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Michael Brown counted down the greatest hits of 1970 on AFRS Adak.
Thursday, April 27, 2017
Alaska 1944
(Adak) Actors and actresses gather around during rehearsal for a play over station WXLB operated by GIs on barren Adak in the Aleutians. Station is operated for the entertainment of the men who man the lonely frontier and once a week a play is featured.
Left to right: Kathy Kellett (Butte, Montana), Sid Chauken (Long Beach, California), Muriel Couchman (Iowa City, Iowa), Andy Eger (Hollis, New York), Alice Chilgren (Little Fork, Minnesota), Jack Pulliam (Dallas, Texas)
10/31/44
Sunday, April 23, 2017
Harlem Hospitality Club - 1946
A combination audience participation/Harlem music show from Mutual, rebroadcast on AFRS. The program originates from the Savoy Ballroom, New York City. The first tune is, "The St. Louis Blues." Willie Bryant (host), The Loumel Morgan Trio, Kitty De Chavez (vocal), Kirby Walker (piano), Sam Jackson (bass)
Saturday, April 22, 2017
AFVN Jolly Jim 1966
Dennis digitized a reel-to-reel recorded off the air (lightning crackles and all) from AFVN Saigon June 1966 featuring Jolly Jim (don’t know his real name) music is not scoped. Any idea who it is?
This is wonderful. Thanks Dennis!
Don Browne has some insight:
AFVN didn't exist in June 1966. The only studio was called "Armed Forces Radio" or "Armed Forces Radio - Vietnam". It was one flagship station for Saigon/540 kHz, and two or more unmanned repeaters (Qui Nhon/770 kHz, Danang/850 kHz, and possibly Pleiku/560 kHz). There was no FM (99.9 MHz) or TV (Channel 11) yet. The expansion to a "real" network was just starting. "Date With Chris" starring Chris Noel was six months away.
The actual air check of "Jolly Jim" Lull contains an interruption of Morse Code around 0635. This sounds like a cargo ship transmitting A2 in the nearby Saigon river. Several PAMS "call letter edits" are featured as well as PAMS instrumental beds. I don't recognize the notes that cover the call letters. Each call letter note pattern was unique.
Also, the music selection is suspiciously void of mentioning or playing early (1964-1966) Beatles selections. This is because early Beatles songs were not selected by the AFRTS radio producers for inclusion in the TP or P-series. This is one of the reasons why "bootleg" radio stations were started by Army Public Affairs officers in Vietnam.
Army Public Affairs officers started their own "independent" radio stations, acquired studio equipment, and several AM or FM transmitters. The PA Offices contacted local stateside record distributors and received popular 45 RPM singles and LP records. They also purchased jingle packages from CRC, Gwinsound, and Pepper-Tanner who were "supporters of freedom's mission in Vietnam". These "bootleg" operations were heard throughout RVN and were more popular (because their music was more current) than the RP four-week turnaround of the "censored" TP and P-series songs received by AFVN.
There were never more than twenty of these "bootleg" operations in RVN. These stations would generally exist for several months until their staffs ETS'd out of Vietnam. Then the on-air time would drop precipitously.
The most popular "bootleg" station in Vietnam was KLIK (from the military term "click", meaning one kilometer) which operated on 1330 kHz and 104.9 MHz, Lai Khe Base Camp. The PAO of the 3rd Brigade, 1st Infantry Division (just north of Saigon) operated this station for several years (1967-1969).
These "bootleg" stations donated their purchased jingles to AFVN, who had draftee SP4 Gary Gears as the AFVN Saigon production man (1967-1969). DoD approved these "donations" because they were "Found on Post". Gary combined PAMS jingles received by his former employers WDGY, KQV, and WCFL with the donated CRC and Gwinsound jingles which sang "AFVN". The result was quite remarkable.
Don Browne
Don Browne has some insight:
The air check of AFVN Jolly Jim 1966 appears to be that of SP4 James Lull.
