WCZY – USA Radio Museum

WCZY, RANDY CARR, BACK ON THE RADIO: MAY 13, 1980

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WCZY 95.5 FM (1970s – 1980s)

1970s: WCZY 95.5 FM started as a beautiful music station. It played a mix of orchestral music, light classical, and some popular music. The station was known for its high-fidelity sound and was a popular choice for listeners looking for “good music.”
1980s: By late 1979, WCZY transitioned to a Contemporary Hit Radio (CHR) format, focusing on Top 40 hits. This change was part of a broader trend in radio during that era, where many stations shifted to more contemporary and popular music to attract younger audiences. For nearly a decade, the station featured popular DJs and was known for its energetic and upbeat playlist. The ‘CZY DJs spanning a decade, were: Dick Purtan, Dave Prince, Tom Dean, Marc Avery, Lou Roberts, Ed Barrett, Kim Carson, Roy Stephens, Paul Brian, Steve Kelly, Brian Patrick, Bob Carlton, Doug Dunbar, and famed Detroit sportscaster Larry Adderley on sports.
In today’s USARM (USA Radio Museum) aircheck feature we recall the voice of WCZY personality, Randy Carr, from May 13, 1980.

Transition to WKQI

1989: The station rebranded to WKQI and continued with the CHR format. The new branding was “Channel 955,” pronounced “nine-five-five,” and it became a staple in Detroit’s radio landscape. WKQI was known for its hit music and engaging radio personalities.

Today, WKQI still operates under the “Channel 955” branding and continues to be a popular Top 40 station in the Detroit area.

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NEW! A special THANK YOU to Randall Carr, of Commerce Twp., MI., for recently having contributed his own WCZY memory from 1980. This aircheck will be archived into the USA Radio Museum aircheck repository. (Photo courtesy: Randall Carr)

AUDIO REMASTERED! This audio recording was digitally enhanced by USA Radio Museum.

A WCZY FM 95.5 RADIO PERSONALITY PROFILE: DAVE PRINCE!

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NEW! The above featured Dave Prince WCZY personality card (from 1983) is courtesy of Roy Stephens. Thank you, Roy, for sharing this memory and for your contributions. Much appreciated! 🙂

The featured WCZY image was digitally restored by Motor City Radio Flashbacks.

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ON YOUR PC? You can view this WCZY 1983 Dave Prince profile card ENLARGED. For a larger detailed view click above chart image 2x and open to second window.

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COZY 95.5! WCZY BACK ON THE RADIO: ROY STEPHENS, SEPTEMBER 1983

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NEW! The featured WCZY audio aircheck and WCZY personality card is courtesy of Roy Stephens

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Audio recording was digitally enhanced by Motor City Radio Flashbacks

Z95.5 FM! WCZY BACK ON THE RADIO: STEVE KELLY, OCTOBER 1985

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NEW! A special THANK YOU to Robert Zerwekh for this WCZY aircheck he personally recorded, from 38 years ago. From the Robert Zerwekh Collection

Audio recording was digitally enhanced by Motor City Radio Flashbacks

WCZY 95.5 FM: BACK ON THE RADIO! DICK PURTAN, SEPTEMBER 1983

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NEW! A special THANK YOU to Robert Zerwekh. From the Robert Zerwekh Collection.

Audio recording was digitally enhanced by Motor City Radio Flashbacks

WCZY [Detroit Free Press] RADIO PRESS PHOTO: GENE TAYLOR

DOUGLAS EXITS KXOK FOR POST AT WCZY . . . . AUGUST 20, 1983

New Gannett WCZY Station Manager Hails from Storz’s St. Louis KXOK

DETROIT — After five years in every capacity short of engineer at KXOK St. Louis, Lee Douglas, who assumed the GM position at the Storz outlet 16 months ago, has resigned to become station manager of Gannett’s WCZY here.

“It’s the number two position at the station,” says Douglas, a former air personality and programmer of several well-known top 40 outlets, including New York’s 99X and Miami’s WMYQ. “I’ll be primarily functioning to head up the programming effort, but I’ll be involved with every aspect of the station.”

With the announcement of Douglas’ arrival, GM Jim Mulla also promoted WCZY operations manager Dave Shafer to the post of operations director for WCZY and its AM counterpart WLQV.

Describing the AC-formatted ‘CZY, home of several longtime Detroit personalities, including highly paid morning. man Dick Purtan, Douglas says, “We’ll continue in an adult contemporary direction. Gannett is prepared to do whatever is necessary to really win, and I’ve never had that opportunity before.”

Since Douglas’ arrival at KXOK nearly six years ago, the station has shifted from top 40 to AC to, as of this spring, an all-talk direction. “We doubled our audience after eight weeks with the format and re- established the station. Talk was the one void in the market. Everybody thinks of KMOX, but they’re talking only four hours a day. The rest of the time they’re news or sports,” Douglas says.

“I think KXOK will be successful It’s a slow growth format, but they should have a good fall book. I’ve done as much as I could to position the station, so the offer from Gannett really came at the right time,” he continues.

At this point KXOK has neither an official GM nor a PD. Morning personality Gary King has been programming the station on an interim basis, but no decision from Storz’ Omaha headquarters has been announced. END

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Information credit and news source: Billboard; August 20, 1983

GARY KING LEAVES KXOK FOR WCZY DETROIT POST . . . . OCTOBER 8, 1983

Former KXOK PD Transitions Here As New WCZY Mid-Afternoon Personality, Music Director

DETROIT — “There wasn’t a whole lot of decision making to be done,” admits KXOK St. Louis PD Gary King about the announcement of his move to Gannett’s WCZY here, where he’ll do mid-days and serve as the AC station’s music director. “It was an opportunity to work with Lee (Douglas, station manager of WCZY and former KXOK GM) again and the most exciting company in broadcasting today.”

King, who sees his future in the eventual ownership of a chain of properties, started out at Louisville’s WAKY and then moved to Baton Rouge’s WJBO /WFMF, where he was operations director prior to his move to St. Louis a year ago. Coming on board as acting PD and afternoon drive talent at KXOK, his title was not made official until this August. At that time, the Storz station had already transitioned primarily to talk, and King was doing mornings.

That shift will now be held by former midday man Charlie Brown, who, without the title, will be handling King’s PD chores. Afternoons, which were vacated last month by Pat Riley (Billboard, Oct. 1), are now being done by longtime KXOK per- sonality Johnny Rabbit, using his own name, Ron Elz, as the station continues to move in an all-talk direction with 20-year veteran Nick Charles handling mid-days.

With the addition of King in mid-days at WCZY, the Detroit lineup now features Dick Purtan in mornings and former WCAO Baltimore personality Lou Roberts in afternoons. Former WCZY afternoon talent Marc Avery now does that shift on CKLW here, while Dave Prince moves into the ‘CZY evening shift. END

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Information credit and news source: Billboard; October 8, 1983

WCZY-FM: THE Z 95.5 ALL HIT LIST! WEEK OF MAY 9, 1988

THE ALL HIT LIST — THIS MONTH — 33 YEARS AGO

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NUMBER ONE SINGLE

— “ANYTHING FOR YOU” by MIAMI SOUND MACHINE | EPIC —

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The above WCZY chart was digitally restored by Motor City Radio Flashbacks

**A MCRFB VIEWING TIP **

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— In Memory of George Griggs —

A SPECIAL THANK YOU

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A sincere, thank you, Mrs. Patti Griggs. This featured presentation would have not been possible without your generosity, dedication, and your continuous support.

Above WCZY music chart courtesy of Mrs. Patti Griggs and the George L. Griggs estate.

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