The Big 8 CKLW

Home
The Big 8 CKLW

This page is moderated. Personal attacks on individuals or businesses will be removed. Share Your Memories With Us.

This Is The Place To Reflect Your Memories Of The Big 8 CKLW And Old School AM Top 40 Radio In General.

12/07/2025

Today’s Big 8 Radio Music Datebook July 12:
Folks born on this day were Cowsill matriarch Barbara Cowsill in 1928
Pianist Van Cliburn in 1934
Kenny Dino (“Your Ma Said You Cried In Your Sleep”) in 1939
Christine McVie (Chicken Shack / Fleetwood Mac) in 1943
(Jeff) Christie (“Yellow River”) in 1946
Guitarist Wilko Johnson of Dr. Feelgood in 1947
Walter Egan (“Magnet & Steel”) in 1948
Kiss drummer Eric Carr in 1950
Singer/actress Cheryl Ladd in 1951
Liz Mitchell of Boney M (“Rivers of Babylon”) in 1952.
***People we lost on this day were Minnie Riperton (“Loving You”) in 1978
Sax man Chris Wood (Locomotive / Traffic / Ginger Baker’s Air Force) in 1983
Songwriter Jimmy Driftwood (“Battle of New Orleans”) in 1998
Earl Nelson of the Hollywood Flames, and Bob & Earl (“Harlem Shuffle”), as Jackie Lee (“The Duck”) in 2008
Vocalist Tuli Kupferberg of The Fugs in 2010
David Carr, British rock keyboardist (The Fortunes, 1963-68 - "You've Got Your Troubles") in 2011
Original Bill Haley & Comets drummer Dick Richards and Amazing Rhythm Aces front man Russell Smith (“Third Rate Romance”) in 2019
Judy Dyble of Fairport Convention in 2020

11/07/2025

Today’s Big 8 Radio Music Datebook July 11:
Folks born on this day were singer/actor Tab Hunter (“Young Love”) and Thurston Harris (“Little Bitty Pretty One”) in 1931
Songwriter/jingle writer Roquel "Billy" Davis (“Lonely Teardrops”, “Things Go Better with Coke”) in 1932
Detroit-born Jeff Hanna of the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band in 1947
Pointer Sisters' member Bonnie Pointer (“Heaven Must Have Sent You”) in 1950
Peter Brown (“Dance with Me”) in 1953
Bon Jovi lead guitarist Richie Sambora and Suzanne Vega in 1959.
***People we lost on this day were composer George Gershwin (“Rhapsody In Blue”) in 1937
Hubert Johnson of the Contours (“Do You Love Me”) in 1981
Grass Roots front man Rob Grill in 2011
Charles Pope of the Tams in 2013
Drummer Tommy Ramone in 2014
Composer/singer Monty Norman (James Bond Theme) in 2022

11/07/2025

Happy 89th Birthday wishes to Dick Purtan. Dick spent 5 of his illustrious radio years at CKLW. He's been inducted into the National Radio Hall of Fame - and has a wikipedia entry:

Paul Richard Purtan (born July 11, 1936) is an American radio personality. His last radio job was as the morning radio show host on WOMC serving the Detroit, Michigan, radio market. Purtan was also a disc jockey at WKNR, WXYZ, CKLW, WCZY-FM which became WKQI in 1989 and WOMC from 1996 until his retirement in 2010. Previous to coming to Detroit at WKNR "Keener 13" in 1965, Purtan worked at WOLF in Syracuse, New York and WSAI in Cincinnati; he began his radio career in his hometown of Buffalo, New York at WWOL under the station-mandated name "Guy King"[1] and also worked for a very short time at WBAL in Baltimore (only to be forced to leave the station after his witty, sardonic humor clashed with the station's conservative ownership).

