Scott Regen, more than any other WKNR jock, was able to inculcate himself with his audience and with the artists that served up the vinyl diet demanded by Keener’s ravenous listeners. The secret of his success? He studied his audience so much that he ‘became’ the product.
William B. Williams used to do a live Saturday show at WNEW, complete with an orchestra and guests. He was 14 at the time and was able to work his way into the studio and watch the program as it happened. It was his first taste of broadcasting. He got to be a regular and hung out whenever he had the chance.
Scott with the Beatles at Olympia Stadium on August 13, 1966.They were a 50,000 watt day-timer and had an excellent signal that covered a good portion of the state. Regen did a two hour music program Sundays from 9 till 11 AM. That station played everything on electronic transcription discs. He had four turntables which he used for everything from the music to the commercials.
1966: Scott Regen's ‘BURGER CLUB’. [ LISTEN ] (2:23)
If you signed up for the “Burger Club,” the popular WKNR DJ, “Scott Burger,” whose picture bore on the card as well, would call out the member’s number (printed on the card) for various station prizes, giveaways during his 7-10 nightly show, 1966-67.
After the music, he ran the board for live church programming. Back then, the churches came to the station, complete with speakers and live organ music.
November, 1966. ‘Record A Record With The Supremes‘ contest with Motown Records. It was a contest that Scott Regen sponsored exclusively during his nightly shows.
Bob Gordon was the PD at WFUN. He took Regen along to Cincinnati to be music director. He did a six month gig at WCPO before heading to WHB to do mornings. George Armstrong, who was the number one guy at Storz brought him to Kansas City. WHB was a union shop so he had a board op and could concentrate fully on his on air presentation.
Scott is at The Roostertail Supper Club with Tammi Terrell on September 19, 1966. [ LISTEN ] (12:53)
Scott interviews the Righteous Brothers and WKNR Promos 1965-1967.
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On Air Highlights 1965-1970. [ LISTEN ] (38:55)
On-air highlights with: John Lennon, Paul McCartney, Marvin Gaye, Motown founder Berry Gordy, Jr., Herman’s Hermits, The Righteous Brothers, The Lovin’ Spoonful, The Supremes, Smokey Robinson, Simon and Garfunkel, Martha and the Vandellas, The Four Tops, The Temptations, Stevie Wonder and more.
After hearing that jock Gary Stevens was leaving WKNR Regen, after sending numerous audition tapes, was hired. he decided to abandon the Rock Robins moniker on arrival. He settled on Scott and grabbed a phone book looking for a last name that sounded good. He came across Regen and it clicked.
That led to gigs at WCPO Cincinnati, and WHB Kansas City. Next up was WKNR Dearborn, Michigan. Hearing that Gary Stevens was leaving the station, Robbins applied for the job.
Scott at WKNR in 1965.After three audition tapes, he got the show, and in typical 1960s radio promotion style, he rode into Detroit from Kansas City on a skateboard! The station even ran a contest asking listeners to guess how many skateboards it would take Robbins (who had never skateboarded before) to complete the trip. Such was the anything goes world of Top 40 radio in the '60s.
"Motown Mondays" presents the Temptations, hosted by Scott Regen on October 3, 1966. [ LISTEN ] (51:18)
“Motown Mondays” at Detroit’s Roostertail Supper Club were broadcasted each Saturday at 11 P.M. Artists of Motown Records appearing on the show included the Four Tops, Junior Walker & The All-Stars, Marvin Gaye, Martha & The Vandellas, Smokey Robinson & The Miracles, The Marvelettes, The Supremes and The Temptations. This marked the first time that “live” entertainment and music would have been broadcasted on WKNR exclusively from the location for the nightly popular Scott Regen Show.
Upon arriving at WKNR in 1965, Robbins changed his air name to avoid confusion with Robin Seymour, a popular Detroit radio jock. He became Scott Regen, getting his new last name out of the phone book. It was at WKNR that Regan got involved interviewing artists, and visiting high schools and drive-ins to find out what the kids really wanted to hear. The result was that Regen got to know the artists and his listeners personally, creating that "special connection" he had with his audience.
Scott working at CKLW on March 24, 1970. [ LISTEN ] (1:38:41) and later, at WKNR, in September, 1970. [ LISTEN ] (1:58:00)
Regen moved across the river to CKLW in 1968 for the late-evening shift, returning to WKNR in late 1971 just before the end of that station's Top 40 days in April, 1972. He also jocked in Detroit at WCAR and WDRQ.
Scott is running the turntable at WKNR in February of 1967. [ LISTEN ] and Scott at KEENER again some time later that year. [ LISTEN ]
Scott discusses the July 29th Monkees' concert and their opening group "The Jimi Hendrix Experience".
On-the-air at WKNR on May 12, 1967. [ LISTEN ] (23:55)
Behind the mic at CKLW on March 30, 1970. [ LISTEN ] (24:10)
Here are two airckecks from WCAR on September 8, 1971 [ LISTEN ] (26:51), and this undated classic. [ LISTEN ] (1:14:21)
Scott was certified a meditation teacher from the Integral Yoga Institute in New York in 2002. In retirement, he dedicates much of his time teaching meditation and yoga in Florida, where (at this writing) he currently resides.
WHERE DID SCOTT WORK? Here is the list: WKNR, CKLW, 92KTU, Z100, WXRK, WYNY, and LITE-FM.
Some materials found on this page were originally published by the following: Motor City Radio Flashbacks, Keener 13, YouTube, w2qyv.
