40 years ago, 23 year old Jose Feliciano sat before a public address microphone at Tiger Stadium. Detroit was playing in the World Series and Tiger broadcaster Ernie Harwell was assigned the job of selecting the talent to render The National Anthem. Jose followed Marvin Gaye, who sang a straight version after the Tigers directed Harwell to admonish the Motown superstar to keep things traditional. Today, Jose’s rendition sounds tame in comparison to the diverse interpretations we hear at almost every sporting event. But in the day it generated a firestorm of controversy. Here’s NPR’s excellent remembrance of how it happened. (Special thanks to Keenerfan Jim Feliciano for the picture and recording of Jose’s performance at Michigan and Trumbull.)

6 icons of the airwaves are on display at the Detroit Historical Museum, including WKNR alum Dick Purtan. DP is honored, along with Bob Allison, Sonny Eliot, Ernie Harwell, JP McCarthy and Martha Jean “The Queen” Steinberg in a display of sight and sound entitled “Detroits Classic Radio Voices”. Here’s more from Susan Whitall at DetNews.com