10/07/2025

Today’s Big 8 Radio Music Datebook July 10:
Folks born on this day were "Jumpin' Gene Simmons (“Haunted House”) in 1933
Funk Brothers keyboardist Johnny Griffith in 1936
Sandy Stewart (“My Coloring Book”) in 1937
Mavis Staples of the Staple Singers (“I'll Take You There”) in 1939
Ian Whitcomb (“You Turn Me On”) in 1941
Detroiter Sixto Rodriguez (Searching for Sugar Man) and Ronnie Dio of Black Sabbath in 1942
Arlo Guthrie (“Alice’s Restaurant”) in 1947
John Whitehead of McFadden & Whitehead (“Ain't No Stopping Us Now”) in 1948
Greg Kihn (“Breakup Song”) in 1949
Dramatics bass singer Willie Ford in 1950
***People we lost on this day were ragtime/jazz pianist Jelly Roll Morton in 1941
Composer/conductor Arthur Fiedler (“Sleigh Ride”) in 1979
Voice master Mel Blanc in 1989
Gerome Ragni, playwright and songwriter (Hair: The American Tribal Love-Rock Musical) in 1991
Kiss & Mick Jagger keyboardist Phil Ashley in 2020
Barbara "Bibs" Allbut Brown, vocalist (Angels - "My Boyfriend's Back") in 2021
Bob Segarini, musician (The Wackers; Family Matters) in 2023
Dave Loggins, American singer-songwriter ("Please Come To Boston") in 2024

09/07/2025

Today’s Big 8 Radio Music Datebook July 9:
Folks born on this day were Ed Ames (”My Cup Runneth Over”) in 1927
Singer/songwriter/producer Lee Hazlewood (“Jackson”) in 1929
AC/DC front man Bon Scott and drummer/child actor Mitch Mitchell (Georgie Fame & Blue Flames / Jimi Hendrix Experience / Riot Squad) in 1946
Singer Gwen Guthrie in 1950
Debbie Sledge of Sister Sledge (“We Are Family”) in 1954
Soft Cell front man Marc Almond (“Tainted Love”) in 1957
***People we lost on this day were Commodores keyboardist Milan Williams in 2006
Guitarist Wurzel (Motorhead) in 2011
Guitarist John Spinks (The Outfield) in 2014
Songwriter Michael Masser (“Theme from Mahogany”) in 2015
Guitarist Erik Cartwright (Foghat) in 2017
Jerry Lawson of the Persuasions in 2019
Joe Bonsall, country singer (Oak Ridge Boys - "Elvira") in 2024

08/07/2025

Today’s Big 8 Radio Music Datebook July 8:
Those born on this date: bandleader Louis Jordan (“Is You Is or Is You Ain't My Baby”) in 1908
Crooner Billy Eckstine (signed to Motown Records 1965-69) in 1914
Bob Beckham (“Just As Much As Ever”) in 1927
Motown bandleader/pianist (Funk Brothers), Earl Van D**e, and singer Jerry Vale in 1930
Steve Lawrence (“Go Away Little Girl”) in 1935
Crickets bassist Joe Mauldin / recording engineer (“Gold Star Studios L.A.) in 1940
Bandleader Bill Deal (& The Rhondells) (“I've Been Hurt”) in 1944
***People we lost on this day were singer/songwriter Ernie Maresca (“Shout, Shout, Knock Yourself Out”) in 2015
Singer/actor Tab Hunter (“Young Love”) in 2018

07/07/2025

Today’s Big 8 Radio Music Datebook July 7:
Those born on this date include: Lloyd "Tiny" Grimes, jazz and R&B guitarist (Art Tatum) in 1916
Elton Britt {Baker], country singer-songwriter ("There's a Star-Spangled Banner Waving Somewhere"; Saturday Night Jamboree) and (Woodrow Wilson) "Red" Sovine, country music singer in 1917
Artie Malvin, vocalist (Glenn Miller; Jimmy Dorsey), arranger and music director (Julie LaRosa; Pat Boone; Carol Burnett) in 1922
Mary Ford [Iris Colleen Summers], vocalist (with Les Paul - "How High The Moon") in 1924
(Carl) "Doc" Severinsen, trumpeter and bandleader (The Tonight Show, 1962-92) in 1927
[Josef] Joe Zawinul, Austrian-American jazz keyboardist, composer and bandleader (Weather Report - "Birdland") in 1932
Ringo Starr [Richard Starkey], British drummer, vocalist (The Beatles - "Yellow Submarine"), songwriter ("Early 1970"; "Photograph"), actor (Caveman), "peace & love" activist, and knight in 1940
Jim Rodford, British rock bassist (The Kinks; Argent; Zombies) in 1941
Christopher "Chris" Stamp, British music producer, psychodrama therapist and manager (The Who, Jimi Hendrix) in 1942
Warren Entner, rock vocalist/guitarist (Grass Roots) in 1944
Larry "Rhino" Reinhardt, rock guitarist (Iron Butterfly) in 1948
Vonda Shepard, pop singer in 1963
***Those we lost on this date include: Fred Neil [Morlock], songwriter, folk singer, guitarist (Everybody's Talkin'; Candy Man), and conservationist (Dolphin Project) in 2001
Al Downing, rockabilly piano player and singer (Big Al & The Chartbusters) in 2005
Syd Barrett, British guitarist and singer-songwriter (Pink Floyd, 1964-68) in 2006
"Adam" Wade (Patrick Henry}, pop singer (“The Writing On The Wall”), actor (Kiss Me Goodbye) in 2022

