RADIO’S INNOVATIVE: DR. RUTH | SEXUALLY SPEAKING

Radio’s Most Innovative: “Sexually Speaking” with Dr. Ruth Westheimer

FRED JACOBS | MARCH 27, 2015

We’ve been showcasing innovators here in this space since last August, without a single sexual reference – until now. Sexually Speaking, featuring the most unlikely radio talent of all time – Dr. Ruth Westheimer – took on historic mores and standards in radio broadcasting – and turned them on their side. The story behind this innovative concept is an amazing example of risk-taking and being in-sync with a changing America.

It was the dawn of the ‘80s – and a new era in American sexual freedom. And of course none of that was on the radio. In September of 1980, WYNY, an Adult Contemporary station in New York City made the move, launching a 15-minute pre-recorded segment that aired on Sunday nights after midnight.

They called it “Sexually Speaking” featuring a German immigrant who had lived in Switzerland, Israel, and France before coming to the United States in 1956. Dr. Ruth Westheimer did not have a classic radio voice, but she had the expertise, the candor, and a disarming personality that made her a radio star. In a truthful, direct, and entertaining way, she truthfully answered blunt and honest questions about sex and sexuality that WYNY listeners called in.

It was compelling radio. I remember being in a bar in New York City one night when Sexually Speaking came on. The bartender tuned in WYNY and patrons listened to Dr. Ruth like it was an important Yankees game.

MCRFB NOTE: For the rest of this Jacoblog article by Fred Jacobs (March 27, 2015), please GO HERE.

LINKED TO JACOBSMEDIABLOG.COM FROM MOTOR CITY RADIO FLASHBACKS

‘Sexually Speaking’ w/ Dr. Ruth Westheimer was heard in Detroit on WNIC-FM 100.3 in the 1980s and 1990s.

A MCRFB ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

A special THANK YOU also goes out to Fred Jacobs for granting, as was requested by Motor City Radio Flashbacks permission to print in part, portions of his March 27 article above, “Radio’s Most Innovative: ‘Sexually Speaking’ With Dr. Ruth Westheimer.”

M O T O R C I T Y R A D I O F L A S H B A C K S

NEW! THE 1965 WURLITZER REMOTE SPEAKER WALL BOX

Remember plugging quarters, dimes and nickels in those beautiful, heavily-chromed, "personal" Wurlitzer mini-jukeboxes found in restaurants, diners, and bars back in the 1960s? — Remember flipping through the tune index and dropping quarters, dimes and nickels in those beautiful, heavily-chromed, “personal” Wurlitzer mini-jukeboxes found in restaurants, diners and bars, back in the ’60s?

The NEW Wurlitzer Speaker Wall Box (Billboard Ad) March 20, 1965 (Click on image 2x for larger detailed view). — **Billboard magazine ad, March 20, 1965.** *(Click on image 2x for larger detailed view).*

THIS WEEK 50 YEARS AGO: THE HOTTEST HIT IN THE USA!

NUMBER 1 IN AMERICA ’65 * Freddie & The Dreamers * WEEKS OF 4/4 – 4/17/65

ELEVEN WEEKS on the singles chart, “I’m Telling You Now” by Freddie and The Dreamers peaked No. 01 (2 weeks) on the Billboard Hot 100, weeks of April 4, 1965 through April 17, 1965. (source: Billboard).

MCRFB Link: For the previous No. 1 record in the U.S.A. 1965 GO HERE.

THIS WEEK IN AMERICA: BILLBOARD! ‘HOT 100’ 04/1965

BILLBOARD HOT 100 WAS COMPILED BY NATIONAL RETAIL SALES AND RADIO AIRPLAY

BILLBOARD SONG NUMBER 49 IN U.S.A. * Sandy Shaw * WEEK ENDING 4/10/65

BILLBOARD HOT 100 WAS COMPILED BY NATIONAL RETAIL SALES AND RADIO AIRPLAY

BILLBOARD SONG NUMBER 19 IN U.S.A. * Shirley Ellis * WEEK ENDING 4/10/65

A MCRFB VIEWING TIP: To fully appreciate this Billboard Hot 100 April 10, 1965 chart feature click on image 2x and open to second window. Click image anytime to return to NORMAL image size.

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TAMLA MOTOWN MAKE MARK IN BRITAIN . . . APRIL 3, 1965

From the MCRFB NEWS archive: 1965

LONDON — Britain has been invaded by Tamla-Motown. The label has been launched here in March (distributed by EMI) with the arrival of the Supremes, Martha Reeves and the Vandellas, the Miracles, the Temptations, Stevie Wonder and the Earl Van Dyke Sextet for a town to town tour and a rash of television appearances. At the moment it is almost impossible to switch on a TV set in the evening without seeing one of the distinguishable Motown acts.

Berry Gordy, Jr., flew in with his “family,” as he refers to his stable of hitmakers. Gordy admits modestly to being a millionaire (the sterling type), but talks about his stars with far more affection than business enthusiasm.

“But I like to think as myself as a businessman. After all Tamla-Motown represents a lot of money now and we try to pull the best deals whenever we can.” That’s an understatement. He is negotiating release of Tamla-Motown records on their own mark throughout the world and continually adding to the roster of talent.

“But I never had the fear of the sound going out. It is not actually true that we have built a business on one actual sound — we have built it around a basic feeling, but at the same time we try to have a variety of sounds and styles. I think there is a big difference, for example, between Martha Reeves and the Vandellas and the Supremes.

“We are also diversifying. Just recently we signed Billy Eckstein and Tony Martin. The Supremes just recently had a country and western album out in America and I have just finished another LP with them, ‘There’s A Place For Us,’ which features all the big Broadway tunes, ‘Somewhere’ and ‘People,’ among them. But I would never get too far from the style (of music) we have become famous for because — well, we like it.”

Thirty-five-year-old Gordy believes a lot in goodwill and in London he seemed to spend a lot of more time looking after the welfare of his artists and their various relations than he devoted to business matters.

On the comparison British journalists have made between him and Brian Epstein, Gordy said, “Epstein is considered with tremendous regard throughout the world and though I feel our role is somewhat different, I think that it is both a favorable and flattering comparison.”

Gordy also stated he is not particularly keen on making a film deal for his Tamla-Motown artists but revealed he had the world sale rights of the TV spectacular they made for the Rediffusion at the start of their British trip. Gordy said he has had many offers to buy Tamla-Motown. “But the label means a lot more to us than just money — it’s hard to say what I might do some day. At present, I don’t intend to sell it.” END

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(Information and news source: Billboard; April 3, 1965)