I Am Woman
On December 18, 1972, Australian Singer, Helen Reddy struck gold with her liberation anthem, “I Am Woman“. The tune was written by Reddy in collaboration with singer/songwriter Ray Burton.
Here’s how she came up with the idea:
“I couldn’t find any songs that said what I thought being woman was about. I thought about all these strong women in my family who had gotten through the Depression and world wars and drunken, abusive husbands. But there was nothing in music that reflected that.
“The only songs were ‘I Feel Pretty’ or that dreadful song ‘Born A Woman’. (The 1966 hit by Sandy Posey had observed that if you’re born a woman “you’re born to be stepped on, lied to, cheated on and treated like dirt. I’m glad it happened that way”.) These are not exactly empowering lyrics. I certainly never thought of myself as a songwriter, but it came down to having to do it.” Via WikiPedia.
Born October 25 1941, Helen Reddy placed 15 singles in the Top 40 of the Billboard Hot 100. Six made the Top 10 and three reached No. 1. She appeared in the Disney film “Pete’s Dragon” and was one of the all star cast in the movie “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band”.
What we listened to this week in 1964
From this week in 1964 at WKNR, in Detroit. It was definitely the cold and flu season as evidenced by the Vicks Cough Drop ad on the back of the guide.
Data courtesy Keener13.com.
WKNR, DETROIT, MI
Survey for week ending Thursday December 17, 1964
TW TITLE ARTIST LW
1. Love Potion Number Nine Searchers 2
2. I Feel Fine/She's a Women Beatles 1
3. Paper Tiger Sue Thompson 5
4. I Still Love You Bobbi Martin 10
5. That Shall Not Steal Dick & Deedee 3
6. Name Game Shirley Ellis 27
7. One More Time Ray Charles Singers 7
8. Shabby Little Hut Reflections 19
9. The Wedding Julie Rogers 6
10. Have You Looked into Your
Heart Jerry Vale 20
11. Oh No Not My Baby Maxine Brown 8
12. You've Lost That Lovin Feeling Righteous Brothers 21
13. Since I Dont Have You Chuck Jackson 18
14. Dear Heart/Emily Andy Williams / Jack
Jones 12
15. Come See About Me Supremes 4
16. My Love Forgive Me Robert Goulet 14
17. Roses are Red You Know Whos 13
18. Leader of the Laundromat Detergents 11
19. Promised Land Chuck Berry 25
20. Can You Jerk Like Me Contours 23
21. Downtown Petula Clark --
22. I'll Be There Gerry & The Pacemakers 26
23. Amen Impressions / Sisters 24
24. My Buddy Seat Hondells 28
25. Give Him a Great Big Kiss Shangri-Las --
26. Wild One Martha & The Vandellas 29
27. Across the Street Ray Peterson 31
28. Running Scared Sunset Strings 30
29. Let's Lock the Door Jay & The Americans --
30. The In Crowd Dobie Gray --
31. Keep Searchin Del Shannon --
(Key Song of the Week)
All Day & All The Night - Kinks
This week’s forgotten classic. A one hit wonder from Julie Rogers called “The Wedding”. The British sensation had two more top 40 UK hits with “Like a Child” (UK No. 20, US No. 67) and “Hawaiian Wedding Song” (UK No. 31), both in 1965. She also recorded a demo of “You Only Live Twice”, which appeared on the 1992 limited edition version of the album, The Best of Bond…James Bond. The song’s writers, composer John Barry (composer) and lyricist Leslie Bricusse, later wrote a completely different title song of the same name and it was Nancy Sinatra’s subsequent recording of this that was used in the film. Via Wikipedia
On TV the week of December 16, 1967
I regularly check in with ItsAboutTV.com to see what I was watching back in the day. December 16 1967 was a Saturday night and we were perusing TV guide to preview Sunday’s top shows, Ed Sullivan (CBS) and the Hollywood Palace (ABC). Here are the guest lineups for each:
Ed Sullivan: Scheduled: Joel Grey of the Broadway musical “Cabaret”; singers Patti Page, Spanky and Our Gang, the Kim Sisters and the Berlin Mozart Choir; impressionist David Frye; comedians Richard Pryor, and Stiller and Meara; and puppet Topo Gigio..