AFVN didn't exist in June 1966. The only studio was called "Armed Forces Radio" or "Armed Forces Radio - Vietnam". It was one flagship station for Saigon/540 kHz, and two or more unmanned repeaters (Qui Nhon/770 kHz, Danang/850 kHz, and possibly Pleiku/560 kHz). There was no FM (99.9 MHz) or TV (Channel 11) yet. The expansion to a "real" network was just starting. "Date With Chris" starring Chris Noel was six months away.
The actual air check of "Jolly Jim" Lull contains an interruption of Morse Code around 0635. This sounds like a cargo ship transmitting A2 in the nearby Saigon river. Several PAMS "call letter edits" are featured as well as PAMS instrumental beds. I don't recognize the notes that cover the call letters. Each call letter note pattern was unique.
Also, the music selection is suspiciously void of mentioning or playing early (1964-1966) Beatles selections. This is because early Beatles songs were not selected by the AFRTS radio producers for inclusion in the TP or P-series. This is one of the reasons why "bootleg" radio stations were started by Army Public Affairs officers in Vietnam.
Army Public Affairs officers started their own "independent" radio stations, acquired studio equipment, and several AM or FM transmitters. The PA Offices contacted local stateside record distributors and received popular 45 RPM singles and LP records. They also purchased jingle packages from CRC, Gwinsound, and Pepper-Tanner who were "supporters of freedom's mission in Vietnam". These "bootleg" operations were heard throughout RVN and were more popular (because their music was more current) than the RP four-week turnaround of the "censored" TP and P-series songs received by AFVN.
There were never more than twenty of these "bootleg" operations in RVN. These stations would generally exist for several months until their staffs ETS'd out of Vietnam. Then the on-air time would drop precipitously.
The most popular "bootleg" station in Vietnam was KLIK (from the military term "click", meaning one kilometer) which operated on 1330 kHz and 104.9 MHz, Lai Khe Base Camp. The PAO of the 3rd Brigade, 1st Infantry Division (just north of Saigon) operated this station for several years (1967-1969).
These "bootleg" stations donated their purchased jingles to AFVN, who had draftee SP4 Gary Gears as the AFVN Saigon production man (1967-1969). DoD approved these "donations" because they were "Found on Post". Gary combined PAMS jingles received by his former employers WDGY, KQV, and WCFL with the donated CRC and Gwinsound jingles which sang "AFVN". The result was quite remarkable.
Don Browne
Tuesday, April 18, 2017
Chris Noel 1968
I'm happy to be able to share this. There's a story on this one. This disk was part of a group I bought a couple of years ago. Normally these things appear out of nowhere and no one is really sure where they came from. I asked the seller "Grampa brought them back from Vietnam". The kid wasn't sure about anything else. It was pretty much junk in the garage. We have to share these things before they become a part of oblivion.
Chris is STILL helping the troops. Please make a donation, buy a signed picture. There are a lot of nice things in the online shop:
Monday, April 17, 2017
Boyd Raeburn 1946
In 1946 Boyd Raeburn had a swinging, swinging band. A big band with R&B and the beginnings of bebop. It was called the "Most Exciting music of Today". I agree. A "Popular Music Replacement" would have been a one shot show generally sent because a regularly scheduled show wasn't available. They were very popular on Jubilee but here's a full broadcast.
Sunday, April 16, 2017
Saturday, April 15, 2017
Service Digest - 1945
Johnny Murray "Your Constant Reader" has the information about fish juice....
Johnny Murray was born in Glen Cove, New York in 1920. He attended St. Patrick’s Elementary and graduated from Glen Cove High School. Murray learned to play piano and also entertained his family and friends playing and singing the popular hits of the day. World War II interrupted any plans for college and Johnny enlisted in the Army. He was assigned to the Signal Corp and was soon heard on Armed Forces Radio playing and singing. Upon discharge, he worked at KLIF in Dallas, WDSU in New Orleans, and WMOB in Mobile. In 1956 he moved to Atlanta to work at WQXI. Later he moved to WGST where he worked for 16 years. Murray died in 1982.
