‘RADIO’S BEST FRIEND’S VIDEO TRIBUTE: ALAN ALMOND

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'Radio's Best Friend,' Art Vuolo, Jr., 2008
A wonderfully produced Alan Almond tribute by ‘Radio’s Best Friend,’ Art Vuolo, Jr. (Photo; 2008)

THE ENIGMATIC, MYSTERIOUS AND PRIVATE PERSONA THAT WAS ONE ALAN ALMOND.

JIM HARPER, WHAT DID HE REALLY LOOK LIKE?

 

Former WNIC morning personality Jim Harper responded to this very question posed to him on his personal Facebook page (June 23 at 8:31 p.m.) — 

“I shared a link yesterday that featured the late, great Alan Almond and your response was huge. But some of you are still asking “What did he really look like…tell us please!” Here’s the closest photo (see photo below) of a gentleman who I always thought resembled Alan. It’s the iconic ladies man, Errol Flynn. I’m sure many who worked with Alan would agree, this is pretty close. Not identical, but close.”

Jim Harper, formerly from within the WNIC prime while you were there, having known Alan Almond during the three years I was at WNIC, in the early-mid 1980s, I can attest of your assessment you best described of Alan’s features. Yes, indeed. The Errol Flynn contrast (and even the hair!) is, for the most part, rather close. “Not identical, but (it is) close.” — Jim Feliciano

ALAN ALMOND R.I.P. (1948- 2015)

Former Detroit WNIC-FM radio morning personality Jim Harper (insert: Errol Flynn; photo provided by Jim Harper)

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THIS WEEK 50 YEARS AGO: THE HOTTEST HIT IN THE USA!

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NUMBER 1 IN AMERICA ’65 * The Four Tops * WEEK OF 6/27 – 7/03/65

FOURTEEN WEEKS on the singles chart, “I Can’t Help Myself” by The Four Tops peaked this week (AGAIN!) at No. 01 (1 week) on the Billboard Hot 100 week of June 27 through July 03, 1965. (source: Billboard).

 MCRFB Link: For the previous No. 1 record in the U.S.A. 1965 GO HERE.

MCRFB Note: Knocked off from the No. 1 position last week by the Byrds’ “Mr. Tambourine Man,” The Four Tops, “I Can’t Help Myself,” previously was the No. 1 single (1 week) on Billboard for the week of  June 13-19, 1965.  This Motown single was on top at No. 1 — twice — on the chart, two separate weeks during June-July, 1965.

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CKLW-AM BACK ON THE RADIO WITH: TOM CLAY!

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CKLW HEARD 24/7 ON MOTOR CITY RADIO FLASHBACKS

MCRFB AIRCHECKS: CKLW-AM * Last Show; June,’64 * TOM CLAY

TOM CLAY’S LAST SHOW ON CKLW

 

While this 1964 CKLW Tom Clay aircheck is less than stellar in its audio presentation, MCRFB feels this aircheck is significantly historic in content as it was recorded June 18 and June 19, 1964, the 19th having been Tom Clay’s last show heard on CKLW radio in Detroit. In this aircheck, Tom Clay talks about the Beatles, reads letters from CKLW listeners, mentions Terry Knight (formerly WJBK; his eventual replacement at CKLW) and also Clay talks about his tribute to JFK, commenting on his recording of “Six White Horses.”

Also in this feature today Tom Clay is heard firing off a few words towards a Detroit newspaper daily as well, for bringing up whatever role (as the daily implied in print) he was accused having played during the payola scandal earlier in his Detroit radio career, while a disk jockey at WJBK in the late-1950s. Tom Clay’s last day on CKLW was on a Friday, June 19, 1964. 51-years ago.

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For more on Tom Clay archived on Motor City Radio Flashbacks to date, GO HERE.

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WHEN CKLW-AM AND TOM CLAY PARTED WAYS: 1964

Motor City Radio Flashbacks logoFrom the MCRFB news archives: 1964

Clay, CKLW Split ‘Amiable’

Post previously featured on MCRFB: February 15, 2012

 

 

 

Tom Clay (MCRFB ENLARGED 2)DETROIT — The departure of featured deejay Tom Clay from CKLW last week was as an “amiable termination” based on Clay’s decision to quit because he was not able to spin his own records, and was not based on any difference of programming, as reported elsewhere.

Clay felt he was not doing enough on his show when not allowed to play the records himself, but John Gordon, CKLW’s program director, told Billboard that present contracts with both the engineers and AFTRA prohibit this practice at the station.

Last week the Tom Clay show was replaced by the Terry Knight show, Monday through Friday, 7 to 11 p.m. and 1 to 6 p.m. on Sundays. Knight comes from WTRX, Flint, where he had a similar show and was formerly a deejay on WJBK. END

 (Information and news source: Billboard Magazine; July 11, 1964)

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