Hollywood Palace: It’s family night at the Palace as host Bing Crosby introduces his wife, Kathryn, daughter Mary Francis and sons Harry and Nathaniel. Also on hand: the singing King Family, comic Louis Nye, Adam “Batman” West and the Marquis Chimps.
Which show would you have watched?
Remembering Walt
On this day in 1966, Cartoonist, film producer and master imagineer, Walt Disney died of acute circulatory collapse caused by lung cancer at age 65.
At the time, the LA Times noted that Disney, “..won 31 Academy Awards, and more than 900 other citations from presidents, kings and queens, world statesmen and neighborhood service clubs.”
His creative output was astonishing and his empire was growing, Disney World construction was under way in Florida, even as he was dying.
“There’s no magic to my formula,” he once said. “I just make what I like — good, human stories in which you can get with people and which prove that the better things of life can be as interesting as the sordid things.”
Since then, his successors have continued to create Disney Magic using the same thought process.
And, no, nobody put Walt’s body into cryo-freeze for later revival. That’s one of the urban legends that never seems to go away.
Today, the Walt Disney Company is worth $110 billion dollars.
The Top 20 Christmas Movies of All Time?
Every generation has our favorite holiday film. As a kid, I was partial to Mr. Magoo’s Christmas Carol, a long forgotten gem that’s getting the blu-ray treatment and a prime time replay this year. When the kids came along, White Christmas became number one. These days, Love Actually leads our list.
What’s your favorite Christmas film? Be honest, are you like me and tear up at the end of It’s a Wonderful Life every time they show it? Do you keep an eye on the TV Guide for the annual broadcast of A Charlie Brown Christmas? Did you ever buy a Norelco razor because you saw Santa riding it down a snowy slope in between scenes of Rudolph The Red Nose Reindeer?
Here’s what Entertainment Weekly says are the most popular holiday films of all time. It’s definitely not my list. Some wouldn’t be on mine at all. But let it be a conversation starter at those holiday parties we are all attending!
- It’s a Wonderful Life (1946)
- A Christmas Story (1983)
- A Charlie Brown Christmas (1965)
- Elf (2003)
- How the Grinch Stole Christmas (1966)
- Love Actually (2003)
- Bad Santa (2003)
- The Muppet Christmas Carol (1992)
- The Year Without Santa Claus (1974)
- Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer (1964)
- Home Alone (1990)
- Trading Places (1983)
- The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993)
- White Christmas (1954)
- Miracle on 34th Street (1947)
- Die Hard (1988)
- Scrooged (1988)
- National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation (1989)
- Gremlins (1984)
- The Santa Clause (1994)
What if Twitter were a Radio Show?
When radio was king, why did we listen? The music for sure, but at its zenith, the DJs were the real draw. What they said between the tunes was the glue that kept us tuned in. That’s my goal with the @ScottOwensShow on Twitter. I try to give you useful information and entertain you as your feed rolls by. Trivia, pop culture history, musical backstories, videos, inspiration. If I’m doing it right, you’ll find it all on the feed, right between your eyes.
No political rants here; just factoids, fun and the essentials to hopefully make your day go a little bit better. I used to do exactly that on the airwaves. Let’s do it together here!
Plug us in.. Turn us on.. “Follow us” in the vernacular of today. Just like it used to be when your briefings on all that’s cool from your radio, I guarantee your cocktail conversation will be markedly improved!
Social Media and Podcasting are the new Broadcasting!
Just when us old radio guys think the business is dead, it reinvents itself.
Our parents lamented when long form radio programs transferred to Television. It took visionaries like Todd Storz and Gordon Mclendon to reinvent the medium as a jukebox with personality.
That worked for many years, until consolidation and the high prices paid for radio properties forced owners to economize and homogenize. That opened the door for smart devices and today’s generation gets their content when they want it on the device they like best. Whether it’s a smartphone or a smart speaker like Alexa, it’s possible to hear whatever your favorite music is anytime, anywhere.
The difference is that the listener is in total control. Services like Amazon Music and iTunes allow you to create your own playlists. Pay a couple of bucks and you don’t even have to hear commercials.
So personalities have migrated to the podcast world. What used to be a 5 minute attention span, now can encompass more than an hour, IF the content is compelling.
