  Little_buddy Member Username: Little_buddy Post Number: 69 Registered: 03-2006 |
Adventures in good music" was one I remember. My dad always listened to elavator music stations though, whenever I hear that type of music I think about driving around with my dad. | ||
56packman Member Username: 56packman Post Number: 2088 Registered: 12-2005 |
........."Nightflight 760--our destination tonight is Miami, Florida, we'll be flying at 35,000 feet (cue sound of jet taking off) Our musical entertainment on this flight will be the Latin sounds of Martin Denny's orchestra....." Back in the days when air travel was somewhat glamorous, men all wore suits on planes and the meals were almost good. Now we cringe when the boss tells us we have to go to Dallas (or wherever) and WJR is just endless talking. Different times, different needs. | ||
9936sussex Member Username: 9936sussex Post Number: 91 Registered: 10-2007 |
Ah....the days before Alan Almond. We used to listen to Jay Roberts and Nightflight 760 on our clock radio. | ||
Stinger4me Member Username: Stinger4me Post Number: 203 Registered: 08-2007 |
What years did Warren Pierce do a show on Sunday evenings at WJR? I think the station put out a stronger signal back then compared to these days. When I worked nights in out-state Michigan I could pick up AM stations from other states either than WJR. | ||
D_mcc Member Username: D_mcc Post Number: 361 Registered: 12-2007 |
Though its not that old...I remember driving to school with my dad and him listening to J.P. McCarthy... I can remember the song now... | ||
Lowell Board Administrator Username: Lowell Post Number: 4594 Registered: 10-2003 |
How about Detroit Tiger baseball games that you could, by quirky radio hops, pick up hundreds of miles away on you way home to the D. Now they fade out within the Metro. | ||
Hairybackjoe Member Username: Hairybackjoe Post Number: 30 Registered: 06-2005 |
I seem to recall also hearing old radio shows during the weekend. It was then (as a little kid) that I was exposed to The Bickersons, Charlie McCarthy and Edgar Bergen, Stiller and Mera, Bob and Ray, The Shadow, etc. Imagine my excitement then when I found some of these old shows on the internet today! | ||
Ja1mz Member Username: Ja1mz Post Number: 85 Registered: 02-2007 |
Does anyone remember old replays of War of the worlds and other old shows on Sundays back in the late '70's or early '80's on WWJ 950 or was it WJR 760? | ||
Hornist9 Member Username: Hornist9 Post Number: 81 Registered: 05-2005 |
A very good friend of mine is a gentleman named Joe Maxwell, who was an engineer at 'JR for quite a long time. Joe also did an overnight talk program for a short period of time. He always has good stories about the happenings at 'JR. He was JP's engineer when JP did live shows from Moscow in the 80's. Joe said JP was just one very nice guy. I saw Joe Saturday. He told me that 'JR was recently sold by Disney, and that the new owners had told the management staff to begin adding overnight informercials...far cry from Nightflight 760... I would set my radio to go to sleep with Jay Roberts. The Jackie Gleason arrangements with Bobby Hackett doing all of those great Trumpet solo's were so relaxing. I also was quite a fan of Mike Whorf and Kaleidoscope, as well as Karl Haas' Adventures in Good Music. A while back, when he was still with us, PSIP posted a promo video on 'JR. It's gotta be in the Hall of Fame threads, only, I can't remember where. Maybe Hornwrecker can revive it, as I don't have time today to research it. Hairybackjoe, I can remember Jimmy Launce playing the Bickerson's on his program, along with my favorite, Hudson and Landry's "The Two Prospectors"...Rafe and Zeke. "Rafe, you're sitting right smack dab on a Diamond Back rattler! "OH!that's just Floyd, don't worry about him, I won't sit on 'em"...funny stuff. | ||
Plymouthres Member Username: Plymouthres Post Number: 474 Registered: 02-2007 |
"Patterns in Music" with, I believe, Mike Wharff(sp)? was one of the shows that I remember. It seems that it was on both Saturday and Sunday mornings, but I could be mistaken. Also, Jimmy Launce? did some neat stuff as well. I distinctly remember Jack Armstrong("Jack Armstrong,the all American boy!"), the Green Hornet, War of the Worlds(Orsen Wells voice still creeps me out!), the Shadow("only the Shadow knows"), the Lone Ranger and many of the other early radio shows being played. The quality of the shows was awesome, and when you realized that they were done live, with no editing, you could almost put yourself into the scene. The sound effects were done manually, not with computers, and the timing was almost always impeccable. Of course Glen Miller, Benny Goodman, the Gershwins and Tommy Dorsey were a treat when they were on, too. Ironically, my brother-in-law gave me an old fashioned repro of a jukebox-looking radio a few years back and included with it were the tapes of some of those old shows. It is kind of cool to play one and think about what it must have been like to have a radio as your only source of news and entertainment. It makes me think of today's complicated excess. My dad, who was stationed at Pearl Harbor(Schofield Barracks) during WWII said often that if it were a perfectly clear night, you could listen in to WJR from there every once in a while. I often wondered if that was even possible given the fact that Hawaii is almost 6000 miles from Detroit (or so I thought?). My dad had no reason to lie, so I am believing that he did listen in from afar. He spoke about it as though it was the only connection he had to home during the five years he spent over there. | ||
