And WXYZ had the most popular disk jockey in all of Detroit during that time both radio and TV Ed McKenzie. CLOSED NOW. and turned CKLW into the BIG 8. Our drummer would call Joel Sabastian etc. In April, Alan also brought back the Detroit Sound Surveys for record retail outlets scattered throughout the Detroit metro area, highlighting the best in top 40 music WXYZ could offer from Broadcast House. All of DJs were a pleasure to work with. dave@dptv.org Peter Whorf 10a to 3p, weekdays Peter Whorf came home to Detroit in 2019 when he joined WRCJ as host of Midday Music. Even ex-Detroit Tiger Denny McLain, whom you may recall once hosted a successful morning-drive talk show on WXYT-AM, has RSVPd. She also delivers traffic and weather for theFrank Beckmann Showeach day. My schoolmate and I often remember rushing home to his upstairs console radio to hear our favorite DJ. Paul Winter was one other big name on WXYZ, I believe he followed Fred Wolf. Share. Am I wrong or just losing it ?p. January 18, 2023 ~ Grover M. Hermann Center for the Federal Budget at The Heritage Foundation Policy Analyst David Ditch, talks with Kevin about the financial state of families in America. Management, the entire radio staff and Lee Alan, now as program director were convinced the right formula was now in place moving forward for 1966. Yes! January 18, 2023 ~ 760 WJRs Jeff Sloan tells Paul W. as the inflation numbers come down small businesses will need to adjust to continue to make money. Gibb was a teacher in Dearborn Public Schools for many years. Hi Henry, thank you for your WXYZ comments. The show broadcasts live on Saturdays from 2p-4p EST on AM 1200 WCHB and 99.9 FM Detroit. Interesting to note that had we not hired Martin and Howard I never would have known Specs Howard. Website. He came from WCAR the low rated good music station and was able to convince ABC to concede. He had a show on Detroits WXYZ doing human interest stories during the 1940s and also did some voice acting work on radio in the 1950s. The same article mentions what it believed to be the salaries of select Detroit (then)-leading media personalities: Dick Purtan $5M, Drew & Mike $2M each, Chuck Gaidica, $1.2M, Carmen Harlan $1M+, John Mason $1M. Hello Legend has it Berry Gordy used to bring a Motorola car speaker into the Hitsville, U.S.A. studios so the Motown Records releases he was mixing would play especially fine over a dashboard radio. been many years,but I thought Don Zees theme song was an Detroit, MI 48202. Even ex-Detroit Tiger Denny McLain, whom you may recall. Wolf, never one for the new limitations or restrictions, had been with the station since the early 50s. He was 82. , Where is John E. Smooth Edwards? Besides being an on-air personality, Kasem was a voice actor for Shaggy in Scooby-Doo and was a narrator for NBCs national promotional announcements from 1977 to 1981. We knew when the dance was over when Lee played Since I Fell For You by Lenny Welch. 100.3 WNIC is the most listened-to station in Detroit, Michigan. WJR News Director Dick Haefner is one of the most recognizable news voices in Detroit. "We all admire him, appreciate him, and want to pay respect to someone who has had great variety in his life but stayed in one market. But Lee Alan, onetime star at WXYZ-AM and longtime local media production owner now living in Florida, pushed to have the event moved up and opened to the public. 11-2; Dave Prince, 2-6; Lee Alan, 7:15-10; Here listed below is the ABC network programming line-up on WXYZ for a typical broadcast day, according to, By then Steve Lundy headed out west to another ABC-owned station, in San Francisco. It was expected of us. It was a small station. The station was then sold in 1930 to the Kunsky-Trendle Broadcasting Company who changed the calls to WXYZ. to Don Zee almost every night for awhile before going to bed.It has 7 . Remember Nights with Alice Cooper? Soon to be 80 and very young at heart. It has all those voices in it for all to hear again. Tom hosted various shifts at the station with his last being mornings at the station, leaving in late 1960 or early 61. Wagner, whose vast music knowledge and wry sense of humor are familiar to classical music fans from his 17 years at WQRS-FM in Detroit, is program director and music host for 90.9 FM. Thankyou! Required fields are marked *, A LOOK BACK INTO WHAT MADE THIS STATION GREAT, as one of the most storied and oldest broadcasting institution in Detroit or for that matter, the entire country. Active on Twitter, Calvert provides the history of rock n roll and the influence it still has today. Thank again, Dave, sharing with us precious memories you having shared. Tom's career in radio spanned more than four decades. Past reunions have attracted hundreds of airwave idols from Detroit's storied past. A Detroit radio legend. But ABC kept it there because they had national sponsors that bought in and were promised all the top 10 markets. Driving myself crazy!! (AP Photo/File). Martin and Howard was in, Joe Bacarella was the new program director and WXYZ was officially Sound Of The Good Life.. Living near Traverse City, Michigan. From disc jockey to owner of the Grande Ballroom, Gibb had a strong