Russ Gibb
Encyclopedia
"Uncle" Russ Gibb is a former concert promoter, and media personality from Dearborn
, Michigan
, probably most famous for his role in the Paul is Dead
phenomenon, a story he broke as a DJ on WKNR-FM.
After a visit to the Fillmore and a talk with promoter Bill Graham, he operated Detroit's Grande Ballroom
and was a major player in the late sixties/early seventies Motor City music scene. He was instrumental in giving the MC5
, Ted Nugent
and Iggy Pop
their start. The Grande Ballroom also was where the Who
played their rock opera, "Tommy," for the first time in the United States.
Gibb also owned or leased other live music venues around the Mid-West including the Eastown Ballroom, Michigan Theater (where the New York Dolls
played), and the Birmingham Palladium. He expanded his music endeavors when he invested in Creem
magazine.
In 1965-66 Gibb was hired by The Methodist Church to host Night Call - America's first national call-in talk show - on the Mutual Broadcasting Network. Around this time he also hosted Cross Country Checkup
a Canadian
national call in talk show from Montreal
.
During the administration of Gerald Ford
he worked under Senator John Warner
on the United States Bicentennial
Commission as the National Director of Youth and Education.
While in England he spent time with Eric Clapton
(including late night sessions playing Monopoly) and during a stay at Mick Jagger
's English estate, Stargroves
, Gibb learned about cable television
. He bought the Dearborn, Michigan
, Wayne, Michigan
and Grosse Pointe
, Michigan cable licenses in the late seventies, the sale of which made him a millionaire a few years later.
Despite his financial well-being, Gibb returned to teaching and spent over twenty years teaching video and media production at Dearborn High School
. The video program he started and ran for over 20 years has a state-of-the-art facility and has produced hundreds of award-winning video students, many of whom have gone on to careers in the media business. The program also spawned the long-running cable video show Back Porch Video
.
Currently, Gibb is co-founder of music discovery website GrokMusic http://www.grokmusic.com.
Dearborn, Michigan
-Economy:Ford Motor Company has its world headquarters in Dearborn. In addition its Dearborn campus contains many research, testing, finance and some production facilities. Ford Land controls the numerous properties owned by Ford including sales and leasing to unrelated businesses such as the...
, Michigan
Michigan
Michigan is a U.S. state located in the Great Lakes Region of the United States of America. The name Michigan is the French form of the Ojibwa word mishigamaa, meaning "large water" or "large lake"....
, probably most famous for his role in the Paul is Dead
Paul Is Dead
"Paul is dead" is an urban legend suggesting that Paul McCartney of the English rock band The Beatles died in 1966 and was secretly replaced by a look-alike....
phenomenon, a story he broke as a DJ on WKNR-FM.
After a visit to the Fillmore and a talk with promoter Bill Graham, he operated Detroit's Grande Ballroom
Grande Ballroom
The Grande Ballroom is a historic live music venue located at 8952 Grand River Avenue in Detroit, Michigan. The building was designed by Detroit engineer and architect Charles N. Agree in 1928 and originally served as a multi-purpose building, hosting retail business on the first floor and a large...
and was a major player in the late sixties/early seventies Motor City music scene. He was instrumental in giving the MC5
MC5
The MC5 is an American rock band formed in Lincoln Park, Michigan and originally active from 1964 to 1972. The original band line-up consisted of vocalist Rob Tyner, guitarists Wayne Kramer and Fred "Sonic" Smith, bassist Michael Davis, and drummer Dennis Thompson...
, Ted Nugent
Ted Nugent
Theodore Anthony "Ted" Nugent is an American guitarist, musician, singer, author, reserve police officer, and activist. From Detroit, Michigan, he originally gained fame as the lead guitarist of The Amboy Dukes, before embarking on a lengthy solo career...
and Iggy Pop
Iggy Pop
Iggy Pop is an American singer, songwriter, musician, and actor. Though considered an innovator of punk rock, Pop's music has encompassed a number of styles over the years, including pop, metal, jazz and blues...
their start. The Grande Ballroom also was where the Who
The Who
The Who are an English rock band formed in 1964 by Roger Daltrey , Pete Townshend , John Entwistle and Keith Moon . They became known for energetic live performances which often included instrument destruction...
played their rock opera, "Tommy," for the first time in the United States.