That’s where you’ll find today’s radio announcers. We may not be playing the hits, but the fun stuff we did in between the music is all there. A few of the more entrepreneurial of us have found ways to monetize it. But the cool thing is that the space is wide open. Anyone can play in the sandbox!
In the old days, when radio stations were owned locally, there were places where we could learn the trade, to get away with being bad while we figured out how to be good and move up the ladder to bigger markets and bigger audiences. That’s today’s podcast space. Shows come and go. People reinvent themselves and try again. And there’s always room for the truly dedicated practitioner to succeed. And there’s a huge ecosystem of ears out there, eager to listen.
Radio is still around on line. Most every set of call letters has an audio stream and there are some small guys who are trying their hand in creating their own stations. Hopefully the new copyright rules will make it a bit easier for them to do it legally. We need more of that kind of competition to raise the bar.
It all boils down to this: There’s still a lot of great audio content out there. It may be a bit harder to find than when you had one radio in your car and a few stations to choose from. But whether you are a creator or a consumer, the field has never been more fertile.
Explore and enjoy. And keep an ear out. You might hear a familiar voice like mine!
This Week in Keenerland: November 25
The Headlines: Elvis signs with Sun Records. George gets deported. The Twist is a national craze. Dr. Who Debuts. Alices Restaurant is released.
This week in 1965 was a big one for both Elvis Presley and Sam Phillips. The owner of Sun Records sold Elvis’ contract to RCA for $35,000, the largest amount ever paid to sign a recording artist at the time. Phillips invested his proceeds from the deal in a two-year-old Memphis-based hotel chain called Holiday Inn. You can see what the original Holiday Inns looked like, inside and out at The Henry Ford.
George Harrison was deported from Hamburg, Germany this week in 1960, where The Beatles had been playing at the Kaiserkeller club. The Germans figured out he was under 18 and couldn’t legally be performing in the country.
In 1961, the popularity of The Twist (video) reached its zenith with New York television station WOR airing hourly one-to-five-minute twist lessons featuring Chubby Checker.
This week in 1963, those of us who grew up reading The Chronicles of Narnia lost a friend when author, poet and essayist, C.S. Lewis, died of uremia at 64.
That same week, the long-running sci-fi television series “Doctor Who” debuted in England on BBC One.
Record releases this week include 1965 included “My Generation” (video) by The Who and Stevie Wonder‘s “Uptight (Everything’s Alright)” (video). Stevie would promote the single by singing it with Scott Regen on Keener that same month. In ’68, Diana Ross And The Supremes & The Temptations released “I’m Gonna Make You Love Me.” (video) In 1970 George Harrison released “My Sweet Lord” (video) to the American audience. He would be sued for unintentionally copying Ronnie Mack’s song “He’s So Fine”, a 1963 hit for the the Chiffons.
James Brown caused a sensation and a riot in Kansas City this week in 1966. Cops stopped the show due to Brown’s “obscene dances,” and had to contend with some very unhappy fans.
A Thanksgiving radio tradition began on November 20, 1967 when Arlo Guthrie released the album “Alice’s Restaurant.” (video) It’s been a holiday staple on classic rock stations across the country every since.
In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida (video) was still popular a year after it’s release in 1968. In Ashland, Virginia, Iron Butterfly performed in the 3,500-seat Crenshaw Gymnasium of Randolph-Macon College. Their opening act was a band called Steel Mill, that included Bruce Springsteen.
November 24, 1971…D.B. Cooper became a household name when he parachuted from a Northwest Airlines 727 over southwestern Washington state with $200,000 in ransom. Nobody ever could figure out Cooper’s whereabouts or true identity nor has all the money ever been recovered. An eight year old Brian Ingram found $5,880 in decaying $20 bills in February of 1980, which forensic experts concluded was part of the original ransom.
