In Memory of Lee Alan. Detroit Radio Mourns Passing of a Detroit Broadcasting Legend

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Lee Alan, a Detroit native born in 1934, grew up in the city where his love for broadcasting ignited at age 14 while he enjoyed WXYZ’s serial, “The Lone Ranger.” After graduating from Cooley High School, he pursued broadcasting studies at Wayne State University.

His radio career began at WCAR in Pontiac, followed by a position at WJLB. After a brief stint in the Army, Alan returned to WJLB for overnight shifts. In 1959, he landed an all-night slot at WJBK, where he occasionally filled in for other shows, but left the station in December due to what management called “simple economics.”

Alan then moved to WKMH, hosting two programs, before relocating to WCPO in Cincinnati in 1962. Just days after his arrival, he received a surprising offer from WXYZ to return to Detroit. He balanced roles in both television and radio, hosting “Club 1270” in 1963 and several years later, “The Swingin’ Kind” in 1966, both on WXYZ-TV.

Many of Lee Alan’s broadcasting achievements from the early to mid- 1960s is still celebrated today, highlighting his time at WKMH and during his years at WXYZ Radio 1270. One memorable moment was his most well remembered, ever-lasting narrative of “The Letter from Michael,” which Alan originally recounted while at WKMH for the Christmas season in 1960. In October 1963, after serving a year and a half in prison, Chuck Berry was released. Soon after, Lee Alan played a crucial role in securing Berry’s first gig post-incarceration at the Walled Lake Casino, that same year.

Another significant highlight was Lee Alan’s one-on-one interview with the Beatles in Miami in February 1964, which he recorded. Later in May of that year, Alan also produced and recorded a charity song titled “Set Me Free,” with all proceeds benefiting the YMCA, featuring backup vocals from Martha Reeves and the Vandellas of Motown records.

Decades later, in the early-1990s, Lee Alan’s heralded July 4th radio program paying homage to our nation’s birth and our declaration of independence, The Americans, was syndicated and was heard on over 1,000 radio stations across the country, including the Armed Forces Radio Network in 80 countries around the world.

Alan retired from radio (WHFI) in 1970, but for many years afterward, his voice was featured in numerous car dealership commercials across Detroit and the nation after he established his own advertising agency.

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Last week, Tuesday, October 29, Lee Alan passed away due to complications from multiple strokes, at the age of 89. He would have been 90, tomorrow, November 5.

Jim Hampton

In lieu of his sudden passing, and in memory of his dear friend, we share a few words from Alan’s great WXYZ alumnus, Jimmy Hampton (Facebook; October 29, 2024):

“Though he had offers to leave Detroit, Lee chose to remain in the city he loved. After moving to Florida, he became a pioneer in audio-book production, narrating over a thousand titles, and authored a memoir, Turn Your Radio On, recounting his career’s extraordinary moments.

On a personal note, Lee was a mentor of mine. He took a chance on a 19-year-old DJ and gave me an on-air slot at WXYZ Radio. I will never forget that gesture.

Lee Alan’s legacy is one of passion, innovation, and dedication to his craft and his community. His voice, energy, and contributions to Detroit’s cultural fabric will be lovingly remembered and cherished by many who remember him as Lee Alan, ‘On the Horn’ “. –Jim Hampton

We reflect, today. Motor City Radio Flashbacks remembers. The voice. The name. Legend.

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This Lee Alan collage was created by Motor City Radio Flashbacks, May 30, 2018.

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Motor City Radio Flashbacks extends our deepest sympathy, our heart-felt condolences to his wife, Nancy Davis, his son and two daughters, and to the entire Reicheld family.

Godspeed, Lee Alan

May his soul rest forevermore in God’s eternal love, grace, and heavenly peace.

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WXYZ 1270: OSGOOD and WABER on TOP OF THE NEWS, AUGUST 1957

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This article/advertisement courtesy freep.com newspaper archive. Copyright 2024. Newspapers.com

Originally printed in black and white, the featured Detroit Free Press ad was digitally re-imaged, colorized, and was entirely restored by Motor City Radio Flashbacks.

Missed any of our previous ‘Detroit Radio Back-Pages‘ features? GO HERE

MCRFB Note: Special THANKS to our friend, John Bartony (a.k.a. Jukebox John) St. Clair Shores, Michigan, for providing the above Detroit Free Press WXYZ 1270 ad (August 21, 1957) for this site, as featured today.

A special thank you to senior MCRFB consultant Greg Innis, of Livonia, MI., for contributing the Newspapers.com archives (Detroit radio related) articles, ads, and images we have provide for this site since 2016.

Thank you, Greg Innis, for making these historic Detroit radio features possible. ?