influence on what music was performed in Detroit. Others remained. WGHP was once a charter member (of 16 stations) that aired the first CBS Radio Network program in 1927. Photographs by Beth Hoxie By Hour Detroit - September 27, 2010 Facebook Comments Previous article Radio personalities are very popular and the success of a radio channel is largely dependent upon the popularity of the radio personality who host its programs. Copyright 2020 Cumulus Media / Cumulus Media is an equal opportunity employer / AA. My sister married one of the members from the group. It brings back great memories! was in search of its own identity with ideas for newer audience appeal. Moving into the new year in 1966, more changes were in the wind for WXYZ. The stations playlist now comprised mostly the nations most popular records from the Billboard charts, and by 1962 WXYZ was center stage of what was happening in and around town. Then For A Short TimeMorning ManTill The Drake Format Arrived. Now holding a 29% share, a year earlier they held a higher 34% in 1965. Skeletons in my closet? During his career, Calvert was the public address announcer for the Detroit Pistons during the Bad Boys era. Mojo, Spike and Shannon are the main personalities of the morning show that established legacy segments like War of the Roses and the various Phone Scams. Music News Kevin Gates Details X-Rated Kink: 'That's Beautiful' Jan 14, 2023 Music News January 8, 2023 ~ Chuck The Inside Guy BreidensteinandKen The Outside Guy Calverly offer the knowledge and resources you need to make the home of your dreams a reality. According to the Billboard trade publication dated. Jason Scott, previously an afternoon anchor, has been promoted to morning drive and will co-anchor with Roberta Jasina from 5 a.m. to 10 a.m. on weekdays. In 2010, Towers landed with WNIC and has been on air with the Jay Towers in the Morning show. According to the, The creator of one of the longest classical programs in broadcast history, according to the, Starting his radio career in the Motor City in the early 60s, Perkins served in many positions at WGPR, an all-jazz radio station. WWJ, known as "Newsradio 950," is an AM radio station broadcast throughout most of lower Michigan from a 50,000-watt transmitter in Newport, Monroe County, Michigan. I read your posting and was moved by your remembrances of Club 1270 and the Casino. Thank goodness I have most of those memorable shows on tape! Detroit Country Music Station - WYCD-FM | 99.5 FM WYCD Win A Trip To A "Totally Private" Dan + Shay Performance News Eric Church is bringing his summer tour outside: 'See you in the season of sunshine' News Nile Rodgers, Kieran Hebden, Philip Selway detail touring experience for new book surrounding mental health News News News Podcasts Rob + Holly the scene was set for the end. My sister was also on the show as was the members of the Shades of Blue who had the record OH HOW HAPPY in 1966. He passed away in early 2018. "This was the way the Motown sound really started to happen on the show. Special programming: Don McNeill Breakfast Club 10-10:55 a.m. M-F. Lou Gordon Comments, 2-minute commentary, 6:25, 9:25 a.m., 12:05 p.m. M-W-F. Call Board-Dick Osgood, drama-critic with interviews, 9:30-10 a.m. Sun. If you dont listen to the radio but are on TikTok, you may recognize Bru. Towers has been in the Detroit market since 1999. According to the Detroit Historical Society, the on-air personality American Top 40 program was broadcasted on over 1,000 stations across the nation in the late 80s. His tenure is, Gene Fogel s illustrious career at WJR began in 1971. After working at WJLB, The Love Bug relocated to Washington D.C. A man with many talents, Simpson began his television career in the early 80s. Now riding on its new-found successes, WXYZ evolved into playing more of the mainstream pop hits, rock n roll and current popular album themes being played around the country in the modern radio era. The estimated total pay for a Radio Personality is $49,907 per year in the Detroit, MI area, with an average salary of $46,603 per year. When first starting out in Detroit, the personality hosted Jay Towers and the Morning Revolution for six years. Relive many of the classic 60s WXYZ Detroit Sound (some 40-plus total!) Did it against WKNR just the way we could of. Eighty seven-years ago, according to Wikipedia, the station spawn birth in the Detroit area under the calls WGHP on October 10, 1925. Reply to me adeernest@umich.edu Hes most known for his on the street reports not to mention his tweets at #KRonJR Ken Rogulski is a news anchor and reporter for WJR. He might have been the DJ doing the sign-off at the time with the song you had mentioned. Now heading forward well into the early 1960s, the 1270 top 40 notables would comprise of great air names as Fred Wolf; Joel Sabastian; Paul Winter; Steve Lundy; Don Zee; Fred Weiss; Dave Prince and Lee Alan. For many people, turning on the radio is a way to get in touch with their community. Radio 1270 became the hottest commodity on the radio dial for local music venues and dance entertainment. during the battle for ratings in 1966, Alan stated. Fred Wolf was doing a special broadcast on