Keener Number Ones this week include:
1963) Louie Louie, Kingsmen
(1964) Mountain of Love, Johnny Rivers
(1965) Turn Turn Turn, Byrds
(1966) Good Vibrations, Beach Boys
(1967) Daydream Beliver/Goin’ Down, Monkees
(1968) Abraham Martin and John, Dion
(1969) Someday We’ll Be Together, Supremes
(1970) One Less Bell To Anwser, Fifth Dimension
(1971) Family Affair, Sly & The Family Stone
Our deep dive into the WKNR Music Guide features the week of November 26, 1964. For Motown records made the survey with The Supremes at Keener Hit Number One with “Come See About Me” (video). Keener was still tossing in tunes that would later be considered “Middle of the Road”, including Bobby Vinton‘s “Mr. Lonely” (video) and Matt Monro‘s “Walk Away” (video). Robert Goulet and Andy Williams also were on the survey. Confusion reigned around The Ray Charles Singers, which many thought were under the direction of the popular soul singer. In fact, they were the creation of Charles Raymond Offenberg and so named by Perry Como in 1959. They charted three times on Keener, all in 1964. Mort Crowley had departed WKNR by November, 1964, replaced in the mornings by Frank “Swingin” Sweeney. Robin Seymour, a WKMH holdover, held down the mid-day slot. He would depart for a television career in Canada as the host of “Swingin’ Time”.
We leave you with a live performance of the Beach Boys‘s “Dance, Dance, Dance”, which was on the way down at #19 on the WKNR Music Guide this week in 1964. In the day, the band was able to recreate the studio artistry of the Wrecking Crew’s backing tracks on stage. Their trademark harmonies came across well in a live environment.
This Week in Keenerland: November 18
We’ve been on vacation but are back in the saddle with another review of this week in Keenerland.
Here’s a look at Campus Martius in Detroit on Friday night, courtesy of Felicia Fullwood Photography. We highly recommend that you visit her website to check out her artistry. Growing up during the Keener era always meant visits to Motor City landmarks during the holidays. We remember the annual Christmas Fantasy at the Ford Rotunda, the holiday decorations on the 12th floor of Hudson’s (and that huge Christmas Tree covering the entire front of the building) and traditions that live on to this day including Wild Lights at the Detroit Zoo and the required trip north to Bronner’s in Frankenmuth. Our holiday television viewing season began with the America’s Thanksgiving Parade, which debuted in 1924 thanks to the JL Hudson Company. A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving, How the Grinch Stole Christmas, narrated by Boris Karloff, Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer with Burl Ives, and holiday movie musts like Miracle on 34th Street and White Christmas followed. We love how these “evergreen” productions can still be seen today.
There is lots of talk about the release of The Beatles’ White Album Box Set. We’ve got one and it lives up to the hype, with over 5 hours of originals, alternate takes, and tunes that didn’t make the cut. Giles Martin did his father, George, proud, digging up the original source material and remixing the tracks to give us the same pristine listening experience we enjoyed with his Sgt. Pepper project. Who would have thought that Back in the USSR would be in the Billboard top ten again 5 decades later? Read Jordan Orlando’s review in this week’s New Yorker Magazine.
Happy Birthday to Berkeley native, Marshall Crenshaw. He turned 65 on November 11th. Before fronting the popular Marshall Crenshaw Band, he got his first big break in 1976, winning the role of John Lennon, performing in “Beatlemania” on both coasts that year.
Last week marked the 43rd anniversary of the sinking of the Great Lakes ore carrier SS Edmund Fitzgerald. The boat went down with all hands just north of Whitefish Point in Lake Superior in 1975. Gordon Lightfoot immortalized the event in song in 1976 (Video).
In 1964, Sam Cooke entered the RCA Victor’s Music Center of the World studios in New York, to record “Shake” and “It’s Got The Whole World Shakin’.” It would be his last session. Cooke was shot to death 3½ weeks later.
This week in 1968, Simon & Garfunkel began a marathon 100 hour recording session to produce “The Boxer.” With Fred Carter, Jr. on guitar and Hal Blaine on drums, The recording was taped at multiple locations, including Nashville, in New York City at St. Paul’s Chapel and the Columbia studios.
Another defining event of our generation happened on November 17, 1968 when NBC cut away from the final minutes of a New York Jets-Oakland Raiders game to begin the TV special, “Heidi,” on schedule. Fans who had been watching the game missed the the two touchdowns the Raiders scored in nine seconds, to beat the New York Jets, 43-32. NBC switchboards were jammed with complaints. From then on a policy of waiting to begin post-game programming until the game being broadcast was over, became the rule.
