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He sure kept it jazzy. Heck of a jock Bill Stewart. Do you have any pictures of him?
Saturday, July 29, 2017
Jim Pewter 1988
Jim Pewter
Jim was an amazing oldies jock. He was one of us at AFKN in 1965 and took Los Angeles by storm. Let's see why..
Friday, July 28, 2017
Don Tracy 1980
The weekend came blasting like a freight train. Here's Don Tracy, making a Friday rock..
Interlude 1972
Interlude was one of the many "Music for Colonels" shows. Soft symphonic music for the dinner hour, or evening, or overnight. Through most of the history of the network, we played this music.
Wednesday, July 26, 2017
Chris Noel - 1969
Thank you Chris Noel for sharing the memories. A few years ago Chris called and asked if I'd like to be able to share these shows. She had saved most of them. That was an easy question. She had finished doing the show before I enlisted but at the station at the 2d Infantry division had saved hundreds of these. I thought they were perfect radio. Then and now.
Let's remember 1969 with A Date With Chris.
Tuesday, July 25, 2017
Roger Carroll
Roger Carroll, Gene Price, Roland Bynum and more. 24 hours a day streaming. Kinda sounds like our stations
http://rogercarrollbestsoundsintown.com
If you're not in the United States, you have to use a proxy to listen. Click here for proxy information.
If you're not in the United States, you have to use a proxy to listen. Click here for proxy information.
Your suggestions and comments are welcome Click here
Saturday, July 22, 2017
Mary Helen Barro 1983
After Vance Graham, there were a few false starts but eventually they found Mary Helen Barro for the Latin show. It's a Thursday in 1983, Vamos...
Friday, July 21, 2017
The Green Slime - 1969
Today (July 18, 2017) I saw the movie The Green Slime (1969) again on cable channel Turner Classic Movies (TCM). It aired at 12:45 p.m. EDT. The thing about The Green Slime was that the monsters were not "green" and were not "slimey". Their alien blood however, was "green".
To my knowledge, this is the only Tokyo-made movie that featured the FEN Production Director, Leonard "Bud" Widom (FEN 1964-1969), in fourth billing, along with dozens of FEN enlisted personnel and wives as "extras". I recognized SSGT Larry Rogers, now called Frank Rogers, in a "party" scene.
The movie was actually filmed in 1968 from studios that were located on the road, as you drove from the "back gate" of Grant Heights FHA to Momote Village.
Some FEN announcers may have been given "bit" parts where they spoke a few words. All the performers were "round-eye"; there were no Japanese actors visible. They all had "appropriate" haircuts for 1968, and senior enlisted personnel (E-7 to E-9) stood out. There were many 20-something females featured from somewhere, but not FEN who had only dependents available.
The Green Slime was featured on TCM with a group of "horror" movies that were considered "camp" or Grade B. The Green Slime was also the premiere movie of the parody-series Mystery Science Theater 3000. That was the series where the host and two robot-puppets were super-imposed on theater seating in opaque and added snarky commentary as the movie was super-imposed behind them.
I was at FEN in 1969 when the movie premiered on the Japanese AAFMPS circuit, to much hoopla and fanfare, in October 1969, at North Camp Drake and Grant Heights Theaters.
Don Browne "LT", FEN Tokyo 1969-1971
Thursday, July 20, 2017
AFKN video production 1977
AFKN video production 1977. So that's how it was done 40 years ago... and kinescopes...
Thanks Linda! High tech is us.
Tuesday, July 18, 2017
Charlie Tuna - 1982
Charlie Tuna and Sugar Ray Leonard
Charlie Tuna has always been a champ. This broadcast is from around the Leonard/Duran "no mas" fight. That was a night to be in Panama.
Jingle Jangle...
Grab a bunch of TPs, the currents and some jingles! You're late for The Morning show!!!
Monday, July 17, 2017
Wolfman Jack 1975
Hey another Minnesotan! Not really. Bob Smith was a New Yorker that ended up running KUXL a soul station in Minneapolis. That's where he worked out his act before working at the border blasters in Mexico. Here's a 1975 visit with Wolfman.
Saturday, July 15, 2017
LaRita Shelby 1994
There is a party going on, with LaRita Shelby. She shared several programs with us and I'm thankful.