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LIGHT, AND LIVELY: ANITA KERR SINGS ‘THE DETROIT SOUND’ FOR WXYZ, 1966

Audio digitally remastered by Motor City Radio Flashbacks

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In 1965, the Anita Kerr Singers achieved a major milestone by winning two Grammy Awards. They were honored with the ‘Best Performance By A Vocal Group’ award for their RCA album ‘We Dig Mancini’, triumphing over The Beatles’ ‘Help!’ in that category. Additionally, they received the ‘Best Gospel Album’ award for their collaboration with George Beverly Shea on the 1964 RCA album ‘Southland Favorites.’

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Later that year, a brief article in the October 16, 1965, edition of Billboard magazine reported that Anita Kerr had relocated from Nashville to Hollywood. There, she established Anita Kerr Enterprises to explore opportunities in commercial radio and the jingle industry. Partnering with former RCA Victor European sales administrator Alexandre Grob, they also enlisted Charlie Williams, a former songwriter and personal manager from RCA Records. While based on the West Coast, Anita Kerr continued to work with her Nashville-based group, intending to bring them to California for jingle recordings. According to the Billboard article, the group was to remain an act under the RCA label.

By 1967, Anita Kerr Enterprises had crafted jingles for a range of radio stations across the country, including KMPC AM 710 in Los Angeles, WLS AM 890 in Chicago, WGH AM 1310 in Newport News (Virginia), and WXYZ AM in Detroit.

At WXYZ AM 1270 in Detroit, Lee Alan served as the program director. In late 1965, as part of the station’s preparations for 1966, Lee Alan composed the “Personality Plus” jingle series for the new upcoming “Detroit Sound” programming, geared in a new direction and with anticipated excitement. WXYZ-AM, at the time, was an ABC Radio Network affiliate based in New York.

Once ABC approved the “Personality Plus” jingle package, General Manager Chuck Fritz authorized Lee Alan to hire Dick Marx Productions from Chicago to finalize the arrangements and contract Anita Kerr for the vocal work. Lee Alan noted, “Years earlier, Dick Marx had produced jingles for our sister station WLS-AM in Chicago.”

Lee Alan explained, “The jingles were meticulously crafted to refresh and elevate WXYZ’s sound. I produced the package with Dick Marx, and we brought in Anita Kerr and her singers for two recording sessions over two days.”

He further added, “I was later asked to create another jingle series for WXYZ-FM, which was broadcast separately from AM due to FCC regulations. At the same time, I composed and produced opening jingles for the new ‘Martin and Howard’ show starting in 1967, again working with Dick Marx and Anita Kerr” (Lee Alan’s comments, July 2, 2012).

In conclusion, take a moment to listen to those classic jingles Anita Kerr recorded for WXYZ radio in 1966. It’s clear that this custom package remains one of the most beautifully arranged sets of jingles ever produced for Detroit radio in the 1960s.

A special thanks is due to Lee Alan for making this remarkable WXYZ custom series possible in 1966.

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THE DETROIT SOUND SURVEY! WXYZ RADIO 1270: JUNE 28, 1965

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This list is selected each week by WXYZ Radio reports of records sales gathered from leading record outlets in the Detroit area and other sources available to WXYZ.

The above WXYZ 06/28/1965 chart survey was digitally restored completely in its entirety by Motor City Radio Flashbacks.

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By mid-January 1965, the Detroit Sound Survey charts was no longer printed for the public in general. The WXYZ charts, as featured above, were instead published solely for Detroit record retailers, music outlets, one-stop jobbers, and distributors only.

These Radio 1270 top 40 charts was the largest of the WXYZ Detroit Sound Survey charts ever printed, having measured 17.5″ W x 22 L” inches in size. These charts were primarily used for weekly record rank based by popularity, position, retail sales, and were used for record retail rack displays as well.

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Unless this site is able to acquire more of these extremely rare WXYZ 1965 chart surveys in the future, this June 28, 1965 chart will be the final presentation. We first began presenting these Detroit Sound Surveys back in February of this year.

Also, if anyone has additional WXYZ charts from 1965 in their collection and are willing to share — scanned or xerox copies would suffice — please contact this site, here:

motorcityradioflashbacks65@gmail.com

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ON YOUR PC? Click on chart image 2x for largest detailed print view.

ON YOUR MOBILE DEVICE? Tap over WXYZ chart image. Open to second window. “Stretch” chart across your device screen to magnify for largest detailed view.

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WXYZ RADIO 1270: JOHNNY RANDALL, BACK ON THE RADIO! OCTOBER 20, 1972

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Newly found! Newly added! Newly remastered! From the MCRFB collection. This selected audio recording was digitally remastered for this feature presentation by Motor City Radio Flashbacks.