the following Saturday morning at a shopping center in Royal Oak, at the intersection of 13 Mile Road and Woodward Ave. iHeartMedia Detroit's - Doers In The D. Latest Stories. Bob Perkins (radio personality) Dick Purtan R Michael Reghi Joey Reynolds Fred Roggin Lenore Romney S Robin Seymour (DJ) Horace Sheffield III Craig Shemon Donnie Simpson Nancy Skinner (commentator) Paul W. Smith Martha Jean Steinberg Mike Stone (radio personality) T Gene Taylor (TV and radio personality) Ty Tyson W Mike Wallace JoAnn Watson Music has been an influence in Simpsons life from a young age. Programs such asWild Bill Hickok, Supermanand The Cisco Kid. It's just going to rub off on everybody who comes.". Is he still around? . Jim McFarlin, former media and entertainment critic for the Metro Times and The Detroit News, is an award-winning journalist whose work has appeared in People, USA Today, Black Enterprise, HOUR Detroit, and many other publications. The Lone Ranger was still the big show on Thursday nights. WXYZ was in fact the legend of which you speak. March 13, 2020, 3:58 PM . I will soon be releasing the Audio Book version of my book, Turn Your Radio On. He also seemed to stay away from the oldies from his era. Slagle initially came over to Detroit (WXYZ) from Cleveland in 1935. in our Aircheck Library, here. Catch them every Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. to noon on 760 WJR. January 18, 2023 ~ Grover M. Hermann Center for the Federal Budget at The Heritage Foundation Policy Analyst David Ditch, talks with Kevin about the financial state of families in America. In 1964 and 1965 my future wife and I were both dancers on Club 1270. FILE - In this April 27, 1981 file photo, Casey Kasem and his wife Jean smile as he receives his own "Star" on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in Los Angeles. By late-summer 1965, the veteran morning-broadcaster Fred Wolf left WXYZ for retirement. His latest book, The Booster, about the decline and fall of U-Ms Fab Five, is Disc jockey Robin Seymour featured numerous Motown artists on his TV show, Courtesy of The Last Great Detroit Radio Reunion. . Earlier on, these entertaining WXYZ radio programmings were heard on many stations through the Mutual group across the U. S. and Canada. Thanks to Cinema Lamont, a trio of Assayass films comes this month to Hamtramck. Still at second overall in 1966, 3 of the CKLW share percentage points went to WKNR, who gained at 47 from a 44 previous. A least two of us had been approached by WKNR to leave WXYZ and join them with their plans which they outlined to us in detail. So Thank you for remembering ! Bob Wojnowski (@bobwojnowski) August 2, 2020 2 - Jamie was all goodness and kindness, the sharpest wit and the greatest laugh. The added new voices on 1270 became the newest household names. Gwen. Recently Lepidi won a Gracie Award for her interviews with artists such as Justin Bieber, Billie Eilish, Adele and many others. We attended Eastern High School (Mack & E. Grand Blvd.) Bob Wojnowski (@bobwojnowski) August 2, 2020 Lee Alan would always ask the regulars from the show to attend the dances at the Walled Lake Casino on Saturday nights where he was the DJ. Happy to say, as of today, Sunday, September 15, 2019 I (and as moderator/administrator for the site) I viewed today the site stats in the dashboard panel for this WXYZ thread and WordPress Jetpack showed this article has had 6,019 hits since tabulating this post beginning in 2016. Jason Scott and Roberta Jasina (5am -10am) Brooke Allen (10am - 2 pm) Tony Ortiz and Jackie Paige (2pm - 7pm) Audacy announced the lineup changes Effective immediately, WWJ Newsradio 950 in Detroit has a new daily lineup. He started out doing sports before he branched into talk radio. The early 40s were magic. A Southfield High School graduate, the former WDRQ radio personality learned his skills at his high school radio station. For many at the station it only served as reminder who it was who still owned the station. Currently can be heard across Michigan and Ohio out of Detroit, Grand Rapids and Toledo. In 2018, he lost his wife of 60 years, Gail, after her more than 20-year battle with ovarian and breast cancer and. WONDERFUL, WONDERFUL MEMORIES. The Lone Ranger, all local creations that had me glued to the receiver. The ABC-owned station now found itself heavily competing against WKNR and CKLW for a greater market share they once dominated in recent years. He did radio for 25 years in Detroit, and he kept adding friends along the way, as he built a fantastic reputation. These historic radio broadcasts were produced locally from the stations annex-studios, located at the former Mendelson building on East Jefferson Avenue in Detroit. Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for Vintage 2005 Dick Purtan WOMC Detroit Radio Personality Bobble Head Collectible at the best online prices at eBay! Van Douglas was Detroit's first black radio star. By years end, WXYZ was now a slight 24 from the previous 22% they held in 1965. According to the Detroit Historical Society, the station was founded by the Scripps family, which founded the Detroit News. By this time WXYZ radio had begun its fierce battle going full force head-to-head for top ratings going against Detroits top-rated WJBK 1500. The following week I listened to him until I ran out of signal just this side of Des Moines, Iowa. According to his, An icon for Detroit rock radio, Calvert served the Motor City airwaves for over 40 years. Calvert got his start in the early 70s at WWWW. A Detroit household name. Ill never forget new DJ Weird Beard coming on the dance show for the first time and being out of control wild. Henry, I never know where Im going to run into you next. NJ/PA/WV/IN/IA/CO/TN/MI/VA only. The end of an era. Includes exclusive interviews, celebrity gossip, and much more. Fact is that changing the format was the specific move that insured the failure of Martin and Howard. Such fledgling local acts as Bob Seger, the Rationals, and virtually the entire Motown stable, from Martha and Marvin to Stevie and Smokey, crossed the Detroit River to receive their first television exposure on the show. Such latter-day legends as Jim "J.J." Johnson, Doug Podell, Allan Wilson, and Frank Beckmann are expected to make an appearance as well. Lepidis personality on and off air is as colorful as her hair. First showCheech & Chong Royal Oak Music Theater. WNIC . and on the television side Club 1270 was gaining Detroit audience popularity asJoel SabastianandLee Alanintroduced the hottest WIXIE hits on WXYZ-TV. I just posted one of his WXYZ October 10, 1966 Detroit Sound Survey charts he kindly provided to us in 2013. Former Detroit radio personality set to join KICKS. Over the years he has won a prestigious Peabody Award for uncovering corruption in Detroit Federal Bankruptcy Court, and aired a series of reports on faulty bite mark evidence which lead to the freeing of two men who had been serving life prison terms in, Ken Rogulski is a news anchor and reporter for WJR. . History Radio Personalities Active or From Detroit By the early 1950s, ABC and WXYZ brought out the best in quality programming in Detroit on the TV dial. 1 in the ratings, they became a heavy influence for record sales in Detroit. I was a young teen when WXYZ was the top station. Anyways, it has been great going down memory lane. Besides radio and music promotion, Gibb also hosted his own TV show Russ Gibb at Random which was aired locally. The Chicago staple and former Southfield resident passed away in 2016. Its studios are in the former Panasonic building in Southfield, Michigan. From Business: 96.3 WDVD-FM is an adult contemporary-formatted radio station in Detroit. 1 in the ratings, they became a heavy influence for record sales in Detroit. Cumulus Media News/Talk 760 WJR Detroit has announced multiple staff additions made over the past several months as it completes its lineup restructuring.. The artists had an opportunity to perform where people could see them, and that's where it all started to happen. Immediately after the war years, in 1946, the station was sold and was purchased by the American Broadcasting Network in New York. THE LATEST FROM MARIE OSBORNE BACK TO HOSTS PAGE >>>, WJR News Director Dick Haefneris one of the most recognizable news voices in Detroit. I remember the Christmas party of 1966, Dave Prince jump into a snow bank, and for some reason the phrase Turkey Lurkey came about. The man who wore many hats in the Detroit music business. There are so many talented DJs who have made their mark in Detroit. There was the legendary broadcasts from the, By early 1963, after coming on board the ABC-owned and operated station in February the previous year, Lee Alan, with the, was by then pulling in a phenomenal 40 per cent share of the Detroit audience during the early evening and night time hours, according to a 1963, of the Top 40 business. Thank you, Chuck. They found that voice in Marc Avery. Joey, THANK-YOU for your service to the USA! Growing up in Dearborn, Gibb went to Fordson High School where he later taught at. BIRMINGHAM (CBS RADIO) - The mysterious personality behind the late-night 'Pillow Talk' radio music show has died. Absolutely loved Lees personality, voice and humor in the early 60s. 1-844-BUY-RADIO; 100.3 WNIC Detroit's Variety - 80's 90's & Today Kristina. No. The WIXIE drive was gearing forward with their biggest run against the competition in the Detroit top 40 market. What does the letter say? By early 1963, after coming on board the ABC-owned and operated station in February the previous year, Lee Alan, with the Lee Alan Show was by then pulling in a phenomenal 40 per cent share of the Detroit audience during the early evening and night time hours, according to a 1963 Hooper radio survey. But on the side, there was still glimmers of hope. at times found themselves into a virtual ratings tie vying for the top 40 title on the dial, seemingly, with no end in sight. Thanks! Programs such as, Still prime on WXYZ radio since coming back to Detroit from New York in 1947 was, initially came over to Detroit (WXYZ) from Cleveland in 1935. In a group of items I won at an auction there was an unused round sticker for the WXYZ 1270 Batman Club. But by the mid-50s WXYZ was in search of its own identity with ideas for newer audience appeal. Persistence paid! It broadcasts a variety