November 21 will be “Bob Seger Day” in Grand Rapids. Mayor Rosalynn Bliss bestowed the honor on Michigan’s favorite Rock and Roll Son in parallel with his upcoming concerts at the Van Andel Arena
Keener number ones this week include:
(1963) Louie Louie, Kingsmen – Keener’s first Hit Number 1
(1964) Mountain of Love, Johnny Rivers
(1965) Turn Turn Turn, Byrds
(1966) Winchester Cathedral, New Vaudeville Band
(1967) The Rain The Park & Other Things, Cowsills
(1968) Abraham Martin and John, Dion
(1969) Na Na Hey Hey, Steam
(1970) Tears of a Clown, Smokey Robinson & the Miracles
(1971) Family Affair, Sly & The Family Stone
Our deep dive into the WKNR Music Guide comes from the week ending November 17, 1965. Many classic hits were on their way up the charts including James Brown‘s “I Got You (I Feel Good)” (Video), Simon and Gar’s “Sounds of Silence” (Video) and “Ebb Tide” from the Righteous Brothers (Video). The Vogues “Five O’Clock World” (Video) was the Key Song of the Week. And who was Fernanda Waltmiller? Back in the day, she was the symbol of the Revlon company and the subject of a nationwide advertising campaign that inspired DJ’s in every major market to say, “We love you, Fernanda Waltmiller”. Scott Regen and Paul Cannon followed suit in the Revlon Natural Wonder ad on the back of the guide.
We leave you with this 1962 television broadcast of the Hudson’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. Enjoy the holiday and keep it Keener!
This Week in Keenerland: September 23
This week in 1968, Detroit Tigers pitcher Denny McLain won his 31st game of the season. It was also the game where New York Yankee legend, Mickey Mantle, hit career home run #535 in what would be his last Motor City at bat. With victory firmly in the Tiger’s hands, McLain tossed a beefsteak to Mantle who slammed the ball into the right field bleachers. (That’s Don Wert watching Mantle round the bases.)
Bob Seger is about to “Turn the Page”. Ann Arbor’s favorite rock and roll son is 73 and ready do be done with the road. He’s announced that his final tour will begin in November in Grand Rapids, ending in May in Houston. While no Detroit dates have yet been confirmed, his team has intimated that additional appearances may be added.
Remember when cereals touted sugar? In the Kellogg portfolio alone, we remember Sugar Frosted Flakes, Sugar Smacks, Sugar Pops and Sugar Jets. And how many of us ate our breakfast out of the cereal box from a Jumbo Assortment? “K – E – Double L – O – Double G – S” of Battle Creek was a perennial sponsor of classic television programs from the Keener era, from My 3 Sons to Dennis the Menace. The company is still Michigan based and providing the “best to you” for over 112 years.
A number of television dynasties got their start this week in Keener history. The Patty Duke Show (Video) premiered this week in 1963 on WXYZ and ABC. Three iconic shows got their start this week in 1965: I Dream of Jeannie (Video) and Get Smart (Video) on WWJ / NBC and the rock and roll show Shindig! (Video of the first show) on ABC.
On September 18, 1969, NBC’s “The Tonight Show” was the setting where 37-year-old falsetto singer Tiny Tim announced his forthcoming marriage to 17-year-old “Miss Vicki” Budinger. Host Johnny Carson then offered up his show as a venue for the event, which attracted 40 million TV viewers on December 17, 1969 (Video).
This week in 1967…Singer/actor Rick Nelson and wife Kris welcomed twin sons, Gunnar and Matthew. The two front men of the band Nelson have 51 birthday candles on their cake. We lost their dad in a plane crash on December 31st, 1985 at the age of 45.
This week in 1970, Jim Morrison of The Doors was found guilty of indecent exposure and profanity during a concert at the Dinner Key Auditorium in Coconut Grove, Florida. He died the following July before he could appeal.
Keener number ones this week include:
Our deep dive into the WKNR Music Guide comes from the week ending September 19, 1966. It’s filled with iconic music. Two Motown tunes were in the Top 10, Richard and the Young Lions were at Number 3 with one of the first hits to feature “fuzz” guitar, “Open Up Your Door”. (Swingin’ Time Video). The Monkees were climbing the charts with their first single, The Boyce and Hart penned “Last Train to Clarksville” (Video). The Surfaris re-entered the chart at number 29, three years after first spawning a generation of questions to drummers everywhere: “Can you play ‘Wipe Out’?” (Video). And Ann Arbor’s Rationals were at Number 9 with their take on Otis Redding’s “Respect” (Swingin’ Time Video). The back of the guide featured Keener’s “Name the White Knight” contest. Remember the Ajax commercial featuring the phrase “Stronger than dirt”? We have the original video from 1966. What Keener hit ended with the same phrase? Answer: The Doors 1969 Keener Number 1 – Touch Me (Video).
