IT’S WHAT’S GOING ON IN AND AROUND THE MUSIC SCENE IN DETROIT….
The Serendipity Singers circa 1965. (Click on image for larger view).
DETROIT — The Supremes, Fugitives, and New Gibson and Martin Trio have been booked for a special concert slated for Saturday, August 21 at Oakland University’s Baldwin Pavilion at Meadowbrook on the campus, for the benefit of the scholarship fund…. Martha and the Vandellas, the Spinners, Barbara Lewis, the Byrds, the Orlons, and Vic Dana appeared for four days at Bob-Lo Island Park, taping a series of shows for Teen Town, emceed by Robin (The Bird) Seymour, veteran Detroit disc jockey on WKMH, WKNR, CKLW-TV on local channel 9…. The Serendipity Singers, NBC-TV’s “Hullabaloo,” Jack Jones, Jimmy Wilkins Orchestra, and the Supremes have been booked for several days as free acts at the Michigan State Fair Music Shell, opening Friday, August 27. END.
(Information and news source: Billboard; August 14, 1965).
Detroit Rocker WRIF-FM Moves Towards 24-Hour Broadcasting
Paul Greiner, 1971; Ann Arbor Sun article.(Click on image for larger view)
DETROIT — WRIF-FM has added two new broadcasters as they move toward a 24-hour format with live programming — Dan Carlisle and Paul Greiner. WRIF started moving toward full live coverage over a year ago. With the two new personality additions, the FM station now offer 21 hours of live broadcasting and three hours of taped programming. Both voices, Carlisle and Greiner, are familiar to Detroit audiences.
Carlisle was one of the original deejay aces at WABX-FM in Detroit before going to Chicago’s WDAI-FM where he held the 10 P.M. to 2 A.M. time slot. Carlisle will be on WRIF-FM from 3 to 7 P.M. Crossing town from WKNR-FM where he filled in from 2 to 6 P.M. is Greiner. Airtime for Greiner will be from 11 P.M. until 3 A.M. END
___
(Information and news source: Billboard; May 22, 1971)
From the MCRFB NEWS archive: 1979
KAREN SAVELLY ACES WRIF-FM
Karen Savelly, 1984 WRIF Press photo. (Click on image for larger view)
DETROIT — Karen Savelly has joined the on-air staff at ABC’s WRIF-FM in Detroit. She will handle the 6 to 10 P.M. time slot. Savelly comes from WRIF rival WABX-FM, where she also worked evenings. Prior to working both stations she was at WWWW-FM where she worked weekends. Experience at these three progressive Detroit radio stations has prompted WRIF to dub her the “first lady of Detroit FM radio.”
WRIF is also introducing a new concert series called “The Friday Night Late Show,” to run from 11 P.M. to midnight. The show will present “up and coming new talent,” according to program director Tom Bender. “We’re screening the list very carefully, not only to get the best talent, but a recording of them in concert that will show off their music to the fullest.” END
___
(Information and news source: Billboard; August 4, 1979)
DETROIT — There has been a personnel shuffle at WXYZ, Detroit, but station program director Bob Baker reports that the station’s programming will remain the same. Marty McNeely is leaving the station, and Lee Alan is returning in the 7 to 12 midnight time slot. Joel Sabastian, previously the night man, is taking over the 3 to 7 P.M. spot, effective for this week, and Paul Winter, formerly the afternoon man at WXYZ, is moving up into the 11 A.M. to 3 P.M. hours this week as well. END (Billboard; March 31, 1962).
From the MCRFB news archives:
DETROIT CKLW-AM DJ FIRES COUNTRY BOOM
DETROIT –The pop record business was only so-so last week, but dealers and distributors noticed an upsurge in country and western record disks sales, which was mainly attributed to the impact of deejay Bob Staton‘s 7 P.M. to 12 Midnight C&W show on CKLW.
At the same time, dealers and distributors lost an exposure outlet for singles when station WKMH started a new programming policy last Monday, featuring only “up-beat music,” with the bulk of its wax culled from long-play albums. The move leaves Detroit with only two strong influential and exposure outlets for singles — WJBK and WXYZ.