07/07/2025

Tomorrow's Top 10 at 10 Show hits the summer of 1967. Join us at 10am/10pm Tuesday for the chart hits from July 11, 1967 - CKLW Hit Parade #15 (featuring Gary Mitchell on the Cover.)
Streaming at www.big8radio.com and the StreamS HiFi radio app for iOS.

06/07/2025

Today’s Big 8 Radio Music Datebook July 6:
Those born on this date: LaVerne Andrews, pop and swing jazz singer (The Andrews Sisters) in 1911
From Highland Park, Michigan Bill Haley, American rock vocalist known as the father of Rock 'n' Roll (“Rock Around the Clock”) in 1925
Detroiter Della Reese [Delloreese Patricia Early], American singer and actress in 1932
Gene Chandler [Eugene Dixon], singer (“Duke of Earl”) in 1937
Jet Harris [Terence Harris], English rock bassist (Cliff Richard & The Shadows) in 1939
Michael Shrieve, drummer, percussionist, and composer (Santana) in 1949
Phyllis Hyman, jazz singer in 1950
Nanci Griffith, singer ("From A Distance"), and songwriter in 1953
***Those we lost on this date include: Theodore "Fats" Navarro, jazz trumpet player, in 1950
Louis Armstrong, jazz trumpeter and singer in 1971
Van McCoy, American musician and songwriter (“The Sweetest Thing This Side of Heaven”, “When You’re Young and In Love”, “Right On The Tip of My Tongue”, “Baby, I’m Yours”, “The Hustle”) in 1979
Skip Battin, singer-songwriter (The Byrds) in 2003
Richard Verreau, Canadian tenor in 2005
Harvey Fuqua, R&B singer-songwriter (The Moonglows - "Sincerely"), producer (Marvin Gaye), and record label executive (Motown) in 2010
Charlie Daniels, country singer and Joe Porcaro, jazz and session drummer and percussionist (Toto) in 2020
Pianist and composer Peter Nero in 2023
Joe Egan, Scottish singer-songwriter (Stealers Wheel - "Stuck In The Middle With You") in 2024

05/07/2025

Today’s Big 8 Radio Music Datebook July 5:
Those born on this date: Robbie Robertson [Jamie], Canadian-Native American singer-songwriter and rock guitarist (Ronnie & The Hawks / The Band) and Tommy Eyre, British touring and session keyboardist, and musical director (Joe Cocker, Gerry Rafferty, Wham!) in 1943
Huey Lewis [Hugh Anthony Cregg III], musician (Huey Lewis and the News) and Michael Monarch, rock guitarist (Steppenwolf)in 1950
Jimmy Crespo, guitarist (Aerosmith) in 1954
Michael Gismondi, rock bassist (Michael Stanley Band, 1979-87) in 1955
Marc Cohn, folk rock singer (“Walking in Memphis”) in 1959
Those we lost on this date include: Harry James, swing-era bandleader, trumpeter in 1983
Don Elliott [Helfman], jazz trumpeter, vibraphonist, mellophone player, and vocalist in 1984
Mrs. Miller, singer (A Lover's Missouri) in 1997
Ernie K-Doe, singer (“Mother-in-Law”) in 2001
Shirley Goodman, R&B and disco singer (“Shame Shame Shame”) in 2005
Jack Ellory, British orchestral and session alto and bass flute player (Philharmonia Orchestra; The Beatles - "The Fool on the Hill"; James Bond movie soundtracks) in 2009
George Tickner, guitarist and songwriter (Journey, 1973-75 in 2023

