From the MCRFB news archive: 1962

WJBK, WXYZ Trending More Newer Pop Record Singles

DETROIT — Distributors here are crediting aggressive promotion of new material by stations WJBK and WXYZ for some of the best singles business the area has enjoyed in years.

Nearby Toledo, with stations WOHO and WTOD, also is reported to be very receptive to new releases. Though not exactly a trend, distributors note that often material breaks first in Toledo, then moves into the Motor City.

Detroit’s big singles stations -WJBK and WXYZ – always have been sensitive to pop hits, but lately distributors feel the stations are getting on new material much faster. As one distributor put it, “They’re willing to pioneer and test, making for a much ‘hipper’ record picture here.”

Discounting continues on par with prices ranging from $2.77 to $2.98 for a regular $3.98 album. Rumors are circulating that Gem and Korvette are expected to open stores in the area before too long.

Three of the city’s newest distributors – Record Merchants, S & L and Merle appear to be getting well established. The latter two were formed when Merle Schneider and John Shepherd, who previously owned S & S Distributing Company split.

Schneider formed Merle Distributing, and Shepherd took on a new partner, Bob Lymperis, to form S & L. Shepherd and Lymperis now have some 15 lines including MGM, Disneyland (acquired recently from Henry Droz), Request, Circa and Allied.

Firm employs three salesmen, Rick Tecker, Jerry Light and Roy Austin, and two promotion people, Curley Dmytro and Betty Alexander.

The new distribution has also enjoyed a steady percentage of sales increase each month and recently bought a new building in the North-West “Record Row” section of Detroit. Another big distributor, John Kaplan, is also breaking ground up the street from S & L for a new building. END

(Information and news source: Billboard; July 21, 1962)