THE SCENE TV show ... 70's on WWJ-TV

[jsmith]

Anyone got memories of this local Detroit TV show ... which acts played live on the show and what was the format / length of this nightly prog ??
. . . . . . THE SCENE .......
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[marv2]

YES! I have tons of great memories of The Scene! I began watching it in October 1975 the very first day they went on the air on WGPR Channel 62 in Detroit. Everyone that came through Detroit between 1976-87 appeared on the show it seemed. Some appeared multiple times. Nat Morris [[who is a friend of my brother's) had a compilation video up on youtube at one time of special guest artists. The show came on Mon-Fri from 5 pm - 6pm so we'd catch it after school.

The format? Well it showcased some of the best dancers in Detroit or rather the country dancing to the lastest Disco [[in the beginning) hits, Techno and eventually House Music. A brief list of acts that appeared on the show [[I can list more later):

The Dramatics
The Supremes
Billy Paul
The Spinners
Andre Cymone
5 Special
Freda Payne
Millie Jackson
Curtis Mayfield
Brainstorm
C.J. & Company
Madonna [[this was before she became nationally famous)
Billy Dee Williams
The O'Jays
Marvin Gaye
Gladys Knight & the Pips
Vanity 6
Morris Day and the Time
Eugene Wilde
Stephanie Mills
DeBarge
Four Tops
Mary Wilson
McFadden & Whitehead
Teddy Pendergrass
Temptations
Rena Scott
Michael Henderson
Chapter 8 [[with Anita Baker)
The Winans
The Emotions
Earth, Wind & Fire
Felix & Jarvis
Cab Calloway
Cameo
Enchantment
Ortheia Barnes
the Manhattans
Gerald Alston
The Sylvers
Jermaine Jackson
Chuck Cissel
Jones Girls
Mighty Clouds of Joy
Switch
Barry White

[marv2]

The good ole days..................1978 as I was graduating H.S.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=brW7Wmxetgc

[marv2]

Many of the dancers became local celebrities from being on The Scene. This is from the first season 1975-76:


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wwXXWYz3bE0

[marv2]

My friend and Idol......."Fast Freddie!"


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gyjPvINQtWE

[marv2]

Both David Ruffin and Eddie Kendricks appeared on the show separately in the 70s. By the way, The Scene was on WGPR Channel 62 the first African American owned television station in America. At that time, WWJ was Channel 4 an NBC affiliate. WGPR was a totally independent station.

[jsmith]

Wow, loads of great info there ....
... SO at a time when the Detroit black recording scene was struggling to keep up with the commercial success of it's great 60's heritage ... when radio plays were being denied to black indie label product ... a Detroit TV show was giving local artists the opportunity to showcase their skills & get their message out there [[& I know from the above list that many acts featured on the show had established national profiles already) .... AND .. this went on into the late 80's !!
So what local acts 'broke through' in the Michigan area following exposure on this show ??

[jsmith]

Were Chapter 8 [[with Anita Baker) known [[via record successes) @ the time they appeared on the show, coz their 1st national hit wasn't until 1979 ?

[marv2]

Wow, loads of great info there ....
... SO at a time when the Detroit black recording scene was struggling to keep up with the commercial success of it's great 60's heritage ... when radio plays were being denied to black indie label product ... a Detroit TV show was giving local artists the opportunity to showcase their skills & get their message out there [[& I know from the above list that many acts featured on the show had established national profiles already) .... AND .. this went on into the late 80's !!
So what local acts 'broke through' in the Michigan area following exposure on this show ??

Madonna comes to mind. Ready for the World out of Flint. Many of the Minneapolis acts appeared on the show early on before full national fame. There are more, I just have to think about it.

[marv2]

Were Chapter 8 [[with Anita Baker) known [[via record successes) @ the time they appeared on the show, coz their 1st national hit wasn't until 1979 ?

They were known around Detroit and Toledo. I use to see their show at clubs for $5! You are referring to "I Just Wanna Be Yours" right?

[stingbeelee]

Marv; I thought the SCENE started before 1975, perhaps on a local channel? I can remember in Junior High School a couple of my friends went down to dance on the scene, they let a couple of them in, but most of them was turned away. They came back to school very disappointed. This was before 1975, or my memory is bad!

[marv2]

Marv; I thought the SCENE started before 1975, perhaps on a local channel? I can remember in Junior High School a couple of my friends went down to dance on the scene, they let a couple of them in, but most of them was turned away. They came back to school very disappointed. This was before 1975, or my memory is bad!

Stingbeelee, no it originated on WGPR which was a local station. The Scene was taped at the location down on Jefferson Ave. Downtown. I saw the very first broadcast and it was in October of 1975. About a week or two later they also began airing this roller skating show on Saturdays that followed The Scene the few times the broadcasted The Scene on Sat afternoon.

Sting, it could not have been before 1975 because WGPR, the first African American owned television did not go on the air until 1975. Check this out:

http://www.blackpast.org/aah/wgpr-tv-1975-1995

[marv2]

Marv; I thought the SCENE started before 1975, perhaps on a local channel? I can remember in Junior High School a couple of my friends went down to dance on the scene, they let a couple of them in, but most of them was turned away. They came back to school very disappointed. This was before 1975, or my memory is bad!

When I graduated from H.S., I went to college out West but when I came home for the holidays I'd watch the Scene just as we did as teenagers. The dancers became so popular that I would run into some of them at Fairlane Mall. They were the best!

[stingbeelee]

Hi Marv; wasn't THE SCENE a dance show before getting on TV? I may have thought it was on TV from the beginning, but were they were up and running before going on channel 62?

[marv2]

Hi Marv; wasn't THE SCENE a dance show before getting on TV? I may have thought it was on TV from the beginning, but were they were up and running before going on channel 62?

Stingbeelee, no they originated on Channel 62 when Ray Henderson [[RIP) developed it and invited Nat Morris in as the Co-Host. Later, that would take over the role of producer and Host in 1979. Prior to that, the Scene did not exist.

There was another Detroit dance show on WXON Channel 20 back in 1972-73 called "The Real Side".

[stingbeelee]

Hi Marv; "The Real Side" must've been the show, cause I do remember a dance show circa 1973. I had just forgotten the name of it. Thanks, Marv!

[marv2]

Hi Marv; "The Real Side" must've been the show, cause I do remember a dance show circa 1973. I had just forgotten the name of it. Thanks, Marv!

No problem. Yeah, the "Real Side" was cool,but "The Scene" was da BOMB! LOL!!! The Real Side use to air Saturday afternoons on Channel 20 and also had great musical guest like Eddie Kendricks, First Choice, David Ruffin etc,etc.

[soulpassion]

Hi can I just mention that Carol Anderson also appeared on that show...Here she is singing Sad Girl which is a favourite of mine and a lot of other Soulies...btw the young lady in the back up group in white is Carol's daughter :)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KgaIN5IMh3Y

[marv2]

Hi can I just mention that Carol Anderson also appeared on that show...Here she is singing Sad Girl which is a favourite of mine and a lot of other Soulies...btw the young lady in the back up group in white is Carol's daughter :)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KgaIN5IMh3Y

Thank you Soulpassion! There so many great artists that appeared on the show. I will edit my list above as I remember them. Nat Morris recently said that he will begin releasing more of the shows from the 80s to Youtube. Yeah!!!!! LOL!

[marv2]

From February 15, 1982:


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OScrghVh15s

[marv2]

Here is a nice news retrospective on "The Scene"


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0fdzDKp4EO4