Production Room Bloopers
Bill Phillips, Paul Cannon, Ray Otis, Bob Green
Thanks To Greg Innis
Category: WKNR
DETROIT, L.A., FOR THE RECORD(S)… JULY 2, 1966
From the MCRFB news archives:
Detroit and L.A. Record Sales Are ‘Happening Places’
By CLAUDE HALL
DETROIT — Detroit and Los Angeles are currently the best place in the nation in which to break a record. Both cities in the past six months, according to a special Billboard survey, have had eight records start there with a sales breakout, and have spread across the country to finally reach Billboard’s Top 100 Chart. In the case of Detroit, this include’s “Cool Jerk” by the Capitols on Karen Records, No. 7 this week, and “Oh, How Happy” by the Shades Of Blue on Impact Records which went to No. 12 and is No. 14 this week. Impact is a Detroit record label.
The eight-Detroit chart makers came from a total of 16 breakouts; the eight Los Angeles winners came from only 14. Chicago, New York and Detroit were the cities with the largest number of total breakouts — 16 each. But, of the New York and the Chicago breakouts, only six went on to reach the chart.
San Francisco, on the other hand, had seven records reach the chart from 15 original breakouts. San Francisco had the largest number of total breakouts — 20 — but five of these records happened first in other markets. Tying with New York and Chicago in number of breakout records that went on to reach the chart were Dallas, Miami and Pittsburgh.
In a similar survey last year, New York took all honors, not only having the most original breakouts — 17 — but having the most that reached the chart — 19. San Francisco had been second with 18 breakout that reached the chart. That survey encompassed nine months.
During the past six months, Atlanta had five record breakouts that reached the chart, Houston four, Milwaukee and St. Louis three each.
In all, there were 182 different records which were listed as breakout singles in 22 different markets between Billboard’s January 1 and June 25 issues. Of these, 81 had made the Top 100 Chart as of the current July 2 issue, another 26 record singles made the Bubbling Under category. The percent of of breakout single records making the chart was 45.1.
These figures do not include the big name artists like the Beatles, whose records generally break nation-wide immediately after release. Of the breakout singles, the two biggest hits to date have been “Elusive Butterfly” by Bob Lind on World Pacific Records, which started in Miami, and “Time Won’t Let Me” by the Outsiders on Capitol Records which started in Cleveland. Both records went to No. 5 on the chart. However, other records still moving up the chart like “Little Girl” (a San Francisco happening) by the Syndicate Of Sound on Bell Records, “Ain’t Too Proud To Beg” (Miami breakout) by the Temptations on Gordy Records, “Dirty Water” (a Miami breakout) by the Standells, on Tower Records, “Along Comes Mary” by the Association on Valiant Records (a Los Angeles breakout) still stand an excellent chance of doing as well on the charts. All four of these former regional breakouts are in Billboard’s top 20 with a star, indicating heavy current record disk sales.
Without doubt, the crown for taking the longest to happen goes to “Sweet Pea” by Tommy Roe on ABC Records, appearing this week on Billboard’s Hot 100 chart at 37 with a star. The record was first listed as a breakout in Atlanta in the February 19 issue. More than two months later, in the April 30 issue, it was a breakout in Miami. The May 21 issue showed it as a sales breakout in both the Dallas-Ft.Worth area and in Memphis as well. On June 4, it was a breakout in both Milwaukee and the Minneapolis-St. Paul area. All this before “Sweet Pea” finally began to happen big.
Some records, in spite of being sales breakouts in other markets, never really make it. “Second Hand Man” by the Back Porch Majority on Epic Records had sales breakouts in Houston, Dallas-Ft. Worth and Chicago, but only went as high as No. 135 in the Bubbling Under category. “Don’t Stop Now” by Eddie Holman on Parkway Records broke out in sales in Los Angeles, New York and Pittsburgh, but failed to make it elsewhere in other major markets. “Mr. Moon” by the Coachmen on Bear Records broke in Minneapolis-St. Paul, Milwaukee and San Francisco but only went high as No. 114 in the Bubbling Under category. “I Dig You Baby” by Lorraine Ellison on Mercury Records had the same fate.
Some markets didn’t fare so well in ratio of success with breakouts. Although a total of 15 different records had sales breakouts in Baltimore — 13 of which happened there first — only two went on to make the 100 chart, one an Al Martino record which went as high as No. 30. END.
(Information and news source; Billboard Magazine; July 2, 1966).
‘GO BACK IN TIME’ WITH WKNR’S BOB GREEN!
BOB GREEN * GO BACK IN TIME * BOB GREEN PRODUCTIONS
GREETINGS FROM WKNR’S BOB GREEN: HELLO DETROIT!
BOB GREEN * HELLO DETROIT * BOB GREEN PRODUCTIONS
WKNR * MOTOR CITY MUSIC SEARCH CONTEST * 1971
WKNR had a Music Search Contest in 1971, and these were the 10 finalists:
1. Susan O’Neil – Detroit
2. Danny Mullins – Wyandotte
3. Major Reynolds – Detroit
4. Tim McKenna – Union Lake
5. Dale Bowers – Livonia
6. Earl Goodman – Southgate
7. Jeff LaDuke – Rochester
8. Rick & Brian Slotnick – Highland
9. Tim Garrick – Royal Oak
10. Custer’s Last Stand Band – Monroe
WKNR Motor City Music Search Contest 1971.mp3
WKNR * “WORDS” CONTEST * 1971
In cooperation with Motown Records Corporation, WKNR is offering $1000
for the best set of lyrics that can be set to music.
Here are a couple of promos and contest airchecks from
Bill Garcia, Dan Henderson, Jim Tate, Mac Owens, Ron Sherwood & Bob Green.