Oldredfordette Member Username: Oldredfordette Post Number: 4080 Registered: 02-2004 |
My brother used to listen to WJR when he was stationed in Iceland in the 1960's. My mother kept WJR on all morning on her days off. We would clean the house and listen to Adventures In Good Music. I learned how to love classical music from Karl Haas. | ||
The_rock Member Username: The_rock Post Number: 2172 Registered: 11-2003 |
"Squeaky and Sputters" was a 10 minute kids' radio program that used to come on at 7:15 in the morning after the news. I used to listen to it when I was getting dressed for elementary school (Quarton) in Birmingham. Anyone else who might remember that program is really too old to post any longer on the Forum. | ||
Kenp Member Username: Kenp Post Number: 1066 Registered: 03-2006 |
Mike Whorf's Kaleidoscope was on every weekend at my house. That was a neat show. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M ike_Whorf | ||
Hardhat Member Username: Hardhat Post Number: 227 Registered: 10-2003 |
My mom had WJR on practically all day in the 1960s and 70s. It was truly a great radio station. Jimmy Launce also had "The Boys from Studio B" who have done a lot of commercials over years. I don't know their names, but I recognize their voices on occasion doing other radio ads. Warren Pierce had a really good evening show when the Tigers weren't on the air. Who was their afternoon drive host... Mark... he was also good. It's just wrong what that station is doing today. I rarely listen any more. All the right-leaning radio voices on their airwaves, and such little local content. I snorted out loud once when Frank Beckmann wrote in a newspaper column that Mitch Albom and Warren Pierce balance out all the conservative talkers on WJR. Put me down as longing for the good old days, when the Great Voice was truly great. | ||
Xd_brklyn Member Username: Xd_brklyn Post Number: 366 Registered: 10-2003 |
There was a thread here that went into detail about WJR being a designated "clear channel" that allowed it to be heard hundreds of miles away from Detroit. Is it still a designated "clear channel"? Also have good memories of hearing the Night Flight 760 opening theme after a broadcast of a Tiger's game, but that's about it. Unfortunately, don't remember much else of the program. Here's a forum where JP's theme music was posted: http://www.mibuzzboard.com/php BB2/viewtopic.php?t=23599 | ||
Mrnittany Member Username: Mrnittany Post Number: 17 Registered: 10-2007 |
WJR is still a class-A "clear channel" radio station. I live in Cinci ... even in the daytime, I can hear WJR VERY well at many locations around town (only problems at lower elevations between hills or near the river). Really wish they still had the Tigers games. (Message edited by Mrnittany on March 10, 2008) | ||
401don Member Username: 401don Post Number: 310 Registered: 11-2007 |
Loved listening to "The Billy Martin Show" 8:30 am. with J.P. The day he was fired he knew it was going to happen and said no matter what happens today I'll be back on tomorrow. True to his word, he called in the next morning for his last show. Who was the longtime sports director in the 70's that passed away maybe 20 yrs ago? | ||
9936sussex Member Username: 9936sussex Post Number: 92 Registered: 10-2007 |
When my husband was at Fort Polk, LA he used to listen to the Tiger's on WJR. He said it was one of things that kept him going while he was there. I get angry every time that I think about the Tigers not being broadcast on WJR. Didn't Ilich think about that at all? Was he so concerned about the money that he didn't think about all the Detroiters who loved to listen to the station that were out of town. | ||
Hornist9 Member Username: Hornist9 Post Number: 82 Registered: 05-2005 |
Hardhat, the afternoon host was Marc Avery. He also did a Saturday morning program...I agree with you about what the station is doing these days. I won't listen to Rum Slimeball and his ditto heads. Now it's all about the money, it's cheaper to use syndicated hosts than local talent. I feel sorry for anyone trying to break into Radio these days. Xd_Brklyn. Thanks for the link. The song, Have a Nice Day was written for the Basie Band by a gentleman named Sammy Nestico. He wrote a lot of Basie styled charts. They were fun to play as well as listen to. | ||
