When AM radio ruled airwaves

Like Wolfman Jack in the movie "American Graffiti," the deejay and AM radio loomed tall on the horizon in the Sixties.

Top 40 ruled the airwaves, especially at night when the country's powerful 50,000 clear channel stations could be heard for great distances.

In Escanaba, the evening's radio choices for Top 40 fans included two Chicago giants: WLS at 890 and WCFL at 1000 and WDBC, broadcast locally at 680 on the dial.

In this earlier era, precious rock 'n' roll transmissions were received on the newly introduced portable transistor radio or on a cheap car radio featuring tinny sounding three-inch speakers.

WDBC's night-time deejay, Billy John (aka William J. Schinzel), played requests live from the station's studio at 606 Ludington St., beginning in 1966. His program featured national hits, regional "breakouts" and even local artists. Unlike today, the deejay decided the playlist. John would spin such varied fare as "Incense and Peppermints" by Strawberry Alarm Clock, "Gimme Gimme Good Lovin'," by Crazy Elephant and "Playgirl," by Milwaukee quartet Thee Prophets. The songlist would be interspersed with plenty of dedications.

Because he had to broadcast CBS news live, John also spun instrumental cuts such as "Hot Smoke and Sasafrass" by Bubble Puppy and "Classical Gas" by Mason Williams as the top of the hour approached.

Local kids cut their rock 'n' roll teeth to John's program as they "bombed the drag" along Ludington St. and maybe even "watched the submarine races" at the park.

WDBC (Delta Broadcasting Co.) pumped out 10,000 watts, dropping to 1,000 at night, while the only other local station-- WLST-- was powered by a mere 1,000 during the day. WLST, which billed itself as the Voice of the Escanaba Daily Press, signed off at dusk and didn't enter the rock 'n' roll arena until later as WBDN.

While John probably had a modest local audience, the towering presence of Chicago radio was felt by everyone around Lake Michigan. You probably had your favorite between WCFL and WLS, as they battled it out.

WLS (World's Largest Store) was founded by Sears and featured DJ's Ron Riley and Art Roberts. The pair gained radio eminence by interviewing the Beatles which pushed their station to No. 1 in the market in 1968.

WCFL (Chicago Federation of Labor) featured jocks Larry Lujack and Dick Biondi. Alert teenagers would switch between the stations if there was any let-up in the rock 'n' roll beat. The news certainly meant you had to punch the channel change button.

For adventurous listeners, the AM radio dial was filled with sounds from far away cities. Because local channels had to sign-off and there was less interference, the best time to listen was overnight.

Any kid with a good transistor radio and earplug could listen to radio long into the night. When WDBC signed-off, the radio frequency would reveal WMAQ, 670 megahertz.

WMAQ was broadcast from penthouse studios atop the Merchandise Mart in Chicago and featured the sophisticated Jack Eigen. Chicago's oldest radio station, the call letters originally had no meaning, but later were assigned the slogan We Must Ask Questions. Eigen, a pioneer of the late night talk show, mainly interviewed show biz types into the wee hours.

Radio has changed through the years. Now, music is mainly found on FM stations. Those outlets have proliferated, but they can broadcast only a short distance compared to the AM powerhouses. And, satellite radio stands to make further changes in the industry.

Despite all that, nocturnal radio is still a delight. Try 1030, WBZ in Boston if you want to check out what's happening in Beantown. Cleveland, Louisville and Detroit have great stations, too.

So, why don't you give that AM dial a twirl some night and see what you've been missing?

Katrina mires New Orleans' music

Katrina left New Orleans a battered music capital. The massive hurricane took some music treasures and spared others. It also decimated the city's party atmosphere.

The Crescent City-- as important as Memphis or Nashville in the development of modern sounds-- thrived on its music scene. Think of how dull music would be without New Orleans. It's the birthplace of zydeco and Cajun. Blues and gospel have strong roots in the city. Louis Armstrong and jazz itself were born there. It's a hotbed for R&B.

Creedence Clearwater Revival founder John Fogerty brought "swamp rock" to the top of the charts without ever having set foot in "Bayou Country."

