MCRFB Note: For more on Dick Purtan’s personal (and humorous) reflections on his early days, WKNR, May, 1965, check out his dickpurtan.com podcast No. 50 — GO HERE.
NORMA TRACEY AND THE CINDERELLA KIDS * Skate Board Song * The “Official” WKNR Scott Regen Skateboard Song (1965)
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In May, 1965, with the exit earlier in the year of Keener jocks Robin Seymour, Gary Stevens and later Bill Phillips, Dick Purtan, formerly (Paul Purtan) WSAI, Cincinnati, signed on filling one of three voids in the Keener jock lineup. But most notably — WKNR — created much fanfare promoting the arrival of Scott Regen to Detroit from Kansas City’s WHB.
Up until Scott Regen’s arrival to the station, especially the last few days in May, 1965, WKNR would give its listeners daily “travel updates” on Keener 13, as Scott Regen loomed closer and closer to his scheduled arrival here, slated for Tuesday, June 1st, 1965.
It was also during that time, the “Skate Board Song” became the “official” WKNR song record the station had tied in as well, in promoting further Scott Regen’s anticipated arrival here — mind you, traveling on skateboard only! — Kansas City to Detroit.
Listen as well when Dick Purtan made much ado of the “Scott Regen Skateboard Song,” Monday night, May 31, 1965. Purtan signed on WKNR, May 24, 1965. You can listen to Purtan’s shtick that evening in the WKNR-AM BACK ON THE RADIO WITH: DICK PURTAN! aircheck featured today on Motor City Radio Flashbacks.
WKNR SCOTT REGEN SKATEBOARD REPORTS * WKNR Scott Regen Promos * WKNR 5/1965
The Detroit News Radio Dial courtesy of Greg Innis. From the Greg Innis Collection.
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These were the records you bought. Many went on to become the most popular record hits you first heard played on your favorite Top 40 AM radio stations in Detroit, 1964.
From the MCRFB NEWS archive: 1966
LONDON — The Beach Boys, crowning the re-emergence of American artists in the British charts following the domination by British talent since 1963, by astonishingly beating the Beatles in the annual reader poll conducted by the 250,000 circulation U. K. consumer pop weekly, New Musical Express.
In the world’s outstanding vocal group section of the poll, the Beach Boys out voted the Beatles and all other British groups. The results- based largely on a teenage consumer response — was probably influenced by the U. S. group’s chart top success with “Good Vibrations” at voting time, whereas the Beatles have not had a single release since early-August. In addition, the Beach Boys had just toured Britain, while the Beatles have not toured here once this year.
The sensational success of the Beach Boys, however, is being taken as a portent that the popularity of the top British groups of the last three years is past its peak. The Beatles’ failure to secure the top place in the world section was matched by the Rolling Stones conspicuous failure to capture a top placing, being beaten in the rhythm and blues group section by Spencer Davis.
But on the distaff side, the British girls for the first time took first, second and third places in the outstanding female singer section, with Dusty Springfield winning the title, followed by Cilla Black and Petula Clark. Elvis Presley beat Cliff Richards as both world’s outstanding musical personality and outstanding male singer. END
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Information and news source: Billboard; December 10, 1966
FOURTEEN WEEKS on the singles chart, “Help Me, Rhonda” by The Beach Boys peaked No. 01 (2 weeks) on the Billboard Hot 100 for the weeks of May 23 through June 5, 1965. (source: Billboard).
MCRFB Link: For the previous No. 1 record in the U.S.A. 1965 GO HERE.