Keener 13

One of the great things about the mid 60s was the eclecticism of Top 40 playlists. As the summer of 66 came upon us, Keener’s playlist had everything from “Hey Joe” by the Leaves to “Tar & Cement” by Verdelle Smith, to the Cyrkle’s pre-bubble gum smash, “Red Rubber Ball”. The tune was the brainchild of Paul Simon, working with Bruce Woodley of The Seekers. Roy Halee, who would guide Simon & Garfunkle to the top of the charts was assigned to work with the Cyrkle on a pair of singles. The result peaked at #5 on the WKNR Music guide, the week of June 26th. In this Mix Magazine Classic Track column, we hear the story of the band, how their two hit records came to be and their brief prime in the white hot rock spotlight. It’s a story where Keener played a role. The Cyrkle opened for the Beatles in Detroit that year, and even as the band feared that they might get booed off the state, Motor City Fans welcomed them with enthusiasm and class. Those were the days.

In July of 1964, Keener has cemented it’s reputation as the hottest rock n roll radio station in Detroit. The jock line-up looked included Frank “Swingin'” Sweeney, Robin Seymour, Jerry Goodwin, Gary Stevens, Bob Green and Bill Phillips. Every one would continue to make waves on the radio for years to come. For Gary Stevens, making waves would be literal when he graduated from Keener to, among other things, hosting a show on a pirate radio station that was bringing pop music to Great Britain.

But that was in the future. In this air-check, we hear Gary at the peak of his powers, complete with a pitch for Edgewater Park, the introduction of a new food product, “Dannon Yogurt”, a visit from the Wolly Burger, and a large helping of British Invasion talent including Billy J. Kramer and Peter and Gordon. Number one that week was a Motown smash from the Supremes.

Click the link and feel the energy as only Gary Stevens could generate it.

That’s Gary Stevens standing directly behind Ringo. WKNR Newsman George Hunter is doing the interview as Robin Seymour and Bob Green look on.

January 16, 1969 – That’s 43 years ago as of this writing – A new rock band burst on the American scene. And the landscape hasn’t been the same since. It’s a group that Rolling Stone to the raw energy and originality of the MC5 and the Stooges, and it evolved into one of the most successful acts of the 1970s.

It all began five months earlier in England when the Yardbirds disbanded. The group hit three times on Keener, with “For Your Love”, “Shapes of Things”, “Over Under Sideways Down” and “Little Things”. But by August 1968, only Guitarist Jimmy Page remained. Obligated to perform additional dates in Scandinavia, Page, enticed bassist John Paul Jones, vocalist Robert Plant and drummer John Bonham to come along. Continue reading “Led Zeppelin 1” →

On January 17, 1964 The Beatles charted the first of their 13 number one hits on the WKNR Music Guide, launching the British invasion and changing rock and roll forever.

By one account, it was written at the behest of manager  Brian Epstein who wanted a song that would appeal to American audiences, although producer George Martin disputes this. In a 1980 Playboy interview, John Lennon said that “I Want to Hold Your Hand” was created side by side as he and Paul McCartney sat at a piano in the basement of Paul’s girlfriend’s house, Continue reading “I Want to Hold Your Hand” →

The success of the Jersey Boys Broadway show has introduced an entire new generation to the life and music of Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons. One of my most cherished albums is Vee Jay records “International Battle of the Century“, where the label pitted the Seasons against the Beatles. It was the result of Capitol’s myopic decision to pass on an American release of the first two EMI Beatles singles. Vee Jay bought the rights and shipped “Introducing the Beatles” on October 1, 1964. As the band gained traction in the US demand for the record skyrocketed. In a brilliant piece of marketing, Vee Jay combined “Introducing the Beatles” with “Golden Hits of the Four Seasons”, a two album set, wrapped in the cover you see at left. The package even came with a card where you could vote for your favorite. Continue reading “Classic Tracks from Mix Magazine – Rag Doll” →

First things first. Where have we been? As many of you know, Steve and I maintain this shrine in tribute to our all time favorite radio station in our spare time. Over the last couple of years, there hasn’t been a lot of it.

Steve is fully invested in his live as Director of Michigan Public Media, along with his growing family. I joined the Michigan State University Alumni Association on New Year’s Day, 2010 and have been living a whirlwind ever since. That’s the short version. For the backstory, jump over to ScottWesterman.com.

But enough of that! Back to the music!