Hornist9 Member Username: Hornist9 Post Number: 83 Registered: 05-2005 |
I know I'm misspelling the name, but Patterns in Music was done by Ted Strausser...Hope someone's got a correct spelling. | ||
Burnsie Member Username: Burnsie Post Number: 1310 Registered: 11-2003 |
401don-- Bob Reynolds was probably the sports director at that time, though I think it was considerably less than 20 yrs ago when he died. Could check freep archives but I'm at work and don't have time. | ||
401don Member Username: 401don Post Number: 314 Registered: 11-2007 |
Thanks Burnsie. That's who I was looking for. You're right. He only passed away in 2000 at 85. He was sports director from for 25 yrs, from 52-77. I always listened to his 11:15 sports final before turning off the transistor once I heard the nightflight destination. He always sounded much older than he was at that time. | ||
Douglasm Member Username: Douglasm Post Number: 1044 Registered: 10-2003 |
A classic full service radio station. 15 minute news blocks every hour morning and afternoon drive, a 30 minute news/sports block at 6pm and again at 11pm. During high school football and basketball season, they'd run a complete state wide scoreboard show at (I believe) 11:30pm. An absolute blowtorch of a station (I could pick them up in Colorado) who knew what to do with their clear channel 50,000 watts...... | ||
Johnnny5 Member Username: Johnnny5 Post Number: 704 Registered: 06-2005 |
If anyone is interested I have a a like new 1972 record titled " WJR Fifty years of Unique Radio" I really have no interest in the subject, but if someone here would like it let me know. | ||
Mikeg Member Username: Mikeg Post Number: 1502 Registered: 12-2005 |
The reason a radio station like WJR can be heard half-way around the world in places like Pearl Harbor is primarily the result of its clear channel signal skipping off the ionospere and much less due to the strength of its signal. | ||
Downriviera Member Username: Downriviera Post Number: 85 Registered: 02-2008 |
A little tin foil on the tip of those transistor radio antennae always helped to bring in those distant am stations. Back in the days when the Dead Wings never made the playoffs, i followed the Boston Bruins on WBZ. On several occasions the game would be in overtime and the signal would start to fade, so I'd run outside in the cold twirling my radio around to catch the signal. Orr shoots, he scoreeeeees...... | ||
Harsensis Member Username: Harsensis Post Number: 335 Registered: 07-2005 |
We use to be able to pick up WJR in Georgia when we would travel down to Florida early in the morning. My favorite thing they use to play was when the one announcer said the guy died from a fatal fart attack in stead on a fatal heart attack. | ||
9936sussex Member Username: 9936sussex Post Number: 93 Registered: 10-2007 |
Sorry guys--wasn't trying to hyjack (sp?) this thread. I just get really upset about the current Tiger/radio situation. | ||
Detroitej72 Member Username: Detroitej72 Post Number: 682 Registered: 05-2006 |
I used to enjoy Bob Hines and his Night Talk 760 program from midnight on well into the 90's. Bob always had interesting guest's and topics. When he retired, I would sometimes listen to Brian Steible's "Open Lines for Open Minds", until they switched the formate to "The Midnight Cowboy" trucking network. I also enjoyed the short-lived program in the mid-90's with Geof Figer and Kevin Joyce, even though it was a local version of Crossfire. I also miss Oscar Fernet's "Sketches and Places" about various locations and people in Michigan. (Message edited by detroitej72 on March 10, 2008) (Message edited by detroitej72 on March 10, 2008) | ||
Burnsie Member Username: Burnsie Post Number: 1311 Registered: 11-2003 |
Mikeg-- Right, but lower-powered AM stations don't skip off the ionosphere anywhere near as reliably as high-powered ones do. WJR lost the Tigers and Red Wings in fall of 2000 when WXYT/Infinity (I think that was the owner) bid more than WJR/Disney. | ||
The_rock Member Username: The_rock Post Number: 2174 Registered: 11-2003 |
Harsensis---I think the announcer you are referring to breaking up on the air as he described the "fatal fart attack" was Lowell Thomas describing the death of Dolly Dimples. | ||
Polaar Member Username: Polaar Post Number: 34 Registered: 10-2006 |
I liked WJR's "Music for Moderns" with Gene Elzy in the 70s, good jazz for AM radio! | ||
Swede1934 Member Username: Swede1934 Post Number: 41 Registered: 04-2007 |
I can take you back even further. During the 1940's I was a member of the St. Paul's Cathedral Boys choir. We would have a Christmas concert from the lobby of the Fort Shelby Hotel, and it was broadcast over WJR. I called the station library to see if any of those old recordings still existed, but sadly, they have all been lost. | ||
Paulmcall Member Username: Paulmcall Post Number: 693 Registered: 05-2004 |
No one mentioned Fred Wolf! Man he did it all at that station and on TV too. The old Wixie wigwam. | ||