The first minute into this recording you will hear is the voice of  WXYZ personality, Jim Davis. The snippet was recorded the previous day, Thursday, October 19, 1972.

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THE DETROIT SOUND SURVEY! WXYZ RADIO 1270: JUNE 21, 1965

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This list is selected each week by WXYZ Radio reports of records sales gathered from leading record outlets in the Detroit area and other sources available to WXYZ.

The above WXYZ 06/21/1965 chart survey was digitally restored completely in its entirety by Motor City Radio Flashbacks.

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By mid-January 1965, the Detroit Sound Survey charts was no longer printed for the public in general. The WXYZ charts, as featured above, were instead published solely for Detroit record retailers, music outlets, one-stop jobbers, and distributors only.

These Radio 1270 top 40 charts was the largest of the WXYZ Detroit Sound Survey charts ever printed, having measured 17.5″ W x 22 L” inches in size. These charts were primarily used for weekly record rank based by popularity, position, retail sales, and were used for record retail rack displays as well.

For the very first time, Motor City Radio Flashbacks will be featuring a dozen or so — as chart dated — of these extremely rare WXYZ 1965 surveys throughout the year, 2024.

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ON YOUR PC? Click on chart image 2x for largest detailed print view.

ON YOUR MOBILE DEVICE? Tap over WXYZ chart image. Open to second window. “Stretch” chart across your device screen to magnify for largest detailed view.

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WXYZ RADIO 1270: BACK ON THE RADIO! JIM HAMPTON, JULY 29, 1966

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Newly found! Newly added! Newly restored! From the MCRFB collection. This selected audio recording was digitally remastered for this feature presentation by Motor City Radio Flashbacks.

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THE DETROIT SOUND SURVEY! WXYZ RADIO 1270: JUNE 7, 1965

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This list is selected each week by WXYZ Radio reports of records sales gathered from leading record outlets in the Detroit area and other sources available to WXYZ.

The above WXYZ 06/07/1965 chart survey was digitally restored completely in its entirety by Motor City Radio Flashbacks.

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By mid-January 1965, the Detroit Sound Survey charts was no longer printed for the public in general. The WXYZ charts, as featured above, were instead published solely for Detroit record retailers, music outlets, one-stop jobbers, and distributors only.

These Radio 1270 top 40 charts was the largest of the WXYZ Detroit Sound Survey charts ever printed, having measured 17.5″ W x 22 L” inches in size. These charts were primarily used for weekly record rank based by popularity, position, retail sales, and were used for record retail rack displays as well.

For the very first time, Motor City Radio Flashbacks will be featuring a dozen or so — as chart dated — of these extremely rare WXYZ 1965 surveys throughout the year, 2024.

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ON YOUR PC? Click on chart image 2x for largest detailed print view.

ON YOUR MOBILE DEVICE? Tap over WXYZ chart image. Open to second window. “Stretch” chart across your device screen to magnify for largest detailed view.

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CBS NBC WARTIME RADIO: D-DAY! ‘ALLIED INVASION ON,’ JUNE 6, 1944

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Normandy landings were the landing operations on Tuesday, 6 June 1944 of the Allied invasion of Normandy in Operation Overlord during World War II. Code named Operation Neptune and often referred to as D-Day, it was the largest seaborne invasion in history. The operation began the liberation of German-occupied France (and later Europe) from Nazi control, and laid the foundations of the Allied victory on the Western Front.

Planning for the operation began in 1943. In the months leading up to the invasion, the Allies conducted a substantial military deception, code named Operation Bodyguard, to mislead the Germans as to the date and location of the main Allied landings. The weather on D-Day was far from ideal and the operation had to be delayed 24 hours; a further postponement would have meant a delay of at least two weeks as the invasion planners had requirements for the phase of the moon, the tides, and the time of day that meant only a few days each month were deemed suitable. Adolf Hitler placed German Field Marshal Erwin Rommel in command of German forces and of developing fortifications along the Atlantic Wall in anticipation of an Allied invasion.

The amphibious landings were preceded by extensive aerial and naval bombardment and an airborne assault—the landing of 24,000 US, British, and Canadian airborne troops shortly after midnight. Allied infantry and armoured divisions began landing on the coast of France at 06:30. The target 50-mile (80 km) stretch of the Normandy coast was divided into five sectors: Utah, Omaha, Gold, Juno, and Sword. Strong winds blew the landing craft east of their intended positions, particularly at Utah and Omaha. The men landed under heavy fire from gun emplacements overlooking the beaches, and the shore was mined and covered with obstacles such as wooden stakes, metal tripods, and barbed wire, making the work of the beach-clearing teams difficult and dangerous. Casualties were heaviest at Omaha, with its high cliffs. At Gold, Juno, and Sword, several fortified towns were cleared in house-to-house fighting, and two major gun emplacements at Gold were disabled, using specialized tanks.