The musically brilliant Neville and Marsalis families call New Orleans home.

Fats Domino, famous for "Blueberry Hill," "Walking to New Orleans" and dozens of other hits is probably the Big Easy's most recognized resident. The twin piano and saxophone sound of New Orleans rock and roll-- epitomized by Domino-- slipped off the charts but has never fell from favor in its hot city.

Following the hurricane, Domino had been reported missing by his long-time manager. However, his daughter later told authorities he was rescued from the second story balcony of his home.

The piano-playing Domino was inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall of Fame in the original class which showed rock to be largely an invention of southerners. Elvis and Sam Cooke were born in Mississippi, Ray Charles and Little Richard in Georgia, Fats and Jerry Lee Lewis in Louisiana, James Brown in South Carolina, the Everly Brothers in Kentucky and Buddy Holly in Texas. Only Chuck Berry had slightly different roots, being born in St. Louis and later recording for Chicago's Chess Records.

Like Domino, recording artist and cult icon Alex Chilton was rescued from his New Orleans home after being listed as missing for several days. The lead singer for the 60s group The Boxtops, Chilton has a new recording released this month from his current band Big Star.

Also safe were Allen Toussaint, Dr. John and Ani DiFranco. The prolific DiFranco escaped with the master tapes to her latest album. Irma Thomas survived, but lost her home. The Rolling Stones took her song "Time Is On My Side" and turned it into a hit.

There was bad news, too. Little Freddie King, who released a masterful blues album titled "You Don't Know What I Know" earlier this year, was reported missing as was Frankie Ford. Ford scored a hit in 1959 with "Sea Cruise."

Many of New Orleans' small clubs were destroyed, leaving hundreds of local musicians jobless. Artists lost their homes, priceless instruments, master recordings and memorabilia which can never be replaced.

The French Quarter and Bourbon Street were left virtually untouched, which could provide the basis for a comeback. Although some residents were talking of a limited Mardi Gras next year, others said that would be inappropriate.

The future of some festivals remained in question. The Satchmo Summerfest and Ponderosa Stomp had been big tourist draws and provided work for the area's musicians. The Jazz and Heritage Festival had included appearances by John Lee Hooker, Robert Cray and the Radiators.

While New Orleans will be rebuilt, it clearly won't be the same. The old neighborhoods which spawned such a rich musical tradition will be gone. Many musicians won't return. Recovery may take years. Eventually, New Orleans should return to musical prominence, however.

Until then, a Mardi Gras party may be exactly what the doctor ordered.

Da Yoopers reign in U.P.

Who reigns atop the music world in the U. P.? Puff out your chests, that would be Da Yoopers, of course.

They have had a prolific recording career over the past twenty years, although most people still recognize them for their comedy hit, "Second Week of Deer Camp."

The November classic swept local airwaves just prior to the 1986 hunting season. The song, played extensively by WGLQ and other area broadcasters has since earned airings around the region for every deer hunt. (In fact, "Second Week" dominated radio so much that imitators appeared. A Wisconsin group released "Da Turdy Point Buck," which many people still think was Da Yoopers.)

But Da Yoopers didn't start with "Second Week." Their first album release was titled "Yoopanese" and was credited to the Joe Arkansas Band. Sales picked up with the name change beloved by everyone north of the Big Mac bridge. Following years of 51st state talk, the word "Yooper" had some cache. The prefix "Da" added the perfect Finnish tone.

By the time the "Culture Shock," album was recorded and released with their hunting anthem, Da Yoopers' phenomenon was growing. In fact, they also had a Christmas hit in "Rusty Chevrolet."

Demand to see Da Yoopers live meant they became a large concert draw around the Midwest. They routinely sold out shows at county and state fairs in Michigan and Wisconsin, and even toured "snowbird" states such as Texas. Founding member Jim DeCaire fondly remembers seeing Da Yoopers promoted on a billboard in the Lone Star State right under headliner George Jones.

Their fame grew further when Dr. Demento broadcast "Second Week," on his national radio program and included it on his 25th anniversary compact disc collection with the like of Weird Al Yankovic and Spike Jones.