04/07/2025

Today’s Big 8 Radio Music Datebook July 4:
Folks born on this date: Stephen Foster, American composer (“Oh! Susanna”) in 1826
Richard "Dick" Hyde, trombonist and session musician (Frank Sinatra, Steely Dan, Madonna) in 1936
Bill Withers, singer-songwriter and rhythm & blues musician ("Ain't No Sunshine") in 1938
Alan Wilson, rock guitarist and vocalist (Canned Heat - "Going Up The Country") in 1943
Jeremy Spencer, British rock guitarist (Fleetwood Mac - "Oh Well") in 1948
Ralph Johnson, rock drummer (Earth Wind & Fire - "Shining Star") in 1951
John Waite, British pop vocalist (The Babys) in 1952
***Those we lost on this date include: Don McPherson, R&B singer (The Main Ingredient - "Everybody Plays the Fool") in 1971
Jimmie Spheeris, singer and songwriter in 1984
Joe Newman, jazz trumpetist (Count Basie) in 1992
Ronald "Ronny" Graham [Stringer] actor, director, composer, lyricist, and writer (M*A*S*H; Chico & the Man) in 1999
Barry White, singer (“Can’t Enough of Your Love)/ Love Unlimited Orchestra (“Love’s Theme”) in 2003
Bill Pinkney, bass vocalist (Drifters - "Ruby Baby") in 2007
Drake Levin, rock musician(Paul Revere & The Raiders) in 2009
Larance Marable, jazz drummer (Charlie Haden's Quartet West; Stan Getz; Groove Holmes) in 2012
Drummer John Blackwell (played with Prince) in 2017
Sanford Clark, country-rockabilly singer and guitarist ("The Fool") in 2021

03/07/2025

Today’s Big 8 Radio Music Datebook July 3:
Those born on this date: George M. Cohan, American father of musical comedy (Phantom President, Give My Regards to Broadway) in 1878
David Lynch, singer (Platters - "Twilight Time"; "Only You"; "The Great Pretender") in 1929
Tommy Tedesco, jazz and Los Angeles session guitarist (Wrecking Crew) and Pete Fountain, jazz clarinetist (Lawrence Welk, 1957-59) in 1930
Roger Christian, radio personality and lyricist ("Don’t Worry Baby"; "Little Deuce Coupe"; "The Little Old Lady From Pasadena") in 1934
"Dr." Lonnie Smith, jazz Hammond organist (George Benson Quartet; Lou Donaldson) in 1942
Judith Durham, Australian singer (The Seekers - "Georgy Girl") in 1943
Johnny Lee [Ham], country singer ("Lookin' For Love") in 1946
Paul Barrere, rock guitarist (Little Feat - "Time Loves a Hero")in 1948
Johnnie Wilder, Jr., singer (Heatwave - "Always and Forever") in 1949
Mike Corby, British guitarist and keyboardist (The Babys- "Every Time I Think Of You") in 1951
Laura Branigan, singer-songwriter ("Gloria")and Andy Fraser, English rock bassist (Free -"All Right Now") in 1952
***Those we lost on this date include: Brian Jones, British blues and rock guitarist, organist and sitar player (Rolling Stones, 1962-69) in 1969
Jim Morrison, singer-songwriter (The Doors) and poet in 1971
Mississippi Fred McDowell, jazz artist in 1972
Rudy Vallee, singer (Vagabond Dreams) in 1986
Johnny Russell, country singer and songwriter in 2001
(Homer) "Boots" Randolph, session saxophonist ("Yakety Sax") in 2007
Colin Cooper, British vocalist and harmonica player (Climax Blues Band - "Couldn't Get It Right") in 2008
Andy Griffith, actor, comedian, television producer, Southern gospel singer, and writer in 2012
Richard Swift [Ochoa], singer and songwriter (The Black Keys) in 2018

Address

Website

http://www.big8radio.com/

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when The Big 8 CKLW posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Contact The Business

Send a message to The Big 8 CKLW:

Shortcuts

Address
Alerts
Contact The Business
Claim ownership or report listing
Want your business to be the top-listed Media Company?

Country:

City:

The Big 8 - A Legend.

Over 50 years ago the Drake Format debuted on what was already a powerhouse radio station in Windsor, Ontario, Canada. This 50,000 watt station’s signal travelled not just up and down the East Coast of Canada and the USA, but into the mid-west and even skipping across the ocean to Europe. The memories of growing up listening to The Big 8 in The Motor City remain strong in thousands of radio fans. Thank you for voting CKLW The Big the “Best Top 40 Radio Station of All-Time” (Inside Radio 2017 poll).

Ladies and Gentlemen, The Hits Just Keep On Comin’!