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Here's some more fun from Hollywood with Roger Carroll! Roger has was a part of this crazy business since the 1940s.
Sunday, August 9, 2026
Mary Turner 1984
Time for another visit with Mary Turner, She started at the network in 1981 or so, bringing a new perspective. It was rocking...
Mary checked in last time with good words about her AFRTS time.
FEN Automation and Burr Hoyle 1965
Awhile back Monte Jones had some information about the automation system at FEN in the late 60s. I thought something capable of segueing the ETs and putting the news on the air was very high tech for the times. Norm Medland was there before Monte and he had some information: Henry Yaskell was way ahead of his time from the automation system to tropo scatter to distribute the net up the line to Misawa and other places; Kuma Station and Wakkanai in the far north of Japan. In addition to the voice network to our outlying stations, we also had a teletype network and a fulltime employee to type and send printed newscasts to all the stations. Yes, they could have had all news prerecorded on tape and I believe Henry wanted that but it pushed immediacy back by at least an hour and the programmers would not allow it. Automation basic brain may have been a Harris-made unit, but not sure. Henry had at least four turntables connected along with a bank of Ampex tape recorders and several cart machines. It used a room about 20x20 and had one fulltime GI and a Japanese engineer plus probably a GI engineer. Time hacks were automated and the unit could switch between functions and the news booth and production studios. A lot of local production done on tape like “Tokyo Calling.”.
It took a lot of tending and no one but Henry thought it saved any manpower. Still, it was ingenious and way ahead of most broadcast stations. I worked at a station in Sacramento after I retired that was automated with a Harris-90 with just a bank of tape playback units and two production studios. Very simple by comparison. FEN even had on loan from Sony an early portable tape unit that rode around on a cart much like a current day audio visual cart with a few shelves. Not very portable and weighed a couple of hundred pounds. This never worked properly and wasn’t used in the field that I know about. Our audio equipment was the best you could buy, and programming concentration was totally audio. I think we had a least six Nagra tape recorders. We were just a radio station, (no TV at all), and the network feed, but we were very good. Great talent in house. Unfortunately, many of them are now deceased. I am certain we would have made money in any market in the United States. I was just a buck sergeant and staff sergeant as I left, but had worked radio in Denver, San Diego, and small Iowa stations before arriving there. I wasn’t bad, but others there made me look like an amateur.
From January 1965, here's Burr Hoyle:
Herman Griffith 1966
Herman with Jim Pewter and Roger Carroll
It's easy to see Herman Griffith as the voice of a community in 1966. There's a lot to his presentation that others refined and copied. Herman talks about Savings Bonds, with an interest rate very similar to today... Let's take a listen.
Herman Griffith 1966
Saturday, August 8, 2026
Turn Back The Clock 1958
Andy and Virginia Mansfield brought their brand of oldies to NBC and shortly around that time to AFRTS.
Tom Campbell 1971
\Tom's back, with program 2 of "Tom Campbell Stateside" He's retired and leading the good life in California. Recently the crazy weather hit his town, but he wasn't on that side of town.
Hear Tom every day at 1pm Central mybestsounds.com
Saturday, August 1, 2026
Laura Lee 1986
Jazz was an important part of the network, even into the 1980s. Laura Lee kept it alive with The Jazz Beat.
Jim Pewter 1967
Neil found us a bunch of late 60s Jim Pewter shows. I'm very happy about that. When you see something that might be interesting for all of us, drop me a note afrts@live.com
Jim was an AFKN vet who shaped the world of music, his command of the oldies inspired a lot of people. It's December 1967 "Let's Go"
Hear Jim every day at 6pm Central on mybestsounds.com
Sunday, July 26, 2026
Don Tracy 1993
Don earned his due in Connecticut radio, through WPOP, WNHC and WAVZ then to win in Los Angeles.
KGFJ, KDAY, KABC-TV, KNX as a sales executive, his own ad agency and editor of the R&B Report.
Chris Noel 1967
Chris did one of the most popular shows ever. A pretty girl, great music and caring. She brought "home" everywhere.
Joe Ferguson 1983
In 1983 AFRTS brought in jocks from all over the country to record shows. Today it's to Portland OR for the Joe Show!