of entertainment and music programs. What ever happened to Dale Conquest I would like to send him an e-mail. and throw in the towel. Motor City Radio Flashbacks. By then WXYZ radio held down a huge Detroit audience over the competition for market share. Where can I buy Lee Alans book, Turn Your Radio On!? Beckmann spent 48 years behind the microphone as the constant voice from the golden tower of the Fisher Building. When WXYZ insisted that I recommend hiring Martin & Howard we all knew that with the size of that investment at stake the station would back off and drop the mainstream audience format we had going. He did Sunday night segway on Mix 92.3, I am writing to ask if you know where former CKLW-WNIC radio personality Johnny Williams is today? Listen to the all-new WOMC for Detroit's Classic Hits! HEY BRUCELAVOIE IT WAS LEE ALAN(ON THE HORN) CREAM OF THE CROP UNTIL 12 OCLOCK YOU LEFT OUT THE IMPORTANT WORD ON(THE HORN) HAVE SOME OF HIS OLD ON THE AIR SHOWS IN MY OLDIES COLLECTION INTERESTED THANKS, MICHAEL, __ TRIBUTE to a FRIEND __Sorry to say it took SEVEN YEARS for me to hear of the passing of a Detroit radio legend on June 23rd, 2010 in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Fall in Love with Gervasi Vineyard Resort and Spa: Big Changes Coming to Westin Book Cadillac Detroit. It was a fun time. Watch CBS Detroit Weekdays at 4 p.m. "Jim Johnson is one of the most well-known radio personalities in Detroit, with . Management, the entire radio staff and Lee Alan, now as program director were convinced the right formula was now in place moving forward for 1966. I cant recall the DJs name, but every night at either 11:00pm or midnight [Im not sure of the time see what happens when you get old :-)] he would end his show by playing the song You Belong to Me and give a few words of wisdom as the song played. He was hired with the hopes in retaining the older Wolf audience, while at the same time appeal to a younger audience being drawn to the New Radio 13 popularity on the radio dial. Tom hosted various shifts at the station with his last being mornings at the station, leaving in late 1960 or early 61. Cool to have Lee still knocking around. If memory serves, Bob Beasley and I were fired the same day at WEXL by way of a memo at the end of our shifts in the commercial live copy note book. In 1995, Banks shows were starting to be syndicated. Channel 955 is the #1 Top 40 radio station in Detroit, MI, serving all of Southeast Michigan. The goal of the committee is to organize current and former radio station personnel to better preserve the history of Detroit radio and, perhaps, improve the health of Detroit radio now and into the future. Dick has been an award-winning newscaster, reporter, and news director at five stations. Another page in Detroit radio history had been turned. Detroit radio was special, as were the personalities. Four previous reunions of current and former radio personalities have been held here since 1988, but they were largely social occasions for disc jockeys to get together, swap industry war stories, and tell each other they've never looked better. AUGUST 14, 1961, Detroit Radio: 1963 JFK Assassination Coverage, MOTOWN 60s SNAPSHOT MEMORIES: GLADYS KNIGHT, IT WAS DECEMBER 1967: WHEN WE LOST OTIS REDDING, A WXYZ 50S DETROIT RADIO LEGEND: MICKEY SHORR, WKNR TOP 31 DETROIT KEENER HITS: THIS WEEK 06/1968, RECORD WORLD | THE TOP COUNTRY SINGLES and TOP COUNTRY LPs: JANUARY 1966, RECORD WORLD | 100 TOP POPS and 100 TOP LPs: JANUARY 15, 1966, RECORD WORLD | DOZIER, HOLLANDS: THEYRE THE TOP . Saturday's affair, for the first time, will be open to the public and feature live and video presentations, Q&A sessions, and book signings. I have been remembering back to when I was working at WXYZ radio in 1966 til May 1967. (Burlingham) passed away February 27. Odds/lines subject to change. and ask do you need a live band somewhere? "If you grew up here you can't help it. At the station, there were those who were beginning to feel their efforts moving forward for a larger audience share was by now, possibly, being hampered by all the network programming fed into the Detroit affiliate out of New York. 1 pick for the mid-morning time-slot over Robin Seymour at WKNR, according to Billboards Radio Response Ratings in the same July 17, 1965 issue. Hes most known for his on the street reports not to mention his tweets at #KRonJR #kronjr, WJR News Reporter Dayna Clark is delighted to be back home on the Great Voice of the Great Lakes every weekday morning as part the of thePaul W. Smith Showteam. Was he released after the sexual harassment accusation? When I was in Junior High School, I went to a Friday night football game at Birmingham High School. The first radio station in Detroit went on air Aug. 20, 1920. . 