ill

e's called "The Captain,"
and rightly so. For many
years he held the command
of WJR-AM's overnight pro-
gram, "Nightflight," during
which he took his listeners on a fan-
tasy trip across the United States
while playing the greatest jazz, blues
and contemporary music ever re-
corded. And all without ever leaving
his "air chair."
Today, after a 31-year stint at
WJR-Detroit's Great Voice of the
Great Lakes, Jay Roberts is playing
a new tune. He's now the morning
man at CKLW-AM, spinning records
of, what else, but great jazz, great
blues and just great music.
Roberts left `JR in July 1987. Sta-
tion operations manager Gary
Berkowitz wanted him to do a talk
show. Roberts wanted to play music.
When the two couldn't agree, Roberts
was fired. "That's his prerogative,"
Roberts said of Berkowitz's decision.
For CKLW listeners, the decision
was a triumph. Heard 5:30-10 a.m.
Monday through Saturdays, Roberts
earned a 3.8 share in recent ratings
period, not too bad for being in his
new job only since April.
Born Jay Robert Lefkowitz in
Detroit, Roberts changed his name
legally for professional reasons. Corn-
ing from what he calls a traditional
Jewish home, Roberts said he is proud
of his Jewish heritage. He beame bar
mitzvah at 12 and sang in a temple
choir. In later life, he taught in a Lit-
tle Rock, Ark., synagogue religious
school.
Roberts traces his interest in
radio to his youth when he did some
acting and singing. "I was a soloist
with the a capella choir in the high
school and I sang in the temple with
my uncle Sammy on Fridays," Roberts
recalled. "I sang in the Catholic
church choir on Sundays and the
Episcopalian choir an hour later. I got
10 bucks in each place, so I could
make 30 bucks each weekend. I have
a lot of religious background whether
I wanted it or not!"
His singing talent followed him
into the army, where he served in the
criminal investigation division. A
case took him to Osaka, Japan. He
got involved in radio, and an
American actor became his mentor.
"Hans Conreid was the program
director at the time and he really in-
spired me," Roberts explained.
Following his military service,
Roberts went on scholarship to the
American Academy of Dramatic Arts
in New York, but at the same time
was accepted to Boston's Leland
Powers School, which he later at-
tended, studying "speech therapy,
communications, acting, speech — it's
all one megillah!" he said. After his
mother's death, his father remarried
and the family moved to Utica, N.Y.
Roberts attended Syracuse Universi-

WEEK OF
NOV. 25-DEC. 1

SPECIAL EVENTS

ONE ON ONE
ATHLETIC CLUB
6343 Farmington Rd., West
Bloomfield, charity doubles
tennis marathon, now through
Sunday. Pistons and Red Wings
players will appear and sign
autographs. Donations will
benefit Special Olympics and the
Oakland University tennis _team.
626-9880.

COMEDY CASTLW
2593 Woodw ard, Berkley, Jae
Nipote,J-Oday and Saturday
Brad Garrett, ;
d throu gh
Dec. 3, admigsiot, 542- 9900.

Six days a week, Jay Roberts plays the best of contemporary

Disc jockey Jay Roberts has turned his
overnight radio adventure into a
pleasant morning wake-up call

ty, where he studied accounting. It
was the university's placement
bureau that got him his first radio job.
Hope, Ark., was not a bastion of
Jewish communal life, but it
presented a job prospect, and Roberts
left for the South. As staff announcer
and disc jockey, Roberts was heard on
KXAR. The ABC network station
hosted a nation-wide show which
featured disc jockeys from around the
country, and one week, Roberts was

spotlighted. It proved to be a lucky
break.
Roberts was heard by a Jonesboro,
Ark., station manager and was of-
fered the job as program director of
KNEA. He became the afternoon disc
jockey, staff announcer and program
director, but was soon to leave for big-
ger and better things. He was hired
away by station KVLC, where, he
worked a year. Getting the job was a
piece of cake, and he got the frosting,

wer crattew
7- 77- A rbor,
umaiegight's Dream,
ay through Dec. 4,
764 - 0450.
THE GAELIC THEATRE
SEASON
St. Andrew's Hall, Detroit, The
Fine Harvest, today, and
Saturday, admission. 893 - 9431.
THE STRATFORD FESTIVAL
Music Hall Center, Detroit, The
Two Gentlemen of Verona, now
through Sunday, admission.
963-7623.
VILLAGE PLAYERS
Hunter and Chestnut,
Birmingham, Mornings at Seven,
now through Saturday,
admission. 644-2075.
VAN DYKE HOTEL
31800 Van Dyke, Warren,
dinner theater, An Old-

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