Gibb also owned or leased other live music venues around the Mid-West including the Eastown Ballroom, Michigan Theater (where the New York Dolls
New York Dolls
The New York Dolls is an American rock band, formed in New York in 1971. The band's protopunk sound prefigured much of what was to come in the punk rock era; their visual style influenced the look of many new wave and 1980s-era glam metal groups, and they began the local New York scene that later...
played), and the Birmingham Palladium. He expanded his music endeavors when he invested in Creem
Creem
Creem , "America's Only Rock 'n' Roll Magazine," was a monthly rock 'n' roll publication first published in March 1969 by Barry Kramer and founding editor Tony Reay. It suspended production in 1989 but received a short-lived renaissance in the early 1990s as a glossy tabloid...
magazine.
In 1965-66 Gibb was hired by The Methodist Church to host Night Call - America's first national call-in talk show - on the Mutual Broadcasting Network. Around this time he also hosted Cross Country Checkup
Cross Country Checkup
Cross Country Checkup is a Canada-wide open-line radio show that airs Sunday afternoons on CBC Radio One.Every week, host Rex Murphy presides over a lively discussion on an issue of national interest or importance and invites listeners to call in with their opinions and thoughts. The topics are...
a Canadian
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
national call in talk show from Montreal
Montreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
.
During the administration of Gerald Ford
Gerald Ford
Gerald Rudolph "Jerry" Ford, Jr. was the 38th President of the United States, serving from 1974 to 1977, and the 40th Vice President of the United States serving from 1973 to 1974...
he worked under Senator John Warner
John Warner
John William Warner, KBE is an American Republican politician who served as Secretary of the Navy from 1972 to 1974 and as a five-term United States Senator from Virginia from January 2, 1979, to January 3, 2009...
on the United States Bicentennial
United States Bicentennial
The United States Bicentennial was a series of celebrations and observances during the mid-1970s that paid tribute to the historical events leading up to the creation of the United States as an independent republic...
Commission as the National Director of Youth and Education.
While in England he spent time with Eric Clapton
Eric Clapton
Eric Patrick Clapton, CBE, is an English guitarist and singer-songwriter. Clapton is the only three-time inductee to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame: once as a solo artist, and separately as a member of The Yardbirds and Cream. Clapton has been referred to as one of the most important and...
(including late night sessions playing Monopoly) and during a stay at Mick Jagger
Mick Jagger
Sir Michael Philip "Mick" Jagger is an English musician, singer and songwriter, best known as the lead vocalist and a founding member of The Rolling Stones....
's English estate, Stargroves
Stargroves
Stargroves is a manor house and associated estate at East Woodhay in the English county of Hampshire. It best known for being the home of Mick Jagger during the 1970s and a recording venue for The Rolling Stones and various other rock bands.-History:...
, Gibb learned about cable television
Cable television
Cable television is a system of providing television programs to consumers via radio frequency signals transmitted to televisions through coaxial cables or digital light pulses through fixed optical fibers located on the subscriber's property, much like the over-the-air method used in traditional...
. He bought the Dearborn, Michigan
Dearborn, Michigan
-Economy:Ford Motor Company has its world headquarters in Dearborn. In addition its Dearborn campus contains many research, testing, finance and some production facilities. Ford Land controls the numerous properties owned by Ford including sales and leasing to unrelated businesses such as the...
, Wayne, Michigan
Wayne, Michigan
Wayne is a city in Wayne County in the U.S. state of Michigan, southwest of Detroit. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 17,593...
and Grosse Pointe
Grosse Pointe, Michigan
Grosse Pointe is a suburban city bordering Detroit in Wayne County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The city covers just over one square mile, and had a population of 5,421 at the 2010 census. It is bordered on the west by Grosse Pointe Park, on the north by Detroit, on the east by Grosse Pointe...
, Michigan cable licenses in the late seventies, the sale of which made him a millionaire a few years later.
Despite his financial well-being, Gibb returned to teaching and spent over twenty years teaching video and media production at Dearborn High School
Dearborn High School
Dearborn High School is a secondary school, founded in 1893, located on Outer Drive in Dearborn, Michigan, United States. Dearborn High is one of the three high schools of the Dearborn City School District. There are over 1800 students currently attending Dearborn High...
. The video program he started and ran for over 20 years has a state-of-the-art facility and has produced hundreds of award-winning video students, many of whom have gone on to careers in the media business. The program also spawned the long-running cable video show Back Porch Video
Back Porch Video
Back Porch Video was one of the first cable television-based music video programs. It premiered on January 28, 1984 as the brainchild of Russ Gibb, former owner of the Grande Ballroom in Detroit, Michigan...
.
Currently, Gibb is co-founder of music discovery website GrokMusic http://www.grokmusic.com.