WXYZ-AM in Detroit started swinging on new releases only a few months ago. Deejays Lee Alan and Joel Sabastian recently returned to WXYZ, and the jocks, who do their own programming from 3 to 11 P.M. daily, are putting strong emphasis on “breaking” new singles here.
The impact of Staton’s C&W show on CKLW is also felt in the pop market categories, according to Tommy Schlesinger of Jay Kay Distributors here. For example, he cited James O’ Gwynn’s “My Name Is Mud,” which was played heavily by Staton and was then picked up by WJBK for its pop music records rotation.
In the album field, Capitol’s original-cast album of Richard Rodgers’s “No Strings” musical hit is chalking up strong sales and heavy radio play. The show was premiered here at Detroit’s new Fisher Theater.
Among the newer singles mentioned as showing local action was “Let’s Stick Together” by Wilbur Harrison on Fury Records and “You’re To Blame” by the Fascinators on the Trans-Atlas label. END (Billboard; April 21, 1962).
___
(Information and news source: Billboard; March 31, 1962 and April 21, 1962)
1956: Doubleday publishes the autobiography of Billie Holiday, entitled, “Lady Sings The Blues.”
The Four Seasons circa 1964.
1964: Lyndon B. Johnson, sitting U.S. president inside the White House, invites the Four Seasons to perform at a private reception in the East Room.
1965: Today’s guest on CBS-TV’s panel game show To Tell The Truth is none other than Motown President Berry Gordy, who fools the entire panel.
1966: The Animals’ Chas Chandler, on a recommendation from Keith Richards’ girlfriend, Linda Keith, venture to New York City’s Cheetah Club to see an unknown artist by the name of Jimmy James. By the end of the night Chandler is Jimi Hendrix’s manager.
1966: The Righteous Brothers’ Bill Medley enters Cedars-Sinai Hospital in Los Angeles to have nodes from his vocal cords removed.
Brian Jones, founder of the Rolling Stones, in 1967. (Click on image for larger view)
1969: Two days after the drowning death of Rolling Stones founder Brian Jones, a free concert at London’s Hyde Park that was intended as a showcase for his replacement, Mick Taylor, becomes an impromptu memorial instead.
1974: The redecoration that turned Elvis Presley’s mansion, “Graceland,” into a testament of excesses begins today, with the “jungle room” being created by green carpet.
1978: The cover of the Rolling Stones’ new album ‘Some Girls,’ is halted mid-production when the band is sued by several celebrities, Lucille Ball among them; the cover, which features famous faces (and the band in drag) inserted inside an old magazine ad for wigs, hadn’t been cleared with any of its subjects.
The Everly Brothers in 1984. (Click on image for larger view).
1984: The Everly Brothers begin their much-anticipated reunion tour in Cincinnati, playing onstage together for the first time since 1973.
Deaths:1982: Bill Justis. 1983: Harry James. 2000: Cub Koda; Brownsville Station. 2001: Ernie K-Doe. 2005: Shirley Goodman; of duet Shirley and Lee.
Releases: 1965: “In The Midnight Hour,” Wilson Pickett. 1968: ‘Creedence Clearwater Revival,’ LP; Creedence Clearwater Revival. 1972: “Liar,” Three Dog Night. 1975: “Feel Like Making Love,” Bad Company.
Recordings:1958: ‘Ray Charles In Newport,’ LP; Ray Charles. 1961: “Hit The Road Jack,” “Unchain My Heart,” Ray Charles. 1964: “Gloria,” by Them. 1965: “It’s The Same Old Song,” Four Tops.
Charts:1952: “Delicado,” Percy Faith. 1969: “Polk Salad Annie,” Tony Joe White; enters the charts. 1969: “Ruby Don’t Take Your Love To Town,” Kenny Rogers and the First Edition; enters the charts.
Certifications:None for this day.
And that’s just a few of the events which took place in pop music history, on the day…. JULY 5.
From the MCRFB news archives:
