Richard Clemmons AFPN
"Hitmakers" was completed at the Far East Network Philippines in 1975 and required 20 hours to air. We realized that “19 Years of Hit Music” had outdated itself as soon as it aired, but the response to the show was an overwhelming approval. I began immediately writing “The Hitmakers” to replace it. The first task was writing intros and closes and coming up with the "sound" that would be the program. The opening explosion is from an AFRTS sound effects recording of an atomic bomb. The deep voice saying “The Hitmakers” is mine, slowed down by wrapping the tape deck capstan with scotch tape until the desired effect was reached. Next, obviously, are the Rolling Stones “It’s Only Rock & Roll.” The open ; close announcer is Vic Pinzon followed by Bill Haley ; The Comets “Rock Around The Clock,” kept from “19 Years” as a recognizable tie to the previous show. The voice of the song intros and outros is mine. The theme music for “World Headline News ; Sports” is “Baroque Hoedown” from the LP “Kaleidoscopic Vibrations” by Perrey Kingsley. The Announcer introducing the news and sports is Steve Bagget (Marine Sergeant), somehow left out of the closing credits, I really don’t know why. The news inserts were written by Sandy Dellar, Air Force dependent wife, voiced by Jim Estep. Sports inserts were written by Rich Yanku and voiced by Charlie Kemplin. Gene Pickett was still the radio supervisor. The closing theme is “Storefront Lawyers” by the Ventures. Originally broadcast on AFPN (FEN Philippines) January 1, 1975 it is revived now for AFRTS Archive. Thank you Thom Whetston. Your dedication to keeping alive the incredible efforts of AFRTS alumni worldwide is deeply appreciated. I hope everyone enjoys hearing “The Hitmakers” now as much as I, in retrospect, and everyone involved in the production, enjoyed creating it.
Richard Clemons
AFPN Subic Bay 1970-1972
AFPN San Miguel 1972-1973
AFPN (FEN) Clark 1974-1977
Jerry Lewine was vacationing in the Philippines in 2011 and went looking for Clark AFB
Hi Thom,
It took a lot of scouring around what used to be Clark Air Base to find where AFPN was. Unfortunately there is nothing left at all. According to what I was able to find out, all the buildings were destroyed by the eruption on Mt Pinatubo and when the ash was cleared, so were the remains of the AM/FM/TV station. There is even a building on top of where the tower used to be. Attached is a shot I took the other day of what is on the site now. So much for my trip down memory lane…Jerry
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