Hornist9 Member Username: Hornist9 Post Number: 84 Registered: 05-2005 |
This is a great thread! Polaar, I too really enjoyed Gene Elzy's program, Music for Moderns. I remember when he played a cut from an album by a group called "Super Sax" which featured 5 part harmony of Charlie Parker charts...It was some of the best virtuoso saxophone playing I've ever heard (may my hornist colleagues forgive me for that remark). I had to rush to a Harmony House and buy a copy of the album... | ||
The_rock Member Username: The_rock Post Number: 2175 Registered: 11-2003 |
Fred Wolf and Wixie Wigman, I thought, originated from WXYZ in the Maccabees Building rather than from WJR's studios. | ||
Burnsie Member Username: Burnsie Post Number: 1312 Registered: 11-2003 |
The Hermit's Cave, a classic spooky old time radio show, originated at WJR. | ||
Harsensis Member Username: Harsensis Post Number: 336 Registered: 07-2005 |
Thanks The Rock, I use to hear it when my Dad would have it playing. It makes sense that you would know about it since you are closer to my Dads age. In fact you are friends with my Dad. | ||
Stinger4me Member Username: Stinger4me Post Number: 207 Registered: 08-2007 |
Here are some names to jog the mind; Fred Wolf and the Wandering Wigloo, Joel Sebastian, Lee Alan, the ugly little prince, Dave Prince. I thin all of them were on 1270, WXYZ radio. Judy Coy, Mal Sellers, and another weather person whose last name was McMurray. | ||
Meestercranky Member Username: Meestercranky Post Number: 2 Registered: 07-2007 |
man, when I was a kid in the 60s I remember my dad putting NightFlight on the "hi-fi" and sitting in the dark with late at night. What I wouldn't give to get hold of some airchecks of that show. | ||
Burnsie Member Username: Burnsie Post Number: 1313 Registered: 11-2003 |
John McMurray was, and is, the longtime meteorologist. He's actually based in the Grand Blanc/Flint area. | ||
The_rock Member Username: The_rock Post Number: 2177 Registered: 11-2003 |
Harsensis--Guess I am losing it. Give me a hint. | ||
Burnsie Member Username: Burnsie Post Number: 1314 Registered: 11-2003 |
Judy Coy is also still heard on WJR. With John McMurray she operates Commercial Weather Services. (Message edited by Burnsie on March 13, 2008) | ||
Stinger4me Member Username: Stinger4me Post Number: 208 Registered: 08-2007 |
Tough to pick up WJR in mid Michigan and I don't much care for the format these days. Judy had a soothing voice for the forecasts. | ||
Harsensis Member Username: Harsensis Post Number: 338 Registered: 07-2005 |
It's Dick Hile, I told him to tell you we were posting on the same page, but I guess he didn't. | ||
Alan55 Member Username: Alan55 Post Number: 1325 Registered: 09-2005 |
There was nothing better back on a warm summer evening than sitting in the back yard listening to Ernie Harwell call the play-by-play. He had what I still feel is the best radio voice in Detroit radio. In some ways, listening to the game was better than actually watching it. The once-mighty "'JR" was a far cry from the pathetic joke it is today. | ||
The_rock Member Username: The_rock Post Number: 2178 Registered: 11-2003 |
Dick Hile---How 'bout that! Did we not just stand next to each other last night at church for choir practice and he did his best to keep me on key!! Small world. Now there is a man who knows all about WJR. | ||
Goggo Member Username: Goggo Post Number: 193 Registered: 11-2003 |
I remember Bud Guest's 'Sunny Side of the Street' coming out of my dad's '61 Galaxie when he took me to work (Rockwell Standard, Fort & Clark). I suppose it's unfair to compare, but J. P. McCarthy's replacement comes off as whiny and a Rush Lim-bot. I always knew that spring was here when J. P. played Sinatra's 'Summer Wind'. WJR... playing music... before the unhuman corporation found it cheaper to air canned crap like Dr. Laura instead of having a live band and mostly local programming. One of those WJR bandleaders that lost out to syndicated fillers like Sean Hannity was my neighbor, Lenny Schick. I quit listening to WJR when Mickey Mouse fired all of the P.M. personalities like Kevin Joyce, Brian Steibel, and Larry Patton. Well, I do listen to Frank Beckmann... great show, that. If you ever want to listen to a station that is a lot like the old WJR, try tuning in to KMOX (1120 kHz) after 8 pm EST... Carney is his name... funny guy. They even air old radio shows in the wee hours of Sunday morning. (Message edited by goggo on March 16, 2008) | ||
The_rock Member Username: The_rock Post Number: 2184 Registered: 11-2003 |
My gripe with 'JR is that they have commercials every three minutes which run for another three minutes. Their newscasts are a joke, usually a head line, traffic report and weather, another headline followed by a commercial, then the same traffic and weather report you just heard. On and on and on. They get going with an interview and in the middle of the interview, they bust in to commercials again. Maybe that's the price of success we listeners have to pay. |