The Allies failed to achieve any of their goals on the first day. Carentan, St. Lô, and Bayeux remained in German hands, and Caen, a major objective, was not captured until 21 July. Only two of the beaches (Juno and Gold) were linked on the first day, and all five beachheads were not connected until 12 June; however, the operation gained a foothold which the Allies gradually expanded over the coming months. German casualties on D-Day have been estimated at 4,000 to 9,000 men. Allied casualties were at least 10,000, with 4,414 confirmed dead.

The Allies planned to launch the invasion on 1 May 1944. The initial draft of the plan was accepted at the Quebec Conference in August 1943. General Dwight D. Eisenhower was appointed commander of Supreme Headquarters Allied Expeditionary Force (SHAEF). General Bernard Montgomery was named as commander of the 21st Army Group, which comprised all land forces involved in the invasion. On 31 December 1943 Eisenhower and Montgomery first saw the plan, which proposed amphibious landings by three divisions with two more divisions in support. The two generals immediately insisted that the scale of the initial invasion be expanded to five divisions, with airborne descents by three additional divisions, to allow operations on a wider front and to speed the capture of Cherbourg. The need to acquire or produce extra landing craft for the expanded operation meant that the invasion had to be delayed to June. Eventually, thirty-nine Allied divisions would be committed to the Battle of Normandy: twenty-two US, twelve British, three Canadian, one Polish, and one French, totalling over a million troops all under overall British command.

The Normandy landings were the largest seaborne invasion in history, with nearly 5,000 landing and assault craft, 289 escort vessels, and 277 minesweepers participating. Nearly 160,000 troops crossed the English Channel on D-Day, with 875,000 men disembarking by the end of June. Allied casualties on the first day were at least 10,000, with 4,414 confirmed dead. The Germans lost 1,000 men. The Allied invasion plans had called for the capture of Carentan, St. Lô, Caen, and Bayeux on the first day, with all the beaches (other than Utah) linked with a front line 10 to 16 kilometres (6 to 10 mi) from the beaches; none of these objectives were achieved. The five beachheads were not connected until 12 June, by which time the Allies held a front around 97 kilometres (60 mi) long and 24 kilometres (15 mi) deep. Caen, a major objective, was still in German hands at the end of D-Day and would not be completely captured until 21 July. The Germans had ordered French civilians other than those deemed essential to the war effort to leave potential combat zones in Normandy. Civilian casualties on D-Day and D+1 are estimated at 3,000 people.

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Source, information and credit: D-Day Wikipedia

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In the early morning hours of June 6, 1944, the CBS and NBC radio networks, centered in New York, took control of the day’s wartime news on all of their respective affiliated stations nationwide — special bulletins and all-day broadcasting of the reported allied invasion off the northern coast of France.

In 1944 the CBS Detroit affiliate was WWJ. The NBC Detroit (Blue Network) affiliate was WXYZ. These historic CBS (WWJ 950) and NBC (WXYZ 1270) broadcasts was heard in wartime Detroit over the radio, on this day, 80 years ago.

Audio portions for this presentation was selected from 24 continuous hours of these broadcasts (24 hours per network) we have in our archives. Today, Motor City Radio Flashbacks highlights the first three hours of the D-Day radio broadcasts as it was reported, respectively, on CBS and NBC radio, in the early-hours of Tuesday morning, June 6, 1944.

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WXYZ RADIO 1270: THE DETROIT SOUND SURVEY! JUNE 1, 1965

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This list is selected each week by WXYZ Radio reports of records sales gathered from leading record outlets in the Detroit area and other sources available to WXYZ.

The above WXYZ 06/01/1965 chart survey was digitally restored completely in its entirety by Motor City Radio Flashbacks.

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By mid-January 1965, the Detroit Sound Survey charts was no longer printed for the public in general. The WXYZ charts, as featured above, were instead published solely for Detroit record retailers, music outlets, one-stop jobbers, and distributors only.

These Radio 1270 top 40 charts was the largest of the WXYZ Detroit Sound Survey charts ever printed, having measured 17.5″ W x 22 L” inches in size. These charts were primarily used for weekly record rank based by popularity, position, retail sales, and were used for record retail rack displays as well.

For the very first time, Motor City Radio Flashbacks will be featuring a dozen or so — as chart dated — of these extremely rare WXYZ 1965 surveys throughout the year, 2024.

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ON YOUR PC? Click on chart image 2x for largest detailed print view.

ON YOUR MOBILE DEVICE? Tap over WXYZ chart image. Open to second window. “Stretch” chart across your device screen to magnify for largest detailed view.

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