WJBK – Page 17 – USA Radio Museum

SANDY SELSIE? REMEMBERING HER “JIMMY” HIT IN ’63

Canadian Girl Singer Hails from Richmond Hill, Ontario

S A N D Y S E L S I E .

IF YOU WERE TO DO A SEARCH on the world-wide web, not much information can be found on the Internet today regarding, Sandy Selsie.

All that has been primarily known about Sandy Selsie was that she had several country/pop singles in the early-1960s on the Columbia record label. And that she originally was from Canada. And that’s just about it.

Sandy Selsie 'When Jimmy Comes Home on Columbia; Promotional Columbia Records 45 RPM 1963. — **SANDY SELSIE’S** *“When Jimmy Comes Home”* on Columbia 4-42883. Produced by Don Law and Frank Jones. Written by Earl Shuman and Leon Carr. Released November 1963.

But there was a detailed mention about this female Canadian artist on a Yahoo message board, which I recently found on the Spectropop blog site message forum.

A poster there, who goes by the name of “Boris” laid claims he resides in Ottawa, Ontario in Canada. An avid record collector on “girl/girl groups” since the early-nineties, and in researching Canadian recording artists, he stated he once had gone to the Canadian National Archives library and came across a newspaper article on Sandy Selsie, which appeared in the local Richmond Hill, Ottawa newspaper called The Liberal.

Accordingly, the article first appeared in 1963. The article had stated Sandy Selsie hailed from Richmond Hill, Ontario, now a large suburb outside of Toronto.

Back in 1963, according to The Liberal article, Sandy Selsie was a grade 10 student who attended Bayview High School in Richmond Hill, at the age of 15. Her father, Fred Selsie was her talent-manager during that time. Mr. Selsie was instrumental in signing a 5-year contract for Sandy with Columbia Records earlier in 1961. Her first recording for the label was, “A Date With Loneliness” which was released in November of that year.

Sandy Selsie No. 32 WJBK November 22, 1963 (click image 2x for largest detailed view). — **SANDY SELSIE** No. 32 WJBK November 22, 1963 *(click image 2x for largest detailed view).*

The article quoted Sandy Selsie as stating how her career came into prominence early-on. “I started out singing in the area shows. And gradually branched over to radio and television. I’ve had guest spots on the Country Hoedown television show as well as appearances on the Tommy Hunter radio show.”

The article also stated her big break happened when the family took a vacation down to Nashville, Tennessee, early in 1961.

“We were down there on our vacation. And we decided I should drop in to Columbia Studios for an audition.” She was signed immediately. “I was really surprised, because it’s unusual for a big recording studio to sign you just like that.”

In closing the article, Sandy Selsie expressed her desires in pursuing a Major in Performing Arts.

On a small note, as it were, Columbia Records initially released Sandy Selsie’s “When Jimmy Comes Home” in November, 1963. The song debuted on the CHUM playlist early-on in November in Sandy Selsie’s own home-town. Just the same, the song would find it’s way over to CKEY 580 AM in Toronto about the same time-frame.

Locally, the Selsie song made it’s way over here on Detroit radio, “When Jimmy Comes Home” debuted first on WJBK Radio 1500 on Friday, November 15, 1963.

Six days later, it debuted at the #30 spot on the WKNR Keener 13 playlist for Thursday, November 21, 1963. On a local level, the song didn’t stay long on the charts here in Detroit. But after having first heard it played on WKNR late in 1963, personally, this Sandy Selsie classic will always be a great Keener song memory from that year.

While certainly there weren’t too many, this long forgotten, obscure song as was recorded by Sandy Selsie, arguably, may well have been the greatest “Jimmy” song that was ever recorded in the Top 40 era.

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

SANDY SELSIE * When Jimmy Comes Home * COLUMBIA Records (1963)

WJBK 1500 FORMAT CHANGE . . . MAY 14, 1966

From the MCRFB NEWS archive: 1966

WJBK ‘Amends’ Its Format To Soft Rock

DETROIT — WJBK, 50,000-watt outlet here, has lauched a soft-rock format, giving the market four Hot 100 stations. Program Director John M. Grubbs said the format is more “amended,” than changed. The new programming operation is being changed slowly, but should be complete by May 9.

Dick Boyer has been added to the air-personality roster to handle all-night chores. Jerry Blocker, a negro, formerly of WCAR will handle the 7-midnight slot, accenting light commercial jazz.

WJBJK Radio Program Director John M. Grubbs. — **WJBK** Radio 15 Program Director John M. Grubbs.

WJBK has tried a Hot 100 format before, but in August 1964, switched back to good music. The station is now injecting current Hot 100 Chart singles of non raucous nature. “What we’re looking for is the uptempo, but not specific, teen tunes,” Grubbs said.

As an example, the station was playing last week “Monday, Monday” by the Mamas and the Papas, also “Sloop John B.” by the Beach Boys, “Secret Agent Man” by Johnny Rivers, “Daydream” by the Lovin’ Spoonful, “I’m So Lonesome I Could Cry” by B. J. Thomas and the Triumphs, “Rainy Day Woman” by Bob Dylan, and “How Does That Grab You Darlin” by Nancy Sinatra. Album cuts with bright appeal are also being played.

“We’re going to create a hip sound for the 18 and-up age bracket,” Grubbs said, “and we’re getting a good reaction. Last July the station placed fourth in Billboard’s Radio Response Rating survey for influencing sales of albums in the market.”

There are presently three Hot 100 stations in the market besides WJBK–WKNR, CKLW, and WXYZ. WJBK just recently upped its daytime power to 50,000 watts from 10,000; the station hopes to, as it is being planned, to increase its nighttime power sometime in the near future. END

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(Information and news source: Billboard; May 14, 1966)

RADIO VOICES RECALLED: CLARK REID REMEMBERED

Aficionados WJBK’s prime as a Top 40 radio station will remember the voice of “Good Guy” Clark Reid. Reid, who worked at WJR before he played the hits, was part of a team that included Marc Avery, Robert E. Lee, and the many personalities who took on the “Jack The Bellboy” moniker at Radio 15.

Reid never really left the business, moving to the role of marketing communications specialist with the Wilding and Ross Roy agencies, culminating with his retirement in 1991.

Clark Reid passed away on February 3, 2012, ironically, the anniversary of the “the day the music died”, when an airplane crash that took the lives of Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens, and J. P. “Big Bopper” Richardson.