Tuesday, April 11, 2017
AFVN - Harry Simons 1969
Harry on the air in Da Nang
Harry Simons "Your Brother" sent along some memories of Da Nang 1969 on AFVN. Wonderful. A while back Harry put a lot of work into a radio special about the network that you should take a listen to AFVN - The GIs Companion
Sunday, April 9, 2017
AFN Anniversary Shows
2017 Is the 75th anniversary of our network. There's been some great storytelling.
The Army Hour started before there was Armed Forces Radio. First on NBC radio then eventually being sent to hundreds of stations for the Sunday morning graveyard. In 1968 AFN Europe was 25. Here's their tribute, with a bunch of AFNers doing their share.
The Army Hour 1968: AFN Europe 25th anniversary.
More anniversary shows
The Army Hour started before there was Armed Forces Radio. First on NBC radio then eventually being sent to hundreds of stations for the Sunday morning graveyard. In 1968 AFN Europe was 25. Here's their tribute, with a bunch of AFNers doing their share.
The Army Hour 1968: AFN Europe 25th anniversary.
It's not clear from this broadcast, but in 1943 the networks in Alaska and Panama were already broadcasting.
After I posted this, I found a 16th anniversary special (1961) produced by the Berlin station and run on the full network.
Saturday, April 8, 2017
Continental Varieties 1961
Dick Crawford takes us to an evening in New York on Continental Varieties
Monday, April 3, 2017
If Freedom Failed - 1951
A 1951 series of programs describing what communist rule would be like in a small American community George Macready stars in todays story of what could happen.
FEN Schedule - 1985
Mon to Fri
05:05 Harry Newman
06:05 Local Live
07:00 News/Sports/Paul Harvey
07:30 Local Live
09:05 Charlie Tuna
10:05 Don Tracy
11:05 Local Live
12:00 News/Sports/Commentary
13:05 Gene Price
14:05 Larry McKay
15:05 Mary Turner
16:05 Local Live
18:00 News/Sports/Commentary
19:05 Music Network
21:05 Radio Theater
21:30 Jim Pewter
22:05 Wolfman Jack
23:05 Phil Harvey
23:30 Jazz Beat
00:10 East Of Midnight (from FEN Tokyo)
02:05 Roland Bynum
03:05 Charlie Tuna
04:05 Mary Turner
04:30 Jim Pewter
Sat
05:05 Swinging Years
06:05 Weekender
07:00 News/Sports/Paul Harvey
07:30 Weekender
09:05 American Country Countdown
12:00 News/Sports
12:30 East Of Eden
13:05 American Top 40
17:05 The Swinging Years
18:05 Golden Days Of Radio
19:05 Off The Record
20:00 Live From Gilley's
21:05 All That Jazz
22:05 The Count Down (Walt Love)
00:05 Sign On/East Of Midnight
02:05 American Top 40
Sun
05:05 All That Jazz
06:05 The Golden Days Of Radio
07:05 Weekender
08:30 Focus On The Family
09:05 Amen Corner
10:05 Salt Lake Tabernacle Choir
10:30 Celebration
11:05 Open Door
11:30 Protestant Hour
12:00 News/Sports
12:30 Love On The Rock
13:05 Dick Clark's Rock, Roll & Remember
16:05 Viva
18:00 News/Sports
18:30 FEN Adventure Theater
19:05 Musical
21:05 The Fusion Move
22:05 Prime Cuts
23:05 King Biscuit Flower Hour
Sugar Report - 1945
Eugenia Lincoln "Jinx" Falkenburg was an actress, expert swimmer and tennis star, and one of the highest-paid and most ubiquitous cover-girl models in the United States during the 1930s and 1940s, one of the first supermodels.
This was the first I'd heard of The "Sugar Report". A program about what was going on in the United States with clips from network shows and news from entertainment.
John did some checking: Did a little research and date this program to the first week of May 1945. Based on dates for the Broadway show Foolish Notion, opened March 13, 1945, closed June 9, 1945. Olsen and Johnson were on the Philco Radio Hall of Fame on April 29th, 1945 celebrating their 30th Anniversary. On May 3rd, 1945 the King Cole Trio appeared on the Bing Crosby Show where they sang "If You Can't Smile And Say Yes (Please Don't Cry And Say No".
This was recorded on acetate and sent to the AFRS shortwave station in California.
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