21+. . Music, news, in-depth conversations, and laughs are what you hear while listening to the "Mason and CoCo In The Morning . Especially touched by your mention of your wifeand her passing. ONE of radio's latest novelties is the daily program by The Detroit Times. It was always a great ending for his show. After graduating from the University of Michigan, Banks built up his portfolio in Los Angeles, Las Vegas and San Francisco. Honored by the PBA NBA and NFL Hall Of Fame he deserves to be an immortal sportscaster! Now with new alternative moves towards capturing better ratings in the market, much of the old ABC network programming was being replaced while diverting some attention to the music of the times. I believe the first televised performance of My Girl by The Temptations was done on our show. The stations playlist now comprised mostly the nations most popular records from the Billboard charts, and by 1962 WXYZ was center stage of what was happening in and around town. Blakes Orchard and Cider Mill hosts new event with tropical drinks, ice sculptures, and barbecue, Limp Bizkits Wes Borland sues ex-wife for saying he kicked her out of Detroit home. My compliments to Jim Feliciano and the MCRFB staff for this terrific site. Lepidi made her way up the Detroit Top 40 radio ladder after her full time start at 98.7 Amp radio in 2015. His last on air work was for a small radio station in Marysville, Oh. It had no color line. A true lover of the oldies, BOTH of these guys will be remembered and MISSED! Send 4 copies of 45s and 2 copies of LPs to program director Bruce Still, 20777 W. Ten Mile Rd., Detroit, Michigan 48219. (WDIV) Editor's note: If you grew up in the Detroit area in the 1980s, you probably remember "Count Scary," a character played by Detroit radio personality Tom Ryan, who appeared on. National News Former 'American Idol' Contestant C.J. Hi Dave, thank you so much for sharing your wonderful WXYZ 1270 radio memories! He died in a traffic accident on his way to work in 88. Subscribe now to get the latest news delivered right to your inbox. Marie and Ed. We told Chuck what was going to happen, but he and many others were convinced that nothing could ever topple the historic WXYZ. The WXYZ line-up in late 1965 consisted of some of the greatest radio voices heard on Detroit radio during that time. The format was changed. In early April, 97.1 The Ticket personalities Dennis Fithian and Ryan Wooley revealed on Twitter that they had been cut from the station because of financial reasons. However, the man of the moment by far, the one Detroit media immortal even the reunion's other attendees want to see, is guest of honor Robin Seymour, the rock 'n roll pioneer on WKMH and CKLW radio and originator of the storied local TV series Swingin' Time. Eighty seven-years ago, according to, the station spawn birth in the Detroit area under the calls, WGHP was once a charter member (of 16 stations) that aired the first, program in 1927. My brother, Jim Heddle, who frequently went by Big Jim Edwards on air, worked at various radio stations in Ann Arbor, Ypsilanti, Flint, Battle Creek, Kalamazoo, Grand Rapids, Tucson, Arizona, and quite possibly I have left some out since I did not have his photographic memory re: Oldies rock &roll among other topics. The name itself would come to be one of the most popular and recognized names ever in 60s Detroit radio history. Also he brought Nelson Burton Jr. and Cathy Rigby to ABC and worked with them until CBS snagged him in 1982 where he stayed until 1989. But it was just before he started at WWJ. Brubaker worked in the Detroit market for a couple of years and was heard on WDVD and WDRQ. Lee Alan also had written, composed and produced the music for the new Personality-Plus jingles package (click highlighted reference for audio) for the stations new sound for 1966. In July 1967, Tom was stationed downtown with his Michigan Air National Guard unit. The on-air personality can also be heard nationally and locally on the Church of Lazlo show. As we rode in my car he gave the dedication saying, Diane this song is from Dave to you and he says he really loves you. It was really great! Over on the radio dial, interspersed between network news and commentaries, music shows and local programming, WXYZ brought Detroiters Ozzie and Harriet, Corliss Archer and Big Time Boxing on Friday nights. Marc Avery, 6-10; Steve Lundy, 11-2; Dave Prince, 2-6; Lee Alan, 7:15-10; Danny Taylor, 10-1; Pat Murphy, 1-6 AM. Seymour, now 94 and living in Texas, was twice named national "Disc Jockey of the Year" and was said to possess an uncanny knack for spotting up-and-coming talent for Swingin' Time. Copyright 2022 by WDIV ClickOnDetroit - All rights reserved. 1) Jack L. Cooper. Ray Steele | The Lone Ranger, on Radio, where he belongs. He was also the voice of the University of Michigan hockey team briefly in the 1980s. So, I rode my bike over to the shopping center which was about 2 miles away. Few deejays had the special connection with the listeners and the artists that Regen did. ABC affiliate. Any idea what group, year they are from? National News Former 'American Idol' Contestant C.J. So, Watch How You Drive That Automobile Now..And Dont You Dare Turn It Into a Couple of Tons of Deadly Weapon. With the Fred Wolf era gone and out of the picture, Fritz extended his sights in search for a younger (but calmer, more contemporary) voice in filling the morning void. Editorializes twice a week. By Names on the pictures are Elmer Thompson,Jumbo, Jinny, Bob Long, Will Karson, Mel Karson, Paul ?Young. Wed pack up and go. Dick Kernan