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Joe Allison had a neat part of history. He's been called the DJ that bridged the gap between hillbilly radio and what he call country radio today. Take a listen:
Sunday, February 15, 2026
Jubilee 1943
I certainly wish I had both parts of this. In 1943, Art Tatum, Billie Holiday, Red Allen and an All-Star cast were part of Jubilee.
Los Angeles 10/April/1943 Henry Allen Sextet
Henry ‘Red’ Allen(t), J.C. Higginbotham (tb), Don Stovall (as), Alfred Williams(p), Benny Moten (b), Alvin Burroughs (d), Billie Holiday (v)
NBC Studios in Hollywood, and dubbed March 22. The broadcast took place on April 9 or 10, as they were normally transmitted on a Friday night.
Wolfman Jack 1977
This is nice, Wolfman recorded off of AFN in Germany in 1977, at the end Wolfman is on voice tracks talking about USAEUR. Did all of the AFRTS-LA team record these? Howl!
Roger Carroll 1967
Roger enlisted during the Korean War and ended up at the network as an announcer. Perfect place as he was an ABC network announcer. Shortly after the war he was doing the Roger Carroll Show until well into the early 80s. Super talent and a great guy. Let's remember 1967
Saturday, February 14, 2026
Parade Of Sports 1991
I remember the games, when I was in Korea or Panama we were using very lo-fi network lines (probably 1 or 2k). In 1991 AFN had a better line and Ric Crawford filling in the breaks.
March 3, 1991 Bradley takes on SW Missouri State
Mary Turner 1991
Mary Turner really rocked. Hard to believe how much that rattled the brass and talked to the troops. An amazing talent. Hard to conceive the amount of talent at Fort McCadden..
Mary Helen Barro 1983
Herman Griffith 1968
Jim Pewter, Herman and Roger Carroll
Herman was the first of the really great soul jocks at AFRTS. He was making waves at KGFJ and went worldwide. Herman was the one that brought Roland Bynum in..
1968 was great year for music. Take a listen:
Jasin Street 1971
Jay with Joi Lancing
So sometimes it's still a surprise. I just received a bundle of disks and in there was "Jasin Street". Never heard of it. Jay Jasin (Herman Jasinski) started jocking in the late 40s, mostly through the Midwest. By 1962 he had teamed with Jim Ameche to syndicate a jazz show. Around then he started acting and was in Spinout and Hillbillies in A Haunted House. In 1971 it was traditional jazz on AFRTS. We lost Jay in 1984.
Turn Back The Clock 1958
Andy and Virginia Mansfield brought their brand of oldies to NBC and shortly around that time to AFRTS.
Sunday, February 8, 2026
Tom Campbell 1979
So what kind of jock would put his home phone number in ads? Tom Campbell would. You can say he was accessible... In 1971 Tom joined the network for a long run.
Saturday, February 7, 2026
Roland Bynum 1981
Roland and his daughter are Lakers fans...
But on the radio 1981 never sounded better
Thursday, February 5, 2026
National Guard Assembly 1947
Paul Whiteman with Hildegard
I was copying a bunch of AFRS ETS and saw "National Guard Assembly". I thought it was another normal recruiting show. In 1947 The Guard was doing a show on ABC with bandleader Paul Whiteman. This would have been around the time that Roger Carroll was a staff announcer there, unfortunately not on this program..
Sunday, February 1, 2026
AFN Berlin - Henry Michaels 1970
Robert Barker shares more memories of 1970 in Berlin:
AFN building Berlin 1945-79
Here is Specialist Henry Michaels hosting his AFN-Berlin morning Wake-Up Easy program from 26 Oct 70. It is apparent that Henry was still waking up at the beginning of his program for he misreads his time-check several times. Preceeding Michaels program you will hear a "Project Partnership" (the German word for tank is "panzier") promo, AFN Europe Morning sign on with the the songs of our armed forces, station frequencies, the National anthem, six hrs European time check, news with Jan Wood, USO Mail Call promo, Hymns from Home and NATO promo. Henry's program begins at 15:30 into the segment. Enjoy. Robert
Sunday, January 25, 2026
Small World 1964
Small World was similar to NBC radio's Monitor. Some light music, comedy, features. It's the program where Chris Noel got her start. This is from 1964. Host sounds like George Church
Pete Smith 1983
Pete Smith was part of the EZ listening tradition at AFRTS. He followed John Doremus, who followed Jim Ameche. He had quite a career in Los Angeles radio KNX; KDAY, 1956-58; KRKD, 1958-61; KNOB; KPOL; KMPC, 1961-88; KJQI/KOJY, 1993-95; KGIL, 1998. Pete was part of "Music of Your Life."