If you haven't heard "Date With a Song" you really should. Light, jazzy but not muzaky. Information at http://www.laritashelby.com
Golden Days Of Radio - 1968
In 1968 Frank Bresee started doing the Golden Days of Radio. Frank had been a radio star in the 1940s and brought back the memories. The show was most often a potpourri of the best of radio. Radio dramas and comedy were on AFRTS for many many years. We still had multiple places with no television station.
Thursday, July 13, 2017
Roland Bynum 1980
Bill Stewart - 1967
Today Bill Stewart's guest is Rudy Vallee. Rudy was the biggest of the big in the 1920s and kept going for five decades. It's a fun listen.
Wednesday, July 12, 2017
AFRTS Program Materials
RADIO PROGRAM MATERIALS
LEARNING OBJECTIVE: Identify the radio program materials available from AFRTS.
This section briefly describes the various radio program materials available from AFRTS-BC. It is important for you to know the contents and abbreviations for each package, since you will rely on them for most of your day-to-day radio programming needs. If you need more detailed information, see the Armed Forces Radio and Television Service (AFRTS) Program Materials, DoD Directive 5120.20-R, Appendix F.
AFRTS-BC ships 80 hours of radio program materials to their AM outlets per week. More than half of the weekly package consists of current music programs featuring major-market DJs. The music heard on these programs is the same as played on many popular music FM stations across the United States. Another portion of the weekly package consists of recordings of the latest hits according to various music charts. To provide the widest possible variety of radio programming, AFRTS-BC includes religious, talk, drama, variety and other program formats in the weekly package.
FM stations also are furnished with program packages. The stations receive a basic FM package along with taped stereo music shipments consisting of vocals and instrumentals.
RADIO UNIT PACKAGE (RU)
The radio unit package (RU) contains approximately one-half (30 hours) of the total radio programming package and is generally undated. It is routed through circuits of one or two outlets. In the RU package you will find weekly religious shows, dramas, features, variety shows and information "fillers." Under normal circuiting (routing), one unit is available for broadcast and two other RUs are either at the station or enroute.
RADIO PRIORITY/LIBRARY PACKAGE (RP/L)
Teaming with the RU package to provide full AFRTS radio entertainment is the radio priority/library package (RP/L). This weekly package has two parts - the radio priority package (RP) and the radio library package (RL).
Radio Priority Package (RP)
The RP package contains approximately 45 hours of timely (dated) materials, including chart music programs, and is shipped to each authorized radio station for immediate broadcast. Because the RPs contain timely material, they have no value after they are aired and include instructions for immediate local destruction. RPs are authorized only for stations that receive the RU package.
Radio Library Package (RL)
The RL package contains approximately six hours of individual recorded music cuts on CD for retention as permanent library material. Because RL material is designed for permanent library retention, shipments continue during temporary periods when other programming may be suspended. A computer floppy disk, containing artist and title information, is included in each shipment. The CDs in the RL package are accountable items and periodic inventories are mandatory.
40-C
Stations authorized to receive the RP/L package also receive the American Top 40 and the American Country Countdown programs as a separate RP shipment labeled 40-C. Like the RP unit, materials in 40-C are destroyed after airing.
RADIO TAPE PACKAGE (RT)
The radio tape package (RT) is a weekly audiotape shipment consisting of approximately 84 hours of RU, RP, 40-C and special information items for authorized ships and selected shore-based stations. Packages contain 14 7-inch tapes recorded at 3 3/4 ips in a fro-track monaural format that can be run on simple automation or manual playback systems. At the end of each recorded track, a 25-hertz tone cues tape reversal and automatic switching to the next track, enabling small radio operations with the proper equipment to automate a full broadcast day. RT units are returned to the duplication contractor after airing so the tapes and shipping containers can be recycled. Outlets authorized to receive the RT package will not receive the RU, RL or 40-C shipments.
RADIO MATERIALS (RM)
Occasionally, your station may receive the radio materials (RM) shipment. It may contain entertainment or information programs, holiday specials, special features, spots or production aids. The type and timeliness of the material will determine whether the RM is shipped on CD or tape and which outlets will receive it.
FM TAPE SERVICES
The three packages available under the heading of FM tape services are FM library (FML), FM program (FMP) and FM religious (FMR). These tapes provide alternate programming for authorized outlets with second broadcast frequencies or cable distribution channels. Tapes are recorded in four-track stereo at 3 3/4 ips on 10 1/2-inch reels. Cue tones are prerecorded on the tapes for automation equipment.