Da Yoopers' success is at once defined and limited by content appealing to residents and visitors to Michigan's superior peninsula. Still, each year residents snap up their product to send to friends and relatives around the world. More than a few copies have been sent to service personnel in Iraq as a brief respite from the duties of war.

Their songs, skits and comedy bits appeal to young and old alike. Although their latest album relied heavily on scatological references, not unlike the Jeff Daniels' movie "Escanaba in Da Moonlight," few people took offense. It appears we are able to laugh at ourselves. Besides, Da Yoopers-- and Jeff Daniels for that matter-- are not trying to document life in the U. P., they are drawing humor from it. And, humor is all about silly exaggerations.

Headquartered in Ishpeming, Da Yoopers include leader Jim DeCaire on drums, keyboardist Lynn Coffey, bassist Jerry Coffey, Jim Bellmore and Dave Collins. Original band member Jim Potila retired.

To date, Da Yoopers have released ten studio albums, plus two hits packages, "For Diehards Only" I & II.

Although Da Yoopers burst onto the scene about the same time as the compact disc, their first few albums were available only on cassette. Now Da Yoopers' product is only available on CD. The best of the early albums have been compiled on the hits packages.

Song subjects have included fishing, bingo, beer guts, diarrhea and other fare not usually covered in song lyrics. In fact, Da Yoopers put considerable effort into crafting witty lyrics and consequently the songs continue to have appeal even after repeated listenings.

According to Lynn Coffey, who works at Da Yoopers Tourist Trap in Ishpeming, the group is putting together a new project which should be out next year. It won't be of great cultural significance, but folks will buy it and enjoy it just like their previous releases, as Da Yoopers' reign continues.

Why people love their old records

More music is available in more formats than ever before thanks to modern technology. You've got i-pods, MP3 files, satellite radio, music DVDs, even ring-tones for your cellphone.

But it wasn't always so. The long-playing record (LP) dominated the available technology for nearly half a century following its introduction in 1949. Actually, people fell in love with 'em.

If you don't know, LPs are the records enclosed in 12 by 12 inch cardboard jackets which usually displayed a color photograph of the performer along with liner notes. LPs are also referred to as "33's," a reference to the speed the disc rotates on the turntable.

Music fans embraced the format and its' little brother, the seven inch "45". Also known as a "single," the 45 featured "a" and "b" sides, showcasing a hit song on the top side and a "throwaway" track on the reverse.

As the post World War II economy heated up, families purchased "hi-fi's," to play their new recordings. At first people bought Broadway musicals and such and then rock 'n' roll burst on the scene in the mid-Fifties with the appearance of Elvis, Johnny Mathis, Pat Boone, Chuck Berry and other stars.

The music went through several stages including do-wop and folk until the Beatles stormed ashore in the tumultuous months following President Kennedy's assassination. Besides the British music invasion, American rock acts also flourished.

A good stereo was required by every young person. People with the cash would assemble a component system while others would utilize cheaper portable plastic players with detachable speakers. Tens of millions of record players were sold. They were nearly as prevalent as television sets or indoor plumbing.

For the sake of convenience, furniture stores which sold "hi-fi's" also added small record departments. You could also buy discs at the "dime" store (such as Woolworth's) and drug stores. In 1969, when minimum wage was $1.65, an LP would cost $4.98 and a 45 about 79 cents.

In fact, buying a record was a momentous occasion. Older people almost certainly remember their first purchase, whether it was The Doors, Tommy James and the Shondells, Led Zeppelin or some other piece of treasured vinyl. Removing the shrink wrap and dropping the needle on your new record for the first time was a memorable experience, too. You could look at the cover and read the liner notes while listening, perhaps on attached headphones. In fact, many people viewed the LP cover itself as art.

About this time, tapes were introduced. There were two types- cassettes and eight-tracks. Cassettes had the two stereo tracks on each side and had to be flipped over to play the entire program. The eight-tracks, however, ran continuously. But, they had the annoying limitation of often changing tracks in the middle of a song because all four of the stereo programs had to be the same length.

