WABX

If you listened to FM radio from the late-1960s through the 1970s, chances are you remember those legendary calls today. Sometime late in 1967, this station would give birth to a “new” radio sound.

Larry Miller, Jim Hampton, and Dave Dixon.

It would become the Motor City’s first and only “free-form” style radio in the market.

Whatever your preferences for music, may it blues, jazz, folk, album-orient rock, to thousands crossing the AM band over to the FM side, it was the ultimate escape vinyl audio purists were looking for in radio in 1967.

The station’s legacy derived primarily having played many ‘choices’ of recorded music offered at the time. Choices no other station would consider playing. Beyond the music, the radio staff also promoted the signature X.

Sponsoring popular entertainment venues, headlining famous groups of the day, also that of local bands playing around town. And no other radio station would try this — allowing groups to perform “live” while broadcasting on the air. There has been no other station one could compare in Detroit ever since.

Larry Miller – BAD ACID. [ LISTEN ] (2:00:41)

The banty Dave Dixon some time in 1969. [ LISTEN ] (4:27)

This is Jerry Goodwin presenting “The Legend of Barrington Bunny” on March 28, 1969. [ LISTEN ]. (14:24)

Here's Jerry Goodwin again on a Saturday morning in September, 1970. [ LISTEN ]. (44:26)

Mark Parenteau & Dennis Frawley play and discuss a raw Stooges tape, 1973.

WABX Advertisements 1968-1972. [ LISTEN ] (1:12:25)

Tree Frog Beer, Honda (with Kato), Great Lakes Waterbeds, Happy Thanksgiving, Wonderland Music, Carmen's Pizza,

TEEGARDEN & VAN WINKEL (A LIVE CONCERT SESSION) 1971. [ LISTEN ] (25:58)

Teegarden & Van Winkle were an American musical duo, composed of Skip (Knape) Van Winkle (electronic organ, organ pedal bass, vocals), and David Teegarden (drums, vocals).

In August of 1967, WABX-FM began a new all-girl deejay policy and the ladies will be playing jazz oriented pop music and humor. The girls were featured 10:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. daily, and noon to midnights on Sundays. Jim Rockwell remained to do his daily 9:00 p.m. to 1:00 a.m. jazz show. John Small was the WABX station manager.

The man responsible for the station’s new image was Mickey Shorr, program manager and creative director of Century Broadcasting Corporation, which owned WABX-FM. Shorr was originally from Detroit, where he once was a Top 40 disc jockey with WJBK, WXYZ, CKLW and WKMH.

Shorr first used the all-girl formula on WSDM-FM in Chicago where it became very successful. Instead of calling his WABX-FM girls “disc jockeys,” Shorr labeled them “Mickey’s Collection.” The girls taped lead-outs from records, commercials, and humorous bits rather than broadcasting live from the studio. They had different nationalities and had names like Curry, Halavah, Supersport and Lo-Cal.

John O’Leary * April 1977. [ LISTEN ] (2:45) and Dennis Frawley on August 16, 1977. [ LISTEN ] (1:33:07)

Some materials found on this page were originally published by the following: Motor City Radio Flashbacks.