These historic radio broadcasts were produced locally from the stations annex-studios, located at the former Mendelson building on East Jefferson Avenue in Detroit. Interesting to note that had we not hired Martin and Howard I never would have known Specs Howard. We also saw many fine acts at the Casino. My wife passed away in 2001 but I still remember her fondly when I think about Club 1270 and the Walled Lake Casino. WMXD BACK ON THE RADIO: GERALD McBRIDE, JANUARY 1996. NOVEMBER 16, 1974, MOTOWN MONDAYS! He was 82. Besides being an on-air personality, Kasem was a voice actor for Shaggy in Scooby-Doo and was a narrator for NBCs national promotional announcements from 1977 to 1981. Radio personality Josh 'Bru' Brubaker in iconic Fisher Building. Download Our Free iHeartRadio App! And WXYZ had the most popular disk jockey in all of Detroit during that time both radio and TV Ed McKenzie. Under the Havana Treaty, CKLW would move from 1030 to 800 kHz and continue to have a power of 5,000 watts. Among the leading personalities to grace the airwaves there were Tom Shannon, Dave Shafer, Charlie Van Dyke, Frank Brodie, Terry Knight, Walt "Baby" Love, Bill Gable, Tom Rivers, Ted Richards, Scott Regen, Charlie O'Brien, Dick Purtan, Gary Burbank, Byron McGregor and Dick Smyth. In the 1930s and 40s, WXYZ created and brought Detroit and the country great radio programming such as Eddie Chases popular Make Believe Ballroom and as well, serials such as the legendary The Lone Ranger, popularized nationally through Mutual affiliated stations after its premiere on WXYZ in 1933. Calvert got his start in the early 70s at WWWW. Thanks! . We told Chuck what was going to happen, but he and many others were convinced that nothing could ever topple the historic WXYZ. 1 in the ratings, they became a heavy influence for record sales in Detroit. from a 44 previous. I sure do miss the on-air personalities of the time. Jason Scott, previously an afternoon anchor, has been promoted to morning drive and will co-anchor with Roberta Jasina from 5 a.m. to 10 a.m. on weekdays. (tailored after dog personality Rin-Tin-Tin). the scene was set for the end. I remember many of the broadcasters. With the Fred Wolf era gone and out of the picture, Fritz extended his sights in search for a younger (but calmer, more contemporary) voice in filling the morning void. It was a fun time. Both know the Detroit area well and that will allow them to bring our listeners valuable insight into the stories we cover each day.. Larry Marquez Station Events Join 97.9 WJLB at Astronomicon 6 Mar 03, 2023. Henson joins WLAV from Richmond VA where he was serving as Program Director for Audacy News/Talk 1140/96.1 WRVA and Sports 910/105.1 The Fan WRNL. So, Watch How You Drive That Automobile Now..And Dont You Dare Turn It Into a Couple of Tons of Deadly Weapon. Listen To Podcasts That Examine The Passion, Perseverance, And Power Of Black Culture! When first starting out in Detroit, the personality hosted Jay Towers and the Morning Revolution for six years. HEY BRUCELAVOIE IT WAS LEE ALAN(ON THE HORN) CREAM OF THE CROP UNTIL 12 OCLOCK YOU LEFT OUT THE IMPORTANT WORD ON(THE HORN) HAVE SOME OF HIS OLD ON THE AIR SHOWS IN MY OLDIES COLLECTION INTERESTED THANKS, MICHAEL, __ TRIBUTE to a FRIEND __Sorry to say it took SEVEN YEARS for me to hear of the passing of a Detroit radio legend on June 23rd, 2010 in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Any idea what group, year they are from? Now heading forward well into the early 1960s, the 1270 top 40 notables would comprise of great air names as Fred Wolf; Joel Sabastian; Paul Winter; Steve Lundy; Don Zee; Fred Weiss; Dave Prince and Lee Alan. By this time WXYZ radio had begun its fierce battle going full force head-to-head for top ratings going against Detroits top-rated WJBK 1500. It was an absolutely unforgettable era. Here listed below is the ABC network programming line-up on WXYZ for a typical broadcast day, according to Billboard, July 17, 1965: WXYZ: 5,000 watts. Tony Ortiz has also been elevated as new afternoon co-anchor, teaming with Jackie Paige from 2-7pm ET. The added new voices on 1270 became the newest household names. A bit later he moved over to WOMC. Replacing Bruce Still, Lee moved into his new position in March of that year. The Chicago staple and former Southfield resident passed away in 2016. The move reunites Henson and McCormick, who previously co-hosted together at 97.1 FM Talk WKRK Detroit from 2002 to 2006. WXYZ-FM: ERP 27,000 watts. It is still available, here. Instead of staying in the battle, Chuck Fritz and WXYZ were about to give up, were about to surrender. Kasem passed away in 2014. The end of an era. The name itself would come to be one of the most popular and recognized names ever in 60s Detroit radio history. Don Zee Was indeed The Midnight DJ At CKLW , At the station, there were those who were beginning to feel their efforts moving forward for a larger audience share was by now, possibly, being hampered by all the network programming fed into the Detroit affiliate out of New York. Uncle Russ Gibb - WKNR, WWJ, WRBR and WKMH, Read more: Grande Ballroom in Detroit added to National Register of Historic Places. Hi Donna, I am so sadden to learn, today after reading your comments here, in 