was my boss. According to the Detroit Historical Society, the on-air personality American Top 40 program was broadcasted on over 1,000 stations across the nation in the late 80s. "And afterward, we're going to party till the cows come home.". Which Jack McCarthy? THE RIFF, AUGUST 1998, PROGRAMMING THE DETROIT AM RADIO DIAL: JANUARY 12, 1967. Meanwhile, during a short stay in Cleveland in early 1966, Lee Alan discovered the sound of. Detroiters also tuned in on WXYZ for the latest thrilling adventures of. By Januarys end Lee Alan was gone. ET. And WXYZ had the most popular disk jockey in all of Detroit during that time both radio and TV . JANUARY 15, 1966, WRIF 101 FM: BACK ON THE RADIO! Download Our Free iHeartRadio App! Radio personality Josh 'Bru' Brubaker in iconic Fisher Building. Yes Tarantula By the Tarantulas Click here to read about Mark McKenzies experience with the format flip. Detroit Radio: 1963 JFK Assassination Coverage, MOTOWN 60s SNAPSHOT MEMORIES: GLADYS KNIGHT, IT WAS DECEMBER 1967: WHEN WE LOST OTIS REDDING, A WXYZ 50S DETROIT RADIO LEGEND: MICKEY SHORR, WKNR TOP 31 DETROIT KEENER HITS: THIS WEEK 06/1968, RECORD WORLD | THE TOP COUNTRY SINGLES and TOP COUNTRY LPs: JANUARY 1966, RECORD WORLD | 100 TOP POPS and 100 TOP LPs: JANUARY 15, 1966, RECORD WORLD | DOZIER, HOLLANDS: THEYRE THE TOP . He'll be forever missed and forever remembered. In concluding, Alan elaborated further,I still had hopes that ABC would kill the breakfast club and that listener-chasing hour and 20 minutes of news, 6 Oclock 5:55 when all of a sudden Bill Drake came into town and did exactlywhat Joel Sabastian, Dave Prince and I, had pleaded with Chuck Fritz to do back in 1963. Detroiters can still tune into The Julia Show via the Audacy app. Originated out of Windsors 89x in 2001, the radio show has been making listeners laugh for two decades. We had a rock band and used to play for free at sock hops etc. from a 44 previous. Still can be heard on WNIC and seen on Fox 2 Detroit, the media personality has been juggling both radio and TV since 2004. If you need help with the Public File, call (313) 222-0566. People from Detroit, Michigan by occupation, Northwestern High School (Michigan) alumni, Television personalities from Phoenix, Arizona, Television anchors from Los Angeles, California, Television personalities from Detroit, Michigan, Sportspeople from San Francisco, California, Radio personalities from the Las Vegas Valley, African-American television personalities, Military personnel from Georgia (U.S. state), United States Marine Corps personnel of World War II, Religious leaders from Birmingham, Alabama, United States Army personnel of World War II. Joel Sabastian left WXYZ for the Windy City that year. Many celebrities have been heard since this feature was inaugurated. I believe he was a newscaster on one of the Detroit radio stations in the 1940s and 1950s, maybe even into the 1960s. "Her career was her life, she just loved music," said her son Mir Loving.. (Tickets are available at motownmuseum.org.). 26,147 talking about this. In the 1930s and 40s, WXYZ created and brought Detroit and the country great radio programming such as Eddie Chases popular Make Believe Ballroom and as well, serials such as the legendary The Lone Ranger, popularized nationally through Mutual affiliated stations after its premiere on WXYZ in 1933. Your email address will not be published. In the 80s, The Electrifying Mojo who was considered the most mysterious DJ, played. He loved reminiscing about many of the people you have listed on this site. I was so proud and honored that Lee actually took the time to read the e-mail personally. Instead of staying in the battle, Chuck Fritz and WXYZ were about to give up, were about to surrender. 1-844-BUY-RADIO; Mix 92.3 Detroit's R&B and Throwbacks ya girl Cheron. Starting in 1969, Dick has worked 51 years in radio news. Line-Up: Cam & Lisa 5-9, Lynn Martin 9-12, News 12-12: . On top of being on air, he most recently was on the Netflix reality competition show, The Circle. 3011 W Grand Blvd Ste 800. It is still available, here. For many Detroiters, those soundtracks of our lives are likely to come rocking back this Saturday at "The Last Great Detroit Radio Reunion" from 1-6 p.m. at the Suburban Collection Showplace in Novi. That it should be dropped. If you think about it, all the work he did was in Detroit and Windsor. rjw, Please send any info you have regarding Joe k. Bacarella and any lawsuits in which he was a participant. WWJ recently celebrated 100 years of being a radio station. $5 deposit required. NO. Hopefully, we can keep this website going for many years, thanks to Mr. Alans kindness. By the mid-1930s, while still a standing member, WXYZ dropped out of the Mutual Broadcasting System and became a new affiliate for the NBC Blue Network radio group. By then WXYZ radio held down a huge Detroit audience over the competition for market share. January 18, 2023 ~ Honigman Law Leader of Investigations and White Collar Defense Practice Matthew Schneider, talks with Guy Gordon about the latest of the classified documents that were found in President Bidens garage. As TV voice for over 30 years of my beloved Tigers he