FML
The FML unit is a monthly shipment of roughly 24 hours of library music in three formats - beautiful music, adult contemporary and country. It is designed for permanent retention by the station.
FMP
The FMP unit is a quarterly shipment consisting of about 26 hours of hosted stereo programs.
FMR
The FMR unit is a religious music program service that includes 12 55-minute hosted programs in each shipment.
Sunday, July 9, 2017
AFN Nightside - Craig Miller
Nightside was a little bit of everything. Craig Miller was a part of it. Definitely good radio.
Friday, July 7, 2017
Jim Pewter 1980
Jim Pewter is back with a "Beach Party Reunion", songs of summer and surf.
Here comes summer...
Thursday, July 6, 2017
If Freedom Failed - 1953
The Voice Of Information with "If Freedom Failed" 1953 government-produced radio series dramatizing the impact of a Communist take-over of the United Statestoday starring Mary Anderson. Mary had quite a career 31 films including Gone with the Wind (1939), Lifeboat (1944) and The Song of Bernadette (1943). Later she did a bunch of television.
Tuesday, July 4, 2017
Chris Noel 1968
Something fun for the collection is an original wirephoto from the Baltimore Sun of Chris Noel
Joe Ferguson 1983
The Joe Show returns. Joe Ferguson was at KUPL in Portland OR and the show went worldwide. Joe was kind enough to share his copies and these are good...
John Doremus 1969
Been a long time since we had a visit with John Doremus. John was the big voice of soft music after Jim Ameche and before Pete Smith. He recorded a bunch of PSAs for us that we were using many years after. He was the one that brought music to air travel. He hosted a nationwide program of soft muisc on the BIG AM stations in the 60s. Big talent.
Top Pops
The TP (or "Top Pops") were a weekly series of disks with the hits of the week. It ran from 1962-75. After 1975 we received similar disks but as regular library records, making it harder to use. Remember grabbing a handful and rocking up a storm?
Monday, July 3, 2017
Not allowed in your country
Roger Carroll's Best Sounds in Town is up and streaming, out of beta. Yay! Apparently if you're not in the United States you have to use an internet proxy. Same thing I use too listen AFN here. It's worth paying for, but there's a free one. I did a story about this a while back.
Sunday, July 2, 2017
WACR Radio Blackhorse, Vietnam 1970
During Vietnam, several commands had their own command information radio stations, providing a fast way to communicate with the troops and of course an ego stroke for the commander. "Radio Blackhorse" (11th Armored Cav) was in Quon Loi.
Don Browne shared the following:
Due to the "Status of Forces" agreement, the RVN agency that controlled radio broadcasting, ostensibly the QC, had no control over any U.S. agency broadcasting.
This included AFRS and its successor AFVN, any U.S. PIO "independent" radio stations, the VOA, and the CIA "black" stations in RVN.
WACR was considered one of about ten PIO "independent" radio stations. They received hand-me-down broadcast equipment from AFVN, received free "DJ copies" of 45 RPM and 12-Inch LP's, and purchased "jingles" from state-side producers.
WACR purchased jingles from a company that was inferior to Pepper-Tanner.
This was unfortunate.
At the time in question (late sixties), a private person could purchase any Gwinsound jingle for twenty-five dollars. Many jingle collectors in my jingle-collecting community actually did this. The quality of Gwinsound was excellent; it was equal to top-selling CRC but not as good as PAMS. But PAMS was too expensive for "private collectors".
The equipment featured in the photo of WACR was mostly provided by AFVN. This included a McMartin six-fader tube-based audio console, an RCA twin-mounted cartridge player, and an old ATC P-150 cartridge player (mounted on the audio console).
The WACR transmitter used at the time was a ten-watt exciter on 107.9 MHz.
Later a low power AM transmitter on 1550 kHz would be added.
WACR was close enough to the AFVN FM transmitter at #9 Hong Thap Tu and its 100,000 watts to receive a clean off-air feed of News-On-The-Hour (NOH).
The 7 p.m. NOH featured "Larry Rogers", who I worked with at FEN in 1969 prior to his assignment at AFVN. Based on the "Black Panther Courtroom Rally in New Haven, CT" story which occurred on Friday May 1, 1970, the newscast was 7 p.m. Saturday May 2, 1970 (7 a.m. Saturday morning May 2, 1970 New Haven time).
Gary W. Gears was still the production voice featured on AFVN news in 1970, although he had ETS'd a few months earlier.
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