Tapes proved popular with motorists for the simple fact records couldn't be played in your car. In fact, you could fill-up at your corner gas station and buy tapes at the counter when you checked out. As the Seventies advanced, the eight-track slipped into history thanks to the cassette's small size and superior sound.

Despite advances in the marketplace by cassettes, the LP still sold well. People continued to add to their collections, as the music became the soundtrack to their lives.

The LP was strong throughout the Eighties and into the Nineties when the cassette held sway for a brief time before the compact disc appeared. The CD, in fact, rejuvenated the pre-recorded music business as most customers felt compelled to replace their favorite record albums with the digital versions.

While customers bought the new discs, they never had the emotional draw or "warm sound" of the LP. In the late Nineties, Napster and other file-sharing web-sites allowed fans to get their music for free and CD sales declined.

Now, the CD is labeled a "tired format" while the LP may be making a comeback. Once relegated to garage sales, flea markets and used record stores, young and old alike are dusting off their LPs for an encore performance.

So, take those decorative LPs off your dorm walls and give 'em a spin. Discover for yourself why so many people love their old records.

Let the music battles begin

The battle of the behemoths starts now.

September marks the beginning of the important fourth quarter for the music biz and they're drawing on their big guns. It's a battle that might seem a little familiar.

The combatants include American stalwart Bob Dylan, British idols Paul McCartney, the Rolling Stones and Eric Clapton, Canadian icon Neil Young and a resurrected Jimi Hendrix.

Yes, it's the Sixties all over again when it comes to new releases for the Christmas season. Your music mega-corporations gear-up now so that they can get their acts on the covers of pop magazines, on TV and radio and before concert audiences.

Those old favorites will be fighting over shelf space and fan dollars.

Getting some high profile recognition are ex-Beatle McCartney and the Rolling Stones, both launching new albums and tours. Since there has been professional and fan rivalry between the Beatles and Stones for 40 years, those two acts will draw the most publicity and the media and business savvy McCartney and Mick Jagger are not unaware of that fact.

The Stones have already opened their world tour which includes 35 dates in the United States and Canada.

The accompanying album titled "A Bigger Bang," will be released Sept. 6.

The new studio album--their first in eight years--has 16 cuts, including two featuring Jagger's song-writing partner and bandmate Keith Richards on lead vocals. One track, "Sweet Neo Con," has been generating controversy due to its apparent criticism of the Bush administration.

McCartney's long-player, meanwhile, will see the light of day on Sept. 13. Already, three songs, topped by single "Fine Line," can be heard on the veteran rocker's website. Titled "Chaos and Creation in the Backyard," McCartney's disc is his twentieth studio album since the Beatles.

The album, produced by Nigel Godrich of Radiohead fame, took two years to record. Fans will be able to hear live versions of tracks from the LP when McCartney launches his tour the following week. A TV special featuring many of the songs will also be aired.

Joining the fray is fellow Britisher Eric Clapton, whose "Back Home" album just hit store shelves. The disc features seven originals penned by the guitar god and a handful of cover tunes, including George Harrison's "Love Comes to Everyone." Clapton's previous two albums of Robert Johnson material were well-received by fans and critics alike.

Folk rocker Bob's Dylan's entry into the Christmas sweepstakes will center on a CD-- already out-- and DVD to be released on Sept. 20. "No Direction Home" comprises rare and unreleased recordings from 1961-66. The film, produced by Martin Scorsese, will make its worldwide premiere on PBS on Sept. 26 & 27.

Vintage performances will also be key in the Hendrix two-DVD set, "Live at Woodstock (Deluxe Edition)". Streeting Sept. 13, the performance features the late Hendrix remastered, remixed and re-edited. The visuals have been significantly improved with the recent discovery of film from an additional camera. Hendrix, of course, was headliner at Woodstock, but his segment started after many in the audience had left.

Warhorse Neil Young will cap off the month with the Sept. 27 release of "Prairie Wind." The new album is said to be a powerful summing up of the singer-songwriter's entire career. And, yes, like everybody else, it's a 40-year career.

Meanwhile, the winner of this new release mega-battle will be revealed following the Christmas season when those giant music corporations tally up their fourth quarter profits. Stay tuned.