Keener13.com Celebrates 20 Years!

On June 1st, 2002, Steve Schram and Scott Westerman launched this website. It was envisioned as a non-profit enterprise, celebrating the Detroit radio station that we grew up with, a phenomenon that became part of the heart of the Motor City and the soundtrack of a generation. Keener was a thing from October of 1963 until April of 1972, barely nine and a half years. But in it’s brief prime it helped define popular music in Detroit, introduced legendary entertainers to our community and helped us make sense of the changing world around us.

Keener13.com has now been around more than twice as long as WKNR lived. But 49 years after that Halloween night when the Keener Sound first debuted, tens of thousands of Keener listeners still cherish its memory. And through this website, we’ve introduced the Keener magic to many thousands more.

Thanks to the Keener people who contributed content to this labor of love. And thanks to all of you who have helped use keep the WKNR flame burning for nearly half a century.

Today in Detroit History:

• Today in 1967, Detroit’s Channel 56 announced higher power, a new tower location, color television programming and an expansion of it’s NET (National Educational Television) network programing. As of June 25, WTVS new home along side Channel 50 in Southfield would expand the station’s reach as far as Toledo, Port Huron, Flint and Ann Arbor.
• Today in 1972, newspapers were reporting the nation would get it’s first female rabbi on en Sally Priesand, a 25 year old Cleveland, Ohio resident graduated from Cincinnati’s Hebrew Union College this week. The late Dr. Nelson Glueck approved the ordination but passed away one year before Rabbi Priesand’s graduation. She was formally ordained on June 3rd.
• Today in 1977, The Federal Reserve instituted a new rule that entitled women to have their own credit identity. It was designed to aid women who became divorced, widowed or wanted their own financial accounts.
• Today in 1979, a 5-year-old Saginaw County boy was in good condition after being bitten by a Massasauga rattle snake in his drive way. Louis Dingler’s mother summoned help via CB radio after her son was bitten in the ankle. A cousin captured the snake, making it possible for doctors to quickly provide serum injections. Rattlesnake bites are rare in Michigan and unheard of as far south as Saginaw.
• Today in 1982, a Denver native became the first American detained by China since the 1979 resumption of diplomatic relations. Lisa Wichser, a 28 year old teacher had sought permission to marry a Chinese economics student before being arrested and charged with theft of State Secrets. At the time, China was extremely sensitive about marriages between Chinese and foreigners.
• Today in 1987, fire destroyed Gregory’s marina, near Waterworks Park, injuring 8 and destroying 7 boats. Quick action by neighbors with boats along the canal that ran behind their homes saved more vessels from destruction, several boats were pulled from the burning shed before the conflagration exploded in an orange fireball, visible for blocks.

What’s Happening via JJ Duling:

Did you know? Motown legend Smokey Robinson penned a number of hits for other label artists during his career. In addition to Miracles hits like “You’ve Really Got a Hold on Me,” “The Tracks of My Tears” and “Shop Around” Smokey wrote between 1955 through 1972, he also contributed to the creation of “My Guy” for Mary Wells and “My Girl” for the Temptations in 1964, “Don’t Mess with Bill” for the Marvelettes and “Ain’t That Peculiar” for Marvin Gaye in 1965 and The Four Tops “Still Water” in 1970. Smokey is concluding a series of concert dates this week. He’s appearing in Milwaukee tomorrow night.

64-year-old Anita Baker announced her return to Detroit in a Tweet on May 31st. While the concert date was not specified, the venue will be Little Caesar’s Arena, her first trip to Motown since 1995. Anita’s last Michigan concert was at Pine Knob in 2010.

There’s a teaser trailer out and about featuring Tom Hanks as Geppetto in Disney’s live action reboot of “Pinocchio.” Robert Zemeckis of “Back to the Future” fame is directing the big budget blockbuster, slated for release in theaters on September 8.

In a further sign that homes are selling for record prices, The Rhode Island farmhouse that inspired the 2013 horror movie “The Conjuring” has been sold to a Boston developer who plans to keep it open to the public. The 18th century home in Burrillville sold for $1.525 million on Thursday, far higher than the $1.2 million asking price. (AP)

You’ve heard the old saying that giving enriches the giver? An unidentified man from Australia was given a winning scratch-off lottery ticket worth $100,000 for his 70th birthday and is splitting the money with the gift giver. The Sydney resident said, “We’re going to split it straight down the middle. I’ll take $50,000 and so will he. We already planned to go out for dinner again with the same group of friends and shout, ‘Everyone free food and drinks — it’s on us!'”  (UPI)

Want a simple starting point to get fit? Strength and conditioning coach James Whitener III told the New York Times that push-ups are the perfect exercise. They target a host of areas (chest, shoulder, arms) and are easy to execute in nearly any setting. Physical therapist and rehabilitation coach Dr. Tessia De Mattos recommends starting with a plank to develop proper form and avoid a sagging belly and an arched lower back. (Digg)