The winner ended up having her words put to music with
Motown’s Funk Brothers and Stevie Wonder.
A special WKNR Promo record was the winner, it was entitled:
I’ve Got To Find Him
PAVONE RECORDS IN SECRECY… JANUARY 18, 1964
From the MCRFB news archives:
RCA Victor Sneaks In Rita Pavone
NEW YORK — Under wraps of secrecy, RCA Victor brought its Italian and world-wide singing star Rita Pavone into the country for clandestine recording sessions.
Miss Pavone recorded her first album and some singles in English for release later this year, when the young lady makes her official performance debut and an extensive stay in either May or September. She was assisted at the recording date by Dorio Soria, international director for RCA Victor.
The recording will include special English material for the young lady and a drive will be mounted to help push Rita Pavone’s recordings in this country. She has steadily widened her sphere of influence on the Continent, where she has sold something like three million single records and albums in a little more than a year in her native Italy. In addition, she has currently established a 
breakthrough singing in German, while in Germany with the title, “Wenn Ich Ein Junge Waer” (I Wish I Were A Boy). Plans have also been implemented to push the lass into the Benelux countries and Scandinavia.
Pavone returns to Italy this week for dates all over the European continent and will star in a musical film, which she will start filming upon her immediate return to her native country. END
Addendum: Rita Pavone first debuted here on the WKNR playlist on May 28, 1964, when RCA released her one and only two-sided hit, “Remember Me,” along with “Just Once More” on the B-side. “Remember Me” was on the WKNR music guides for five consecutive weeks from the end of May throughout the month of June, peaking at the #7 spot on “Keener 13” on June 18, 1964, while dropping down to the #9 spot altogether from the WKNR playlist on June 25, 1964.
(Information and news source: Billboard magazine; January 18, 1964).
AIRCHECK OF THE WEEK W/: STEVE ROBBINS WKNR ’67
From the MCRFB Aircheck Library: WKNR
Steve Robbins on 1310 AM WKNR “Keener 13” 1967
“In Detroit for the first time. You heard their records. You seen them on TV. Now see them in person! The Monkees in person at Olympia Stadium 7:30 Saturday. KEENER presents the MONKEES!” — Paul Cannon, WKNR
THE MONKEES ARE COMING! KEENER 13 Brings the Monkees to Olympia, January 14, 1967
….The Monkees are coming, right?…
On Saturday, January 14, 1967, WKNR “Keener 13,” in conjuction with Dick Clark Productions, sponsored the biggest Detroit concert event since WKNR brought the Beatles to Olympia Stadium on August 13, 1966.
…. No. 1., what a perfect song by the perfect group, the Monkees on Keener 13…
When this classic WKNR aircheck was recorded on Friday, January 13, 1967, you can sense the exuberance and euphoria for the anticipated arrival, then, of the band’s arrival here in the Motor City for the very first time.
There was a “lot of excitement around here,” at the station at the time, said Keener deejay Steve Robbins on his show just twenty-four hours before the Monkees would take to the stage at the Olympia, Saturday night, January 14, 1967. The Olympia Monkees event eventually sold out.
Moving swiftly from city to city across the country, the Monkees 1966-1967 North American Tour was such a success that it was extended further into late-August of that year by popular demand. WKNR would again sponsor the Monkees return back to Detroit at the Olympia once again, this time it was scheduled for Saturday, July 29, 1967.
But in the early hours of Sunday, July 23, 1967 Detroit erupted in flames. Due to the civil unrest and local and federal curfews imposed during the riots, the pre-scheduled show was immediately canceled.
Keener deejay J. Michael Wilson issued this WKNR-released statement on Wednesday, July 26 during his 10 PM show:
“Here’s an important announcement regarding the Monkees appearance in Detroit. In case you missed it, the concert at Olympia Stadium scheduled Saturday, July 29 has been postponed. The new date has not been determined at this time. Please hold on to your Monkees tickets. When a new date has been set it will be announced on WKNR. Do not call WKNR or Olympia. Stay tuned to Keener for information regarding the Monkees concert — repeating — the Monkees concert sheduled for July 29 has been postponed. No new date has been set at this point. Hold on to your Monkees tickets and stay tuned to Keener for further information. Do Not call WKNR or Olympia.”
Ultimately, the Detroit-canceled July 29 Monkees concert was rescheduled for Sunday, August 13, 1967 — a year to the day WKNR brought the Beatles back to Olympia in August 1966.
In January of 1967, Keener “fill-in” Steve Robbins was sharing on-air duties on a part-time basis at the WKNR-FM studios, while sharing some air-time there with Keener FM deejay Bob Harper. Just the same, at the time Robbins was still doing his full-time show during the week at WKFR in Battle Creek’s “Keener 14” under the name Steve Clark. When Jim Jeffries left WKNR the latter-part of 1967 for WQXI in Atlanta, Steve left WKFR to become the new overnight deejay on Keener 13.
This week, unexpected news came that Davy Jones, formerly of the Monkees, passed away suddenly at the age of 66 on February 29. But for a just brief moment in time, MCRFB will take you back in 1967 when “Monkeesmania” was widespread and prevalent here in the Motor City and the Monkees and WKNR was at the top at No. 1. “THE MONKEES ARE COMING!”
From the MCRFB Aircheck Library, featuring:
___
WKNR-AM * Steve Robbins * (Monkeesmania!) January 13, 1967
Bob Green talks to Davy Jones of the Monkees, 1967
WKNR-AM * Bob Green * Davey Jones Interview (Monkees) 1967
(Keener deejays 1967 photograph, top, courtesy the Art Vuolo collection)
WKNR FM ‘STEREO ISLAND’ RADIO JINGLES, 1970-1971
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.
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.
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)