Did You Hear That?

**Bobl** · August-08-10, 01:53 PM

"Did you hear that?" was repeated often by local disc jockey, Lee Alan, referring to the sound of his "fine tuned horn", which he blasted often on his WXYZ AM radio show.
The days of radio personalities seem to have passed. What are your recollections or observations of local broadcasters? CKLW, WABX, WKNR, WDET, WJLB all come to mind, as they each featured "personalities".

**Stinger4me** · August-08-10, 03:41 PM

I did hear "the horn". On the same station was Joel Sebastian, maybe even someone with the nickname, "the ugly little Prince", Dave Prince. I seem to recall Lee Alan signing off with a song by Frank Sinatra, he would add how many days he was back on Detroit radio. I cannot recall the dj on the show which started at midnight.

**Ray1936** · August-08-10, 05:48 PM

Working the midnight shift 50 years ago, we always had one of those new-fangled transistor radios on the dash of the car, listening to "Night Flight 760" on WJR. Good easy music, but boy, could it put you to sleep if ya didn't watch out. Can't remember who the jock was, tho.

**gazhekwe** · August-08-10, 05:50 PM

Was it J. Michael Wilson on WKNR who had the Rodney the Rodent character? And of course there was the Scottburger, Scott Regan.

**douglasm** · August-08-10, 07:27 PM

Jay Roberts was the host of Nightflight 760 on WJR. And J. Michael Wilson was one of the most creative jocks in town. And CKLW's Steve Hunter probably had the best of the Bill Drake voices.

The first real personality rock jock I listened to with regularity was probably Dave "Sangoo" Prince on Wixie.

**Vic_doucette** · August-08-10, 09:00 PM

Originally Posted by gazhekwe

Was it J. Michael Wilson on WKNR who had the Rodney the Rodent character? And of course there was the Scottburger, Scott Regan.

I remember it as Rodney the Wonder Rodent -- and it was J. Michael Wilson.

Jeez, so many of those guys made me want to start what wound up being my long, obscure and underpaid career in radio. I was influenced in one way or another by almost everyone I ever heard on the air, for good or ill. Sometimes I miss those days. But then I lay down on the couch with a cold compress on my head and a few minutes later it goes away.

I am surely looking forward to Art Vuolo's Detroit Radio reunion next month. If the previous one is any indication, I bet I'll still feel like a Little Leaguer who got invited by mistake to play in the World Series.

**Meddle** · August-08-10, 10:42 PM

Doug Podell and the W4 Album Review. Doug would do a short intro, then set the needle down and let side one play through. He blab a bit while he flipped it over and the let side two play. I still have a couple of cassettes I taped of those.

WJZZ was one of my other favorites. Then WQRS. Basically anything that was more music than talk.

The morning morons that would blather on incessantly about nothing made me stop listening to the radio during drive time. Some of them thought they were funny I guess, but to me they were nothing more than idiots who loved the sounds of their own voices. I pictured them living in their mothers' basements.

**Stinger4me** · August-09-10, 12:17 PM

Somebody out there must remember "Frantic Ernie" Durham, I think he was on WJLB.

**jiminnm** · August-09-10, 04:47 PM

Originally Posted by Stinger4me

I did hear "the horn". On the same station was Joel Sebastian, maybe even someone with the nickname, "the ugly little Prince", Dave Prince. I seem to recall Lee Alan signing off with a song by Frank Sinatra, he would add how many days he was back on Detroit radio. I cannot recall the dj on the show which started at midnight.

The song was "I Can't Started With You" and Lee Alan was followed at midnight by Don Zee. I burned through plenty of 9V batteries to have those facts permanently singed into my mind.

Check out:
http://www.detroitradiolegends.com/
http://www.detroitradioflashbacks.net/
http://www.keener13.com/
http://www.thebig8.net/

There's a lot more out there, including plenty of airchecks. Vic mentioned Art Vuolo. Art sells a great "History of Detroit Radio" 5-CD package on his web site.

**Stinger4me** · August-09-10, 08:38 PM

Ray 1936; Nighlight 760 made for esy listening in "the hole".

**Bobl** · August-09-10, 11:29 PM

My favorites were Mojo, and Dave Dixon. Not everyone could like Dave Dixon...
As a young one, I met Lee Alan while he was doing a remote from Merollis Chevrolet, in a trailer. He was nice, and told us that we were in "the best town in the world" for those who like music...

**mikefmich** · August-10-10, 01:44 AM

My earliest memories of music radio was Lee Alan and Joel Sebastian. "Cream of the crop until twelve o'clock"!

My dad always wanted to know why the DJs had to scream. lol

**bahbay** · November-19-10, 10:07 PM

Originally Posted by Stinger4me

Somebody out there must remember "Frantic Ernie" Durham, I think he was on WJLB.

I remember Frantic Ernie sayin' " I'll be back with a stack of shellac, Jack!' when he had to take a break. Thanks for the memory....
"

**grumpyoldlady** · November-20-10, 10:55 PM

I remember when Lee Alan was seriously injured in an auto accident. Can't recall if it was before or after he did an interview with The Beatles, but a 45 rpm record of part of the interview was sent to many of those who sent him "get well" wishes. I still have my 45 around here somewhere. There was also a recording about Lee's horn, which he said came from Pakistan. "Got this horn, just the other day...." was the only line I can remember.

I also remember Bud Davies and his record hops at Denby.

**Bong-Man** · November-22-10, 03:14 PM

"The Seventh Day" on WWWW or WABX....can't remember. 7 albums in a row on a Sunday night. Got exposure to some stuff I would have never heard otherwise. Was it Mark Addy ? Can't remember that either. They'd roll right into Peter Wirbe's left wing nutjob show.

**Kelton** · November-22-10, 08:05 PM

Grumpyoldlady,

The song you are remembering is Set Me Free by Lee Alan from 1964. Here's a clip of it from Amazon, available for 99 cents.

http://www.amazon.com/Set-Me-Free/dp...sr=8-1-catcorr

That's the Vandellas singing backup. According to The Complete Motown Singles Volume 4, 1964, Marvin Gaye is playing piano, Stevie Wonder is on drums and Smokey Robinson is playing the infamous horn. The record was done for charity, "proceeds for the YMCA Summer Camp Fund in Cooperation with WXYZ" Radio" printed on the label.

Kelton

**grumpyoldlady** · November-23-10, 04:48 AM

Kelton....now that you have told me the title of the song, it rings a bell! Thanks so much for the link, too. Never knew about the Motown celebs that played and sang on it.

**Vic_doucette** · November-23-10, 07:59 AM

Originally Posted by Bong-Man

"The Seventh Day" on WWWW or WABX....can't remember. 7 albums in a row on a Sunday night. Got exposure to some stuff I would have never heard otherwise. Was it Mark Addy ? Can't remember that either. They'd roll right into Peter Wirbe's left wing nutjob show.

You must have been into the bong, man. Werbe's show was always on WRIF, necer on WABX.