Number one on Keener this week in:

(1965) I Can’t Help Myself, Four Tops
(1966) Strangers in the Night, Frank Sinatra
(1967) My Girl Josephine, Jerry Jaye
(1968) Mrs Robinson, Simon & Garfunkle
(1969) Get Back/Dont Let Me Down, Beatles
(1970) Up Around The Bend, Creedence Clearwater Revival
(1971) Want Ads, Honey Cone

Today in History:

1869 Thomas Edison granted his first patent for the Electric Vote Recorder (U.S. Patent 90,646)
1880 The first pay telephone service in the United States is installed in New Haven, Connecticut
1925 Future NY Yankees Hall of Famer Lou Gehrig pinch hits for shortstop Pee-Wee Wanninge in a 5-3 loss to Washington; first of record 2,130 consecutive games
1936 “Lux Radio Theater” moved from NYC to Hollywood
1961 FM multiplex stereo broadcasting 1st heard
1966 Shortwave station Radio NY Worldwide changes calls from WRUL to WNYW
1967 EMI releases The Beatles’ album “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band” nation-wide in the UK; it goes to number one for 22 weeks in the UK
1968 Simon & Garfunkel’s single “Mrs Robinson” from “The Graduate” hits #1 (first rock song to win Grammy for Record of the Year)
1973 Paul McCartney & Wings release single “Live & Let Die”
1975 Ronnie Wood replaces Mick Taylor as Rolling Stones guitarist
1988 “Les Miserables” opens at Shubert Theatre, LA
1993 Connie Chung joins Dan Rather as anchors of CBS Evening News
2007 Jack Kevorkian is released from prison after serving eight years of his 10-25 year prison term for the 1998 second-degree murder of Thomas Youk
2009 General Motors files for chapter 11 bankruptcy. It is the fourth largest United States bankruptcy in history.

Rock and Roll Birthdays – Via DrRock.com:

1921 Nelson Riddle, Jazz, blues, swing and pop composer, orchestrator, bandleader, producer and arranger for Frank Sinatra, Linda Ronstadt and others, died from liver failure on 10/6/1985, age 64
1934 Pat Boone, Adult contemporary pop and later gospel singer, TV host, author, Billboard magazine’s second biggest charting artist of the 1950s behind Elvis Presley, “Love Letters In The Sand (#1, 1957)
1945 James William McCarty, Blues-rock and rock ‘n’ roll guitarist with Mitch Ryder & The Detroit Wheels, Jenny Take A Ride” (#10, 1966), funk-rock Buddy Miles Express, hard/boogie rock supergroup Cactus, blues-rock The Rockets, formed Mystery Train
1947 Ron Wood, Guitarist for Jeff Beck Group, then raunch-rock The Faces, “Stay With Me” (#17, 1971), in 1975 joined The Rolling Stones, “Miss You” (#1, 1978)
1950 Graham Russell, Guitar and vocals for Aussie light pop-rock Air Supply, “The One That You Love” (#1, 1981)
1974 Alanis Morissette, Canadian-American teenage dance-pop singer turned Grammy-winning alt rock singer/songwriter and guitarist, “Ironic” (#4, Mainstream Rock #1, 1996) from the album Jagged Little Pill, the #1 selling album of the 90s

Other Notable Birthdays – Via OnThisDay.com:

1926 Andy Griffith, American actor, comedian, television producer, Southern gospel singer, and writer (Andy Griffith Show, Matlock), born in Mount Airy, North Carolina (d. 2012)
1926 Marilyn Monroe [Norma Jean Mortenson], American actress (Some Like It Hot), born in Los Angeles, California (d. 1962)
1930 Edward Woodward, British singer and actor (Breaker Morant, Wickerman, The Equalizer), born in Croydon, Surrey (d. 2009)
1935 Reverend Ike [Frederick J. Eikerenkoetter II], American televangelist (Joy of Living), born in Ridgeland, South Carolina (d. 2009)
1937 Morgan Freeman, American Academy Award-winning actor (Driving Mrs Daisy, Glory), born in Memphis, Tennessee
1939 Cleavon Little, actor (Blazing Saddles, Toy Soldiers), born in Chickasha Oklahoma (d. 1992)
1940 Rene Auberjonois, American actor and voice artist (MASH, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, God of War), born in NYC, New York (d. 2019)
1946 Brian Cox, Scottish actor (Troy; Jason Bourne films), born in Dundee, Scotland
1948 Powers Boothe, American Actor (Sin City, Deadwood), born in Snyder Texas (d. 2017)
1956 Lisa Hartman Black, American singer and actress (Tabitha, Knots Landing), born in Houston, Texas