"Scotts on Swingers, on the Radio, Scotts on Swingers, on the Radio" bellowed Edwin Starr to tune of "S.O.S. (Stop Her on Sight)"; the promotional tune, a tribute to legendary Detroit DJ Scott Regan was issued by Ric Tic Records 7/66, five months after the release of "S.O.S." Regant's numbers (Arbitron Rating) were so good at radio station WKNR in the mid-'60s that he could walk on water.
Regan's first major broadcasting gig came in 1963 at WFUN in Miami, from there he ventured north to the Motor City to work at WKNR from 1965 to around 1969, when he left for a one-year stint at CKLW in 1970, then back to WKNR. He hosted an off-site broadcast for WKNR called Motown Mondays at the Roostertail Supper Club; the popular event marked the first time WKNR played live music.
That's Regan introducing the Four Tops, the Temptations, and the Supremes on the artists' individual live albums. Motown mercifully cut his full intro of the Temptations on the Temptations Live, but compilers tacked a good portion of it on the CD reissue. Brevity worked best in that case; the CD captures Regan rambling on about the Tempts' nonessential stuff, like Eddie Kendricks' hobby of collecting pictures, as if odd, calling the late Paul Williams "Big Paul" the joker (said in a nice way but it still sounds hokey), and did an Ed Sullivan introducing David Ruffin, calling him the brother of Jimmy Ruffin and vice versa; Otis Williams and Melvin Franklin were spared any embarrassment on their brief intros. He made up for the meandering intro with a heart-pumping: "The Upper Deck Is Proud to Present the Temptaaaaations!"
Radio success got Regan opportunities to do some producing and talent scouting; he was instrumental in the rock band Magic getting a deal with Motown's Rare Earth subsidiary and helped others. By 1972, Regan worked the overnight shift at WDRQ and no doubt made other stops before winding up in New York City where he works as a freelance writer and producer. WKNR are now the call letters of an all-sports station in Cleveland, OH.
