US Army Germany

Welcome visitors from the http://www.usarmygermany.com/ website.  Walter does a great job with it and there's a lot of AFN infomation I haven't seen before.  Take a look!

Happy Birthday AFKN

AFN-K (I still find that hard to say) has put together their 60th anniversary tribute. 

What do you think?

AFN Korea 60th anniversary

Command Performance

Command Performance was a star-studded jamboree.  It was probably the biggest thing produced by AFRTS.  In 1977 Frank Bresee assembled a 35th anniversary tribute.  Guests for the tribute include Ken Carpenter and Bob Hope, sharing memories.

AFRTS Command Performance 35th anniv 1977.mp3

History of AFN

In 1990 began the 'downsizing' of our bigger networks.  MediaNetwork discussed the history of AFN with Roy Neal.

He had a big career before WWII worked at AFN and later came back as a civilian.

Take a listen:

AFN Profile 1990

There's more about Roy Neal at http://www.broadcastpioneers.com/roynealbook.html

See AFRTS disks on PBS-TV

Jon checks in to let us know about something coming up on PBS


I was just checking a satellite feed of an upcoming PBS program, "Michael Feinstein's American Songbook" and spotted a collector with some some serious WWII-era AFRS vinyl transcriptions and V-Discs.

Feinstein discussed the use of the AFRS discs and their procurement, and there was some great performance footage of Lena Horne, Bing Crosby and Judy Garland taken from "Jubilee" and "Command Performance USA."

This is in episode #2 of the series, entitled "The Best Band in the Land."

After doing a QC check of the feed, it was a segment of the show where Michael Feinstein met with former AFRS producer Marty Halperin (Pacific Pioneer Broadcasters).

Halperin was showing him the master tapes he kept over the years in the basement of his home, along with a few AFRS 12" transcription discs (in the familiar manila shuck with "Armed Forces Radio & Television Service" and "Property of U.S. Government" over the center hole.

Michael Feinstein's American Songbook

Best Band in the Land

Wednesday, October 13, 7:00pm (your date and time may vary)

The roles that popular music played during WWII, providing emotional solace and boosting morale, are remembered. Michael Feinstein also discusses the era's big bands, USO shows, V-Discs and war bond rallies; and prepares an original patriotic song.

Laurie Allen

Photo: Original Minnesotans  Laurie with Jim Pewter in Crete, courtesy Laurie Allen

Here's a double batch of memories,  Laurie Allen with the best in classic rock.

Laurie Allen 1990

Golden Days of Radio

No recent word on Frank Bresse's condition.  He had an amazing run on the network.  Recently his amazing record collection has come on the market.  But these were the days, a 1951 Lux Radio Theatre production of Sunset Boulevard.

Golden Age Of Radio - Sunset Boulevard

I miss the record library...

I was cleaning up and re-sleeving some transcriptions and remembering the libraries.

I don't think the network ever tried to be eclectic, but with a dozen disks coming in every week since 1943 there was a lot of music. I'd go in and listen to a genre I hadn't heard in a while, early R&;B, Western swing, Gospel... totally amazing libraries. The majority of the libraries were mediocre MOR. AFKN in the field stations would have random program disks from the 50s and 60s. "Yours Truly Johnny Dollar" "Bob and Ray" "Date with Chris" there was probably a complete set at the Camp Casey station, at the time I didn't know what they were. In the 1970s and 80s, there were RP and RU disks. RP were to be destroyed after broadcast. RU disks were to be shipped to another station. SCN in Panama had a mostly complete set of library disks. It was the first time I'd heard all of the MAJ Glenn Miller sides. Shuffling through them was always like Christmas for me. AFN had saved a copy of probably every disk ever received. In the early 1970s those were cleaned out. Around the time that the network talent wasn't renewed cds went to the stations and the program vinyl was recalled for the Library of Congress. In 1982 was one of the earlier times they tried that. At SCN we said "No, we need everything we've got." and they let that pass. Now the libraries get their weekly CDs, but they're rebranded Superdisks, the same as used by hundreds of stations in the United States. I’m sure they’re a lot easier to program from, but an era is gone.