From “Records Truly Is My Middle Name”, page 68…
I can tell you the exact date of my most memorable experience at WILS-Lansing. It was April 4, 1968. We had a very special guest in the studio that day; Stevie Wonder. Stevie was a big star at the time for Motown Records in Detroit, but he also supported a local school for the blind in Lansing, so he came to town semi-regularly. The music director at WILS (Craig Dudley) knew Stevie, and knew that he loved playing disc jockey, so he invited him to come to our station, sit at the control board, play records, and talk on the air.
I was there that day, and was lucky enough to watch him in action. It was just an amazing sight. He cued up the records, turned the knobs, turned the microphones on and off; you name it. Even though he couldn’t see a thing, he knew exactly what he was doing. There were a few Motown Records employees with him, but he was doing it all by himself. I was standing in the back of the studio watching the whole thing, in awe of his abilities.
That’s when the news came across the wire that Martin Luther King Jr. had been shot.
At first it wasn’t clear if King was dead or not, but we all suspected he was. An instant tension filled the room. The Motown executives didn’t say a thing. None of the radio station employees (including me) responded, and neither did Stevie. But we all knew we were experiencing a significant moment.
Even though this clearly affected him, Stevie was a total pro. He finished the show.
Wonderful article. Sad day.
WILS DJs John Records Landecker, Craig Dudley, Bob Pearson, and I met for lunch in June 2016 in Lansing. We later toured the current WILS studios. Great memories of those days spinning “cue-shot” 45 RPM vinyl records— an era unlikely to return. This excellent photo of Landecker was taken at the WILS on-air studio in Lansing MI, long before his days at WLS Chicago. Back then, we all operated our own mixing boards, kept the VU meters dancing within reasonable limits, and had great fun. Listeners had a choice of three, maybe four radio stations— and none were FM. Today, there are easily a dozen stations in town, with AM being relegated to news/talk.
Sorry we missed connecting, John.
I arrived at WILS for mid-days just after your departure.
We also missed connecting when I transitioned to WRGD in Grand Rapids.
Not sure who was where, when I reached the Loop in Chicago….
In any case – you (and J.P.McCarthy) have always been an inspiration.
Stay well.