was a Detroit sports icon! . "I think the added element of the fans will be very interesting," says Jo-Jo Shutty-MacGregor, famed as the first female helicopter traffic reporter in North America on Windsor's CKLW-AM and widow of the station's legendary "20-20 News" anchor, Byron MacGregor. According to CNN, Banks settled in the Windy City in the 80s. For the too-young or uninitiated, Swingin' Time was a half-hour live weekday dance party and artist showcase, our own version of American Bandstand, that aired in the '60s on Windsor's CKLW-TV. Remember when 89X switched to county? Your email address will not be published. The list Radio personalities from Detroit, Michigan includes George Noory, Casey Kasem, Paul W. Smith, Mike Wallace and Hugh Downs . Birmingham won the game. Similar memories long before we went to Specs-8 transistor radio Zenith under the pillow from 10-12, Lees opening theme was Plink went the strings of my heart (At least thats my memory) And yes, Sinatras Cant get started to close and into Don Zee. Went with Mel to the Motown Review. I'm proud of my past. Always live on the free Audacy app. I remember many of the broadcasters. Following Towers hosted a show at WXYT with Bill McAllister. After working in the biz for 58 years, reports show that Perkins retired from radio this year. Lee Alan. "It was just the idea that we had a program that for seven years brought the kids together," says Seymour, who chronicles the experience in his new book The DJ Who Launched 1,000 Hits with co-author Carolyn Rosenthal. Worked with Lee Alan at WPON around 2004 to 2007 or so. From interviewing Bruno Mars to dressing up as a leprechaun at Rosie OGradys, having a morning show and was live on Saturday nights from Luna. Thank you Larry and may God Bless Since the format flip in 2018, Lepidi started The Julia Show in Chicago at B96. Everything was so exciting as great personalities and music lit up the airwaves. In a city whose reputation was built on wheels, the music blasting from our four-wheeled entertainment centers and the men and women who brought it to us as our audio emcees hold a special place in Detroit's collective memory. THE DETROIT SOUND SURVEY: OCTOBER 10, 1966, Your email address will not be published. (He told me that in 1989.) DEERNEST@UMICH.EDU. Lee Alan, was by now in line for program director by station manager Chuck Fritz. Detroit's Hip-Hop & R&B Dr Darrius 97.9 WJLB's Big Show featuring Future, Jeezy & More! Tony Ortiz has also been elevated as new afternoon co-anchor, teaming with Jackie Paige from 2-7pm ET. For many at the station it only served as reminder who it was who still owned the station. We also saw many fine acts at the Casino. Regards Lee Alan. I keep doing that every few minutes for at least an hour, but he kept ignoring me. I will announce it, and how to get it on my Face Book Page. He said he would pick a song and dedicate it to my girlfriend at a certain time. Detroit Radio Veteran Jim 'JJ' Johnson to Replace Stephen Clark on WOMC Tweet. According to the Associated Press, Banks was given a late-night weekend show at WDRQ. for a greater market share they once dominated in recent years. My compliments to Jim Feliciano and the MCRFB staff for this terrific site. Has been a morning radio show for 22 years. I revisit this site now and then and just want to thank all who have commented about those halcyon days and of course about my colleagues and me and the shows we all loved to hear. Jim McFarlin All in Detroit, his hometown. at WIXY. Just as we had outlined. This page uses content from the English language Wikipedia.The original content was at Category:Radio personalities from Detroit.The list of authors can be seen in the page history.As with this Familypedia wiki, the content of Wikipedia is available under the Creative Commons License. Thank you, But by mid-1966, not much had changed for WXYZ during their battle for higher ratings in Detroit. He came to central Ohio which is where his wife was born and raised and worked for 3 Columbus radio stations in the 60s and 70s. "Because it hasn't been done this way before. Don Zee Was indeed The Midnight DJ At CKLW , Yet, the station found itself still mired at third in the top 40 market. Obviously I have heard Mr. Alans voice on various commercials and really appreciate his bringing us up to date on his colleagues. Does anyone else remember Carl Zetterberg, and I dont mean the Red Wing player? Jay Towers In The Morning starts the day, followed by Theresa Lucas in midday and Rafferty for the ride home. We 're going to bed.It has 7 group, year they are from of its own identity ideas. Held in 1965 very young at heart WXYZ ) from Cleveland in 1935. our... ) 222-0566 radio voices heard on WDVD and WDRQ show Russ Gibb Random... Was just before he started out doing sports before he branched into talk radio air 20. To CNN, Banks was given a late-night weekend show at WXYT with Bill McAllister member of... Hosted various shifts at the former Panasonic building in Southfield, Michigan Red Wing player they. Oldies, both of these guys will be remembered and MISSED on Club 1270 was gaining Detroit audience the. 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