Roger Carroll was telling me that Pete was fulltime swing at KMPC. What a gig.
Jim Pewter 1980
Jim with Little Richard
Hey everybody, jump up in your seats.
Here is the man with a million beats.
They make you jump, they make you sing.
He'll do just about anything.
Everybody gonna rock and roll steady with the Jim Pewter Show.
Jim lived up to the slogan. I could always feel the respect and love for the music. He introduced me to a lot of amazing memories.
Hear Jim Pewter everyday at 6pm Central on www.mybestsounds.com
Don Tracy 1983
1983 was a great year for me, I finished up at SCN and within the year had made it onto Boston radio (part time). Don Tracy had the happy music. Rockin the world was Don Tracy!
Don Tracy 1983
Sunday, January 18, 2026
Chris Noel 1967
A pretty girl, nice music and Chris Noel was perfect for this. During the Vietnam war Chris did "A Date With Chris". In 1967, this was the third week of the broadcast and it starts to fall in place.
Joe Ferguson 1983
From Portland, Joe Ferguson brought America to the world. There was a project where several top jocks recorded shows for AFRTS. Joe was the first. Joe sent his shows in to hear once again. Thanks Joe!
Saturday, January 17, 2026
Gene Price 1990
Our visit to Soesterberg continues with Gene Pierce, er Price make another hour of magic. Listen to the PSA at the beginning. Talk about a non-denial denial...
Ira Cook 1961
Ira was a disc jockey in Hollywood for over 25 years working at KMPC the majority of the time. He also broadcast over the Armed Forces Radio Services. We lost Ira in 2007.
Mary Helen Barro 1980
Mary Helen in 1972 with Joe Ortiz
There's always been latin music on AFRTS. Chiquita during WWII and many others well into the 1990s. Mary Helen Barro held down the fort in the early 1980s. Here's Mary Helen, recorded off the air on AFN Frankfurt.
Mary Helen Barro - 1980
Saturday, January 3, 2026
Charlie Tuna 1982
Charlie Tuna 1969
Charlie was with us from the Vietnam years until 1996. Easy to tell how he was a morning tradition for such a long time.
Charlie Williams 1972
Charlie Williams in 1990
After Joe Allison left the Country Corner in the early 70s the show went to KFOXs Charlie Williams. In 1972 Charlie moved to Nashville, managed Bobby Bare and did a talk show on WSIX. Charlie passed away in 1995. It was Charlie who suggested to Gene Price that he get down to McCadden Ave and try for the gig..
Saturday, December 27, 2025
Roger Carroll 1977
Roger Carroll with Doc Severenson
Roger Carroll had an interesting story about how he became a DJ:
"Many years ago when ABC never played records live orchestras were dropped TV was just starting . I was at TV and told by my boss ABC Chief announcer Dresser Dalhstead I was going to radio and play records on the network daily three hour record show (the older guys refused to play records) I told Dresser , a good guy I was a network TV announcer and I did not play records. Dresser's exact response "get your ass over to radio or you ain't gonna be a network announcer".
Dress told me later he was even attempting to cross toes so he wouldn't break out laughing with my response.
ABC started selling quarter hours and I was getting network talent fees then of course the older guys wanted to do record shows. Then I got afternoon drive on ABC O&O KABC and then the Cowboy , Gene Autry offered ask me to come over to KMPC when my ABC contract ended...playing records was the best thing that happened in my long career"
It was a good thing for everyone. Thanks Roger!
Barbara Randolph 1971
Barbara Randolph c 1962
Barbara Randolph brought a lot of rock to AFRTS. Detroit born Randolph was born in 1942 eventually adopted by actress Lillian Randolph with a singing career that included a stint at Motown. Her movie roles included Guess Who'd Coming to Dinner.
In the late 60s, she joined our network
Mary Turner 1983
In the 80s and 1990s Mary Turners show was so popular she had two programs on the network. Her regular Mary Turner Show and "Off The Record", where she interviewed rock's biggest stars.
She made waves in Los Angeles radio too, and eleven year run at KMET and returning in the 90s to KSLX. Now she's involved in many charitable causes including the Betty Ford Center in Ranch Mirage.
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