DETROIT FREE PRESS: “’What You Hear Is What You Get”
(Above WXYZ ad courtesy freep.com newspapers archive. Copyright 2017; Newspapers.com).
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Was ‘Brother John‘ actually the voice of Alan Almond?
That was the question Motor City Radio Flashbacks could not ascertain with an answer.
We had received word from a frequent visitor to the website who stated it was he (without any given 100% degree of certainty implied) after hearing our aircheck feature this website posted here on September 7, 2017.
In all due fairness, the voice does sound very much extraordinarily as similar — one may think thatcould be Alan Almond.
We received the final answer to this question.
Thank you, Jim Heddle, of Phoenix, Arizona, for your (September 11) email response.
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Hi Jim,
Brother John’s show was not local, it was syndicated nationally and was carried in Detroit by WXYZ-FM. Here is some information about him fromallmusicguide.com:
Born February 14, 1932,John Rydgren(orBrother John, as he came to be known as an on-air DJ and radio personality) was an ordained minister in the American Lutheran Church, and for a time was a director of the American Lutheran Church’s radio and television films division. His claim to pop history fame came in the 1960s and early ’70s when his early syndicated FM radio shows, most notably the show called Silhouettes, which was broadcast across the U.S. (and in Vietnam) between 1966 and 1968, reached a wide-ranging audience. Positioning himself as a sort of “hip preacher” between Christianity on one hand and the emerging “Flower Power” generation on the other,Rydgren interspersed progressive and psychedelic rock tracks with his thoughts on spirituality, philosophy, and the changing times, all in a deep, sincere, and affecting baritone. He also released three LPs of his thoughts and musings laid over a backdrop of fuzz guitars, heavenly choirs, and sitar drones,Worlds of Youth(1966),Cantata for New Life(1967), andSilhouette Segments(1968), during this time period. He died on December 26, 1988, from a heart attack at the age of 56. Omni Records reissued remastered versions of Rydgren‘s three LPs, along with bonus tracks and an additional LP, They Say, in a two-disc set in 2012.
According to the Detroit News, Alan Almond died in 2015 at the age of 67. You might also be interested to know that before Alan landed his job at WNIC, he briefly did the morning show on WPAG in Ann Arbor.
Take care, Jim Heddle
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We have our answer.
And a special thank you to Mike Landry and Andrew Wagonner for your added confirmations in regards (same as above) having shared as well.
‘Brother John’ WXYZ aircheck date: Wednesday, June 25, 1969
A MCRFB.COM Note: Was this Alan Almond? Someone alluded to this website that it is he, on WXYZ-FM. While the voice definitely sounds like it may be — we do not have any confirmation whether it is, or whether not, this was Alan Almond on Detroit radio early-on as ‘Brother John’ on WXYZ-FM at that time.
NEW! Special THANKS to Jim Atkinson of 3WK.COM, for recently donating this WXYZ-FM radio aircheck to Motor City Radio Flashbacks!
ABC RADIO NEWS * WXYZ (ABC affiliate) * SATURDAY, JULY 29, 1967
‘ABC NEWS AROUND THE WORLD’
Saturday, July 29, 1967
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It’s the top of the hour with ‘NEWS AROUND THE WORLD’ from ABC NEWS in New York. Opening with the hour’s top story is a report from ABC correspondent Don North, on the devastating fire which sparked explosions on the flight deck of the USS Forrestal, minutes before the carrier was to launch an air strike over North Vietnam. An undetermined loss of life had been reported. Twenty-nine planes were heavily damaged or destroyed in the blaze.
In this segment you will hear ABC NEWS reports from Saigon, Washington, and Miami Beach.
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ABC News anchored by Jim Harriott, New York. ‘News Around The World’ was broadcast on ABC radio affiliate WXYZ 1270 in Detroit.
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Audio source from the Gordon Skene Collection.
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For more historic audio references like the audio above, visit Gordon Skene’s fabulous website athttp://pastdaily.com/You can also find the Past Daily link in our blogroll on Motor City Radio Flashbacks.
ABC NEWS. ON THIS DAY. 50 YEARS AGO
THE CREW OF THE USS FORRESTAL extinguishes the remaining fires on the flight deck off the coast of Vietnam, 29 July 1967. In the foreground are the remains of an F-4B Phantom, behind which can be seen the burned hulk of a second Phantom. One hundred thirty-four crew died in this fire, the worst aboard a U.S. Navy aircraft carrier. (Click on image for largest view)
FIVE DAYS IN JULY:DETROIT FREE PRESS Tuesday, July 25, 1967(click on image 2x for largest detailed view)
ABC NEWS DON HOWE * Tommy McIntyre; WXYZ News * July 26, 1967
FIVE DAYS IN JULY: DETROIT Sunday, July 23, 1967 (click on image 2x for largest detailed view)FIVE DAYS IN JULY: Wayne County sheriff officers on foot patrol near 12th and Elmhurst in Detroit.Wednesday, July 26, 1967 Photo: LIFE (click on image 2x for largest view).FIVE DAYS IN JULY: The National Guard stand vigilant near intersection of Linwood and Joy Rd.Thursday, July 27, 1967. (Photo: LIFE)FIVE DAYS IN JULY: National Guardsman Gary Ciko, foot-patrolling Linwood Ave., looks up at rooftops for possible snipers.(Photo: LIFE)
A MCRFB NOTE
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Link update (July 26, 2017): See Scott Westerman’s recent comments HOW KEENER COVERED THE SUMMER OF 1967 at his splendid WKNR tribute website, posted July 21, 2017.
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For a more comprehensive coverage on the five-day civil-disturbances in Detroit, July, this week in 1967, see Motor City Radio Flashbacks’ previous (July 16, 2012) feature — by clicking on the header-title below.
(Note: Previously featured on Motor City Radio Flashbacks, July 23, 2015)
FIVE DAYS IN JULY: THE DETROIT NEWS Monday, July 24, 1967 — “The shaded area in the above map of Detroit indicates where the rioting was more intense Sunday and this morning. There have been many reports of firebombing and looting in other sections of the city.”
DETROIT FREE PRESS: WXYZ-AM Shorr Fired by WXYZ; Denies He Took Payola
(Above WXYZ related article is courtesy freep.com newspaper archive. Copyright 2017. Newspapers.com).
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BONUS! DETROIT SOUND No. 13 * The Holidays* WXYZ (05/09/66)
BONUS! DETROIT SOUND No. 14 * Terry Knight & The Pack* WXYZ (05/09/66)
BONUS! DETROIT SOUND No. 24 * Frankie Valle* WXYZ (05/09/66)
BONUS! DETROIT SOUND No. 29 * B. J. Thomas* WXYZ (05/09/66)
BONUS! DETROIT SOUND No. 30 * The Shy Guys* WXYZ (05/09/66)
BONUS! DETROIT SOUND No. 35 * The Tidal Waves* WXYZ (05/09/66)
WXYZ DETROIT SOUND SURVEY. MONDAY, MAY 09, 1966
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The WXYZ TOP 12 (1-12) and “BONUS” hits featured in this Detroit Sound Survey (05/09/1966) were selected for your listening enjoyment here.
A ‘BROADCASTING’ WXYZ 1270 AD PAGE RIP: November 21, 1966 (On your PC? Click image 2x for largest view. On your mobile device? “Stretch” image across your device screen)
A ‘BROADCASTING’ WXYZ 1270 AD PAGE RIP: February 18, 1963 (On your PC? Click image 2x for largest view. On your mobile device? “Stretch” image across your device screen)
