of ‘The T-A-M-I Show,’ told reporters at the press screening that there are plans afoot to put together an album, containing the new material in the show, but that little direct negotiation with the parent companies has commenced. He pointed out that “there are almost as many labels as artists represented.”
This suggests that contract dickering could be fairly extensive. The shows will be booked at odd hours so as not to conflict with regular film showings at the exhibiting houses. The first show will precede, in all instances, the first showing of a house’s feature. And the second showing will take the form of a midnight show.
The 3000 or so prints of “TACP” (Teen Age Command Performance) will be pulled from circulation after Jan. 3, never to be shown again. It may be stated, however, that teens would probably begin to find the show dated if it were to be put into normal distribution since the songs will have faded from widespread popularity following pop patterns. END
_______________
Information, credit and news source: RECORD WORLD; Nov. 21, 1964
THE RIFF: CELEBRATING 101 WRIF! 50 YEARS ROCKIN’ THE MOTOR CITY
_______________
In celebration of WRIF’s 50th year, Motor City Radio Flashbacks is featuring today station’s videos in commemoration of the birth of this legendary Detroit rock station — 101 WRIF — the home of rock ‘n’ roll. Stay tuned here, more to come!
_______________
A special THANK YOU to site contributor Vaughn Baskin for recently sharing these WRIF videos with Motor City Radio Flashbacks 🙂