Long time Detroit rock journalist Susan Whitall has written a fascinating book about the life of one of the most under-appreciated, yet most influential R&B artists to emerge from the Motor City. Fever: Little Willie John’s Fast Life, Mysterious Death and the Birth of Soul, is a terrific read. As the publisher notes, “Willie John lived for a fleeting 30 years, but his dynamic and daring sound left an indelible mark on the history of music. His deep blues, rollicking rock ‘n’ roll and swinging ballads inspired a generation of musicians, forming the basis for what we now know as soul music.” If there ever was a seminal influence for the Motown sound, Willie John was it. Susan tells the tale with her legendary attention to detail, mixed with a page-turner prose that will make this one hard to put down once you start it. Continue reading “Three Book Recommendations for KeenerFans” →

By Scott Westerman – curator@keener13.org
As the Hall of Fame voice of the Detroit Tigers, Ernie Harwell was the soundtrack of Springtime and the Voice of Summer.

When you heard him on the air, it was a sign that a Michigan Winter was truly over. Open your window on a warm Summer evening, and you were likely to hear his voice echoing through the neighborhood, from the radios in countless convertibles, the kitchens in a hundred different fast food restaurants, from garages, living rooms, sailboats, and even during the glorious Summer sunsets on the Lake Michigan beaches. Continue reading “What We Learned from Ernie Harwell” →

By Scott Westerman – curator@keener13.org
I spent the morning with WKNR’s Bob Green today. He is the most revered and most humble of the legendary Keener Key Men. And as the years go by, he’s still surprised at how what he calls “a fleeting moment” still resonates with so many of us.

I was in Houston with MSU and was honored to be with my radio mentor. He took me through the city’s neighborhoods, remarking how the town is much more heterogeneous in both geography and demography than most realize. In what we boomers like to call “late middle age”, Bob looks great and is as sharp as ever. Continue reading “What would Keener be like today?” →

By Scott Westerman – Curator, Keener13.com

I remember exactly where I was when I heard my first JAM Jingle package. I was program director for WATT in Cadillac, Michigan. Our last jingle package was “Shotgun Heaven” and we were only using one cut.

Like JAM founder, Jonathan Wolfert, I was a huge jingle nut. In 1971, I had the great fortune to work at the same station with Ken R. Deutsch, who would become the worlds greatest jingle collector. We swapped probably fifty pounds of Mylar on the seven inch reels that were state of the art for tape recording. Continue reading “35 Years of JAM” →

By Scott Westerman – Curator Keener13.com
He had the job we all wanted, the foot in the door at the greatest radio station in town. In the world that was radio back in the 1960s, the overnight shift was the proving ground, the place where the program director tested new talent, and the assignment from whence stars were often born.

Some loved the lifestyle and made overnights their brand. WJR’s Jay Roberts was one of the most famous, helping us drift off to sleep for over two decades as the captain of “Nightflight 760”.

Jim Jeffries had a different idea. When he came to Detroit from Keener’s Battle Creek sister station, Jim knew that even with WKNR’s highly directional nighttime signal, there were thousands of people out there who depended on the overnight guy to keep them awake and entertained. Continue reading “Jim Jeffries” →

By Scott Westerman – Curator, Keener13.com
As many Keener fans know, 09/09/09 was the date when two big Beatle events took place. The Beatle iteration of the incredibly popular Rock Band video game was released. And the entire Parlophone Beatle catalog was re-released in digitally remastered form.

Those of us who saw the Beatles Love show in Vegas, and bought the associated CD, marveled at the magic that Fab Four producer George Martin, and son Giles Martin, worked. We’ve worked their re-mix of “Get Back” into the rotation.

The same attention to detail has been given to the Beatle catalog we all bought as 45s, LPs and CDs over the years.

The question many have been asking this week is, “Is it worth the money?” With the Beatle re-master box priced north of $200 bucks, is the quality really THAT much better to justify shelling out the bucks again? Continue reading “The Beatles Still Rule” →

By Scott Westerman – Curator Keener13.com
Once upon a time, there was a place where poets and composers gathered to create true magic. If you stepped inside the Brill Building during the Keener era, you were likely to hear a half dozen pianos playing at once. If you were a time traveler from the future, you would instantly recognize artists who would later bloom into the most celebrated performers of the decade. Some, like Niel Sedaka, were already stars. Others, like Carole King, were still writing hit records for others. At it’s height, Brill was home to some of the greatest songwriting teams of the rock era: Hal David and Burt Bacharach, Carole King and Gerry Goffin, Barry Mann and Cynthia Weil. Continue reading “Ellie Greenwich: the magic behind the music” →