This Week in Keenerland: September 16
One of our most popular Facebook posts included this photograph of Old Glory flying high above the Mackinac Bridge in remembrance of 9/11. The world’s 20th-longest main span and the longest suspension bridge between Crossing it was a rite of passage for many in the Keener Generation.
Bringing back The Grande? The iconic Detroit landmark, that Keener’s Russ Gibb branded as the home of Motor City Rock & Roll is a few steps closer to a home on the National Register of Historic Places. The venue, which has deteriorated over the years, is currently owned by the Chapel Hill Baptist Church. The organization has indicated that a restored Grande might be made available for “secular events” if rennovated. Freep’s Brian McCollum writes that, “The Grande spawned an enduring mythology and valuable collectibles by rock-poster artists such as Gary Grimshaw and Carl Lundgren. The venue was the subject of the award-winning 2012 documentary ‘Louder Than Love.'”
Where were you when you first saw The Monkees (Video) on Television? 52 years ago, on September 12, 1966, The Monkees debuted “In Color” on WWJ-TV and NBC. Spanning 2 seasons and 58 episodes, the show set the standard for the concept of the music video, which, once upon a time, was a centerpiece at MTV – Music Television. The band members, who were hand picked by the show’s producers and backed by some of the best songwriters and session musicians of the time, have become the stuff of legend with tours featuring some or all of the surviving Monkees continuing to this day.
The fall television season was something we all looked forward to back in our youth. Other iconic shows that debuted this week in Keener history include, the sitcom “F-Troop,” (Video) starring Forrest Tucker, Larry Storch, Ken Berry, and Melody Patterson, which began a two-season run on WXYZ and ABC this week in 1965. Two years later, “Ironside,” (Video) starring Raymond Burr, Don Galloway, Barbara Anderson, and Don Mitchell, premiered on WWJ and NBC. It would last for 8 seasons. This week in 1968, “The Archies” cartoon series debuted, Saturday mornings on CBS. The fictional band, fronted in real life by Barry Manilow‘s future collaborator, Ron Dante, had a number one hit on Keener in 1969 with “Sugar Sugar”.
From the “how did we get that old” department: Happy 53rd birthday to Ringo‘s son, Zak Starkey. According to the College of Rock and Roll Knowledge: Zak has been the unofficial drummer for The Who since 1994. His Godfather was the band’s original drummer, Keith Moon, who bought Zak his first drum kit. Another percussive great, RUSH‘s Neil Peart celebrated his 66th birthday this week.
This month in 1965, Ford became the first automotive company to offer factory installed 8 track tape players. The format, based on the venerable Fidelipac tape cartridge technology used widely in broadcasting, had a brief prime from 1964 through 1968, when it was quickly supplanted by the more versatile and recordable compact cassette. How many 8 tracks did you own back in the day? Here’s a classic Radio Shack 8 Track commercial.
Keener Number Ones for this week include:
(1964) Last Kiss, J Frank Wilson
(1965) Eve of Destruction, Barry McGuire
(1966) Cherish, Association
(1967) The Letter, Box Tops
(1968) Hey Jude/Revolution, Beatles
(1969) I Can’t Get Next To You, Temptations
(1970) Cracklin’ Rosie, Neil Diamond
(1971) Maggie May, Rod Stewart
Keener on Spotify: 13 Hits from September 13, 1971.
Our deep dive into the WKNR Music Guide comes from this week in 1971. Keener was touting itself as “Detroit’s only rock ‘n roll radio station”, having long ceded dominance to CKLW’s 50,000 watts and tight Drake format in Canada. Did you ever take a class at Evelyn Wood Reading Dynamics?
We leave you with video of Rod Stewart singing the number one song from this week in 1971.
