The Deane of Baltimore radio (and TV), Buddy was the Dick Clark of Baltimore television in the late ‘50s and ‘60s. Originally from Little Rock, Arkansas, Winston J. ‘Buddy’ Deane worked at hometown stations KGHI and KXLR (1945-49) and Memphis station WHHM (1949-52) before arriving at WITH in 1952. He was the morning host of the popular “Wake Up Baltimore” program and eventually became one of the first DJ’s in town to play rock and roll music.
During the early ‘50s Buddy and Hot Rod Hulbert hosted live music at Beechwood Park on the Magothy River in Pasadena.
In 1957 WITH Program Director Joel Chaseman began working at WJZ-TV. He suggested that Deane do a music show on TV. Eventually they hit on the format that was to become hugely popular among local teens. The Buddy Deane Show (1957-64) aired Monday through Saturday from 3-5 PM. It was very similar to the American Bandstand teen dance show that originated in Philadelphia and the Milt Grant Show that aired in D.C. In fact, the Philadelphia based Bandstand was not televised in Baltimore due to Deane’s hugely successful show which earned honors as the highest rated local TV show in the nation. Deane’s assistant Arlene Kozak organized the program. Many of the nation’s top artists made appearances to lip-sync their latest hits and participate in interviews.
Featured on the show was the “Committee,” a group of local teen regulars who performed all the latest dance trends, participated in interviews, and rated the hits. Members included Joe Cash and his wife Joanie Cash (nee Joanie Teevis), Gene Snyder and Linda (Warehime) Snyder, John Sankonis, Mary Lou Raines, Dickie Klotzman, Buzzy Bennett (WITH DJ), and many others.
After the show Buddy sometimes took visiting stars to make special guest appearances at various local teen centers. Sax-man Al ‘Madman’ Baitch and his group were often the backing musicians for many of the visiting vocal stars. The show’s theme song was “Buddy’s Bounce” by Freddie Mitchell.
In 1958 RCA Records issued an album in salute to Deane “TV Record Hop” (RCA 1805) featuring songs by The Twins, Billy Mure, Ellie Gaye, the Equadors, Leroy Kirkland, and Ronnie & the Rockin’ Kings.
Deane hosted numerous local teen record hops and concerts. He sponsored a 1961 battle of the bands that featured over 100 local groups including the Lafayettes, who secured a resulting recording contract. Local artists also appeared on his TV program.
The show was not without controversy. Even though black artists and their music appeared on the program, black dancers were limited to appear only one Monday per month. Attempts to integrate the show sparked protests and threats from the white parents and the public. The TV station cancelled the show in 1964.
A televised 1972 Buddy Deane Show reunion featured an appearance by the Sentries.
Buddy’s radio career included stints as the morning man on WITH throughout the 1950s and early ‘60s with a brief stop at WWIN. In 1959 he did a 3-week USO tour of Europe and raised over one million dollars for the C.A.R.E. program to help Hungarian refugees fleeing the iron curtain. In 1961 Buddy received the Bill Gavin award for the #1 DJ in America.
In the early ‘60s Deane bought radio station KOTN, a station located near his Arkansas hometown. He managed day to day operations there in addition to his work in Baltimore. In 1964 after his TV show was cancelled, Buddy returned to Arkansas where he continued to manage his station until selling it in 1983. Buddy later bought station KWEL, Midland, TX. He continued to make guest appearances locally including a much-publicized 1989 radio reunion on WYST with contemporaries Jack Gale and others.
Buddy is enshrined in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland, Ohio. A photos of his display below:
Sadly, Deane passed away on July 16, 2003.