2022, that Jim Heddle had passed away in 2018! By years end, WXYZ was now a slight 24 from the previous 22% they held in 1965. On top of working at WJR and having his own talk show, The Frank Beckmann Show, Beckmann also was the announcer at the Big House for the University of Michigan and for the Detroit Tigers. Rumors spread that he was intoxicated and fell asleep at the wheel. Iconic Detroit radio personality Alan . instrumental. By then WXYZ radio held down a huge Detroit audience over the competition for market share. For many at the station it only served as reminder who it was who still owned the station. to Don Zee almost every night for awhile before going to bed.It has Everything Detroit. I will soon be releasing the Audio Book version of my book, Turn Your Radio On. Dont know whether to brain you or thank you==but 40 years later, here I still am, morning drive news at an NPR station in Grand Rapids for 25 of those 40.\. Spinning on the floor and flying around crazed! Tom Ryan was born July 28, 1942 at Providence Hospital in Detroit. They are in front of a WXYZ mic. I did the commercial logs and billing. More great information can be found in Dick Osgoods book: WYXIE Wonderland if you can find a rare copy. Location: Detroit. rjw, Please send any info you have regarding Joe k. Bacarella and any lawsuits in which he was a participant. Remember Nights with Alice Cooper? The landscape for local talk radio, particularly programs focused on Detroit and African-American issues, has indeed morphed. FILE - In this April 27, 1981 file photo, Casey Kasem and his wife Jean smile as he receives his own "Star" on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in Los Angeles. Regards Lee Alan. In the late sixties did Radio Detroit have a disc jockey named Dave Dawson. Wondering if Tom Dean is still around. With the Fred Wolf era gone and out of the picture, Fritz extended his sights in search for a younger (but calmer, more contemporary) voice in filling the morning void. Tragically, his engineer on that very show, Tom Knight ( Margellar) would meet a violent death on June 5, 1997. Has been a morning radio show for 22 years. His show was still on in Cleveland last I heard. Went with Mel to the Motown Review. . My Mother listened to Fred Wolf every morning. But pleas towards Fritz to persuade ABC in New York to drop network programming fell on deaf ears. CUMULUS MEDIA announces that it has appointed well-known former Detroit radio personality Gregg Henson as On-Air Co-Host, Mornings, on heritage Classic Rock station 97 WLAV-FM (96.9) in Grand Rapids, MI. Celebrate the life of a Detroit Radio Legend Dick Purtan. Towers has been in the Detroit market since 1999. So instead of dropping the outdated programming they added more. detroit radio personalities. (WWJ) -- WWJ Newsradio 950 listeners will be hearing some familiar voices in new time slots, as Detroits top news station announced a new anchor lineup Thursday, effective immediately. Lee if you read this=you and Purtan were two of the reasons I got into this crazy business back in 1974ouch that was a long time ago. 1 in the ratings, they became a heavy influence for record sales in Detroit. According to the Detroit Historical Society, the station was founded by the Scripps family, which founded the Detroit News. By Januarys end Lee Alan was gone. It was during this time WXYZ was then battling Storer-owned WJBK and RKO Generals CKLW for the Top 40 crown in the Motor City. WRIF-FM IS BACK ON THE RADIO, JAM PRODUCTION SERIES: TALK-TO-ME, WXYZ RADIO, WJR [Detroit Free Press] RADIO PRESS PHOTO: MARC AVERY, WXYZ RADIO 1270: A 1957 [Detroit Free Press] DETROIT RADIO BACK-PAGE AD, BILLBOARD HOT SOUL SINGLES: WEEK ENDING, MARCH 6, 1976, HIS TIME-OUT ENDS; [DAVID] RUFFIN SOLOS AGAIN . Vote on the 'Top 7 @ 7' songs with Rob + Holly Weeknights at 7PM on your favorite Audacy Country station. Dr Darrius Beyonce is Coming To Detroit Summer 2023 Feb 01, 2023. Now with new alternative moves towards capturing better ratings in the market, much of the old ABC network programming was being replaced while diverting some attention to the music of the times. Relive many of the classic 60s WXYZ Detroit Sound (some 40-plus total!) I lived in Birmingham at the time. Concerts Ari Lennox: Age/Sex/Location Tour 2023 Mar 16, 2023. According to CNN, Banks settled in the Windy City in the 80s. Growing up in Jackson, Paar started his career at, A disc jockey for WXYZ for two years in the 50s. He did Sunday night segway on Mix 92.3, I am writing to ask if you know where former CKLW-WNIC radio personality Johnny Williams is today? No longer were the deejays allowed to play whatever, The top 40 formula at WXYZ was now growing in popularity on the Detroit radio dial. Just as we had outlined. Thank You. During the, some of the old radio names would leave WXYZ. Simulcast with WXYZ-AM. WXYZ was to become the first ABC-owned radio station to play Top 40 hits (or then labeled as Formula Radio) in the entire country. Jim Starting his career at 15, the Detroit native learned his radio skills and established his on-air personality. With more than 860 live broadcast stations in 153 markets across America, there's a local iHeartRadio station virtually everywhere. 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