John Doremus 1967
The theme is songs about movement, a seemingly straightforward idea. John would skillfully blend these songs with poetry and concepts. His shows gained popularity nationwide, particularly with major airlines, where he pioneered the production of in-flight music. A truly remarkable talent.
Sunday, July 19, 2026
Iwo Jima 1945
Here's the other one of those USMC official records about the battle of Iwo Jima. Pretty incredible. They tell the story and talk to the troops, presumably recorded by the Mosquito Network.
Gene Price 1974
Gene, Charlie and Jim
It's been a privilege to stay in touch with all three. Here's Gene Price with your 1974 country favorites:
Jim Ameche 1968
Jim Ameche is back with the most beautiful music in the world. Jim was one of the very first to make syndicating a DJ show work. He later was the voice of the Longines Symphonette.
Mary Helen Barro 1983
Mary Helen Barro kept the Latino beat alive. She started with the network in the late 70s and was there a long time. Bailar!
Sunday, July 12, 2026
Charlie Tuna 1974
Charlie was a distinctive voice, waking the world for a quarter century. I'm pretty sure no one else can make that claim. It was a shame when we lost him.
Hear Charlie every morning at 8am Central at mybestsounds.com
Joe Allison 1965
Joe Allison is back, starting a new week with a Monday show from 1965. Take your shoes (boots?) off and get ready for the Country Corner!
Wolfman Jack 1975
Time for another visit with the Wolfman. Always a wonderful talent. Has anyone seen the Midnight Special DVDs yet? You know those have to be great.
Saturday, July 11, 2026
Roger Carroll 1969
Seems like yesterday when Roger Carroll got me to setup his streaming website. it was 2017.
Hear RC everyday at 9am Central at mybestsounds.com
Roger was with the network for a long, long time. We're glad to make this available.
Mary Turner 1986
Mary Turner brought the rock in the 1980s and 90s. She had the daily show and "Off The Record". The music was great and she really had a way with an interview. She always treasured her time as one of the AFRTS-LA talent.
Vance Graham 1973
KMPCs Vance Graham sees Amelia Earhart off.
Latino! A special program presented five times a week. With Victor, at your service.
"Victor" was Vance Graham. An announcer whose career went back to WWII when he was doing news at KMPC. Later he worked at KFI. Prior to Latino, Vance did the "Bolero Time" program for AFRTS. "Vance Graham Bolero Show" was a daily feature at KTYM Los Angeles in the 1950s.
We ran TWO Latin shows at the same time? I didn't know this. The other show was Viva!
Herman Griffith 1967
Herman with Jim Pewter and Roger Carroll
Feeling brave? If you're young or old Herman Griffith is here with the Records Caravan. Bold? If you
Herman was at KGFJ in Los Angeles in the early 60s, was with us into the 1970s and not much else is known.
Hear Herman at 3pm Central on mybestsounds.com
Sunday, July 5, 2026
Tom Campbell 1976
Tom's a great guy. Glad to know him. He provided a lot of his shows for you to hear.
Hear Tom every day at 1pm Central mybestsounds.com
Roland Bynum 1981
Roland Bynum with the late Don Cornelius
The music was so good. Here's Roland Bynum cutting loose for the weekend. He was that good and brings the future to America through teaching.
Hear Roland nightly7 at 9pm Central mybestsounds.com
Bill Stewart 1968
Time for a musical Bill affair (Listen to the jingle). Bill was still with us in the late 70s with a neat brew of swing. Bill was the one on "Quarter Century of Swing" for AFRTS. We lost Bill in 1993 to heart failure. Bill graced KMPC, 1951-59; KGIL, 1965-66; KRHM, 1966 and 1969; KGIL, 1973-75.
Jim Pewter 1985
Not the Beatles tribute band. 1964 was sure a great year for music, the Beatles had pretty much changed everything. Motown got better. It was a great topic for another theme show by Jim Pewter. Jim was one of us, having spent 1964 working for AFKN.
Hear Jim every day at 6pm Central on mybestsounds.com
Don Tracy 1995
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Thanks George for taking the time to record these in 1995. It's a Don Tracy Friday. The party starts now!
Chris Noel 1969
Chris Noel in Pleiku 1968
Chris really stepped to the plate, did a wonderful show and went to the troops. Today she still supports the troops in need with her homeless shelter for veterans. Vetsville
Hear Chris every evening at 11:00 central on mybestsounds.com
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