This Week in Keenerland: September 9
As the great Detroit News sports columnist Lynn Henning wrote, “you had to have been there to appreciate the ’68 Tigers.” We were, we did and we do! It was a different time. There was no free agency. The parsimonious GM, Jim Campbell was always looking to save money; the team each earned $4,000 and a ring for the championship season and many needed second jobs to make ends meet. The season had its ups and downs and as the World Series began, it seemed like the St. Louis Cardinals were invincible. As every true Detroiter knows, the Tigers did what they had done all season, they stayed in the game and ultimately prevailed. Here’s a link to the Ernie Harwell / Ray Lane documentary, “The Year of The Tiger” along with this link to Ernie’s complete play-by-play of Game 7.
52 years ago this week, Star Trek burst onto television screens on WWJ and NBC. The space opera, created by Gene Roddenberry and starring William Shatner and Leonard Nimoy was cancelled after 3 years and 79 episodes, but found it’s perennial audience in syndication. It became the first bonafide multimedia franchise spawning 13 films and 6 television series. Star Trek made household names of the original series stars and caused us to examine our prejudices through a sci-fi lens not unlike Rod Serling’s Twilight Zone. A bit of Star Trek trivia: The series was actually first seen on Canada’s CTV network (not the CBC affiliate, CKLW/Channel 9, which we could get in much of the Detroit area) before it’s US premiere on September 8, 1966.
Bill Daily and Burt Reynolds left us this past week. Daily was a television fixture as Larry Hagman’s sidekick on “I Dream of Jeannie“. Burt was a versatile and underrated actor who played a variety of roles, becoming a giant star at the height of the CB craze when he teamed up with Sally Field, Jerry Reed and Jackie Gleason in “Smokey and the Bandit“. While he claimed to have been born in Georgia, Burt was actually a native of Lansing, Michigan. Everyone has a favorite Burt Reynolds film. Ours is 1978’s tribute to the life of Hollywood stunt people, “Hooper“. Here’s a scene from that film, also featuring Brian Keith and a toupeed Terry Bradshaw.
Paul McCartney streamed a live concert from Grand Central Station over YouTube this week. His voice now reflects his mileage, but the crowd loved every minute of his review of more than 5 decades of Paul’s musical artistry. The set list was a mixture of both Beatle classics and the best of McCartney’s solo career.
Grand Funk’s Don Brewer, Beach Boy Al Jardine, Al Stewart and Gloria Gaynor are among this week’s Keener birthday celebrants. The sitcom “The Flying Nun,” (Video) starring Sally Field, Marge Redmond, Madeleine Sherwood, and Alejandro Rey, began its three-season run on WXYZ and ABC this week in 1967.
This week in 1959, Dick Clark‘s “Caravan of Stars” opened the Michigan State Fair with performances by Frankie Avalon, Annette Funicello, Duane Eddy, LaVern Baker, Jack Scott, the Coasters, and Jan & Dean. During a 1967 television interview, Michigan Gov. George Romney claimed he had undergone “brainwashing” by U.S. officials while visiting Vietnam two years earlier. And this week in 1968, Eric Clapton became the first non-Beatle to appear on one of their recordings when he overdubbed his guitar solo for “While My Guitar Gently Weeps.” (Video)
Keener Number Ones for this week include:
(1964) Last Kiss, J Frank Wilson
(1965) Eve of Destruction, Barry McGuire
(1966) Cherish, Association
(1967) The Letter, Box Tops
(1968) Harper Valley PTA, Jeannie C Riley
(1969) Sugar Sugar, Archies
(1970) Cracklin’ Rosie, Neil Diamond
(1971) Go Away Little Girl, Donny Osmond
Keener on Spotify: 13 Hits from September 5, 1968.
Our deep dive into the WKNR Music Guide comes from this week in 1968. “Hey Jude” was rocketing toward the top, where Jeannie C. Riley‘s tale about an uptight parent teacher association held sway. The eclectic tastes of the Detroit radio audience can be seen with diverse chart entries from the 1910 Fruit Gum Company, Deep Purple, Iron Butterfly, The Association and Fats Domino. With Jim Jeffries departure for Atlanta, Dave Forster took over the all night shift on Keener, and the Funny Cars were still stars at Detroit Dragway (Sibley at Dix).
We leave you with the images we saw that fall day in 1968 when the Tigers won the Series. Enjoy this video of the final inning of the final game and remember where you were and what you were doing.
