Wolfman Jack - Halloween 1975

 

Happy Halloween Ellery Queen!

Wolfman Jack Halloween

The Other Air War 1967

 Sometimes I find the unexpected.  In the 60s, we received news panel shows on vinyl ETs.

In a bunch of them was this.  Jerry Golden and a team from WLS in Chicago produced a documentary about the air war in Vietnam.  Take listen to what can be done on recording tape...

The Other Air War 1967

Roger Carroll 1970

 

It was a long story but several years ago Roger wanted an internet station and I was thrilled to help.  He was in his 80s and still sharp as a whip.  I learned a lot and am grateful.

This is the show before Roger went to AFN to record some shows in 1970. from his original ET.  The Happy Hour continues!

Roger Carroll 1970

Update

  So, for about 15 years we've been using a company called 4share for file hosting. The paid service worked just fine.

Early this year I tried to renew. After six months. finally, a response.  Can only renew using Bitcoin.  This is getting way too flaky.

So the hosting went to their free service. With the extra landing pages. 

I'd start all over with a different provider, but no one offers....

A reasonable amount of storage.

Uploads that don't expire, the most common companies delete after 90 days or so.

Direct url downloads, I don't want to use a landing page.

Ive received reports that trying to download from the landing page doesn't play well with Windows.

Playback button appears to work.

I'd advise against downloading.

Any ideas for a new storage provider?

Jim Pewter and civilians

 

Our friend Chris was growing up in Frankfurt in the 70s and taped a lot of AFN. No way to put a date with any certainty on this, but here's a bunch of Jim Pewter.

You might well choose to re-phrase slightly, emphasizing that I was a German kid, and that - as a lot of German kids then - listened to AFN as a daily routine, which helped in improving our English significantly (I have had with some of my teachers a running battle when using american slang, instead of proper (university-style) English as they had been taught); pretty sure US-service people were unaware of Germans being part of their general audience!

Quite a few forums exist in which Germans emphasize the significant contribution AFN had on them and their lives, it is mentioned there that per year about 100.000 letters were pouring in to AFN in Germany, of which the bigger part was probably AFN Frankfurt (the APO number was I believe APO 057), and I remember getting one of my postcards actually being put "on the air" (you got that clip on the DVD as well, when Jim Powers - the Bostonian -  presents "Baby Child" by Robin Luke "going out to Christoph in Offenbach, who hit it right on the head when he said that the most important bridge is "The bridge over troubled water".

Another German ex-AFN-listener - and I believe he has got a definite point on that  - actually attributes the German radio-system targeted at young people as it still is today to the very existence of AFN and Germans listening to it!

The German public radio stations ran along the lines of the federal states, and were very much targeted to the mature establishment with German Schlager and orchestras. As young Germans were listening to AFN (and BFBS) with their stylish, amusing way of presenting modern (i.e. non-German) music, those national chains had to develop similar offerings in order not to loose their grasp on future audience. These turned out to be the "third program series" such as HR3 in Frankfurt, WDR3 in Dusseldorf, SWR3 in Stuttgart, etc. that today are actually the lynch-pins of their programs!

I remember as of early 1970s, these made big inroads into the German listeners-base of AFN, with SWR3 being the first specifically youth-oriented radio coming "on the air" with music and presenting techniques very much reminiscent to "my" AFN.

Still, I remained faithful to AFN as You see from the tapes.

regards
Christoph

Jim Pewter

More Jim Pewter

Hospital Radio

 If you've been following the story, many troops were first exposed to military "radio" via closed circuit stations in US hospitals. 

I was looking for this to attach to that story. After the war, the stars toured the VA hospitals. This program would have been heard on the "Bedpan Network".
Here's a 1954 magazine story about The Bedside Radio Network

 From 1955, Rand's OTR is featuring a Hospital Radio show Hospital Radio Christmas Show 1955

Kris Erik Stevens 1980

 

Kris Erik was with the network for a long time and always did a great show. 

He's still involved in a lot of great things.  Visit Kris at http://www.kriserikstevens.com/

AFRTS Kris Erik Stevens 1980

More Kris Erik Stevens

Wolfman Jack 1976

 

An amazing amount of wizdom in 3 minutes.  We had it every day.

More Wolfman Jack

Joe Allison 1965

 

Joe Allison has your country favorites.  

More Joe Allison

Turn Back The Clock 1958

 

Turn Back the Clock was a regional show that ended up on NBC (regional?) in 1955.  They came over to AFRTS and shared songs from their personal collection.  They've got some good ones today.

Turn Back the Clock 1958

More Andy Mansfield

Tom Campbell 1978

 

After serving in the United States Air Force, Campbell was hired for his first radio job, at KEEL in Shreveport, La., by Al Hart, who would later become a newscaster and radio personality in San Francisco.

Campbell subsequently worked in Minneapolis, Minnesota at WDGY and at WONE in Dayton, Ohio  before his move to KYA 1260 AM San Francisco in 1967. He was known to loan his personal phonograph, record collection and even his car to individual listeners under the caveat that they simply return them, which they apparently did.

 His home and car phone (yes, he had one of the rare car phones in 1967) numbers were publicly listed in the white and yellow pages of most Bay Area phone books, and he would receive calls from listeners at home.

Tom Campbell did two shows for us.  "Tom Campbell Stateside" and a more album oriented "Playback".  Tom went out to the garage and shared a couple boxes of these. I'm very grateful. It's time for Playback..

Tom Campbell Playback 1978

More Tom Campbell

Chris Noel 1969

 

Vetsville Cease Fire House

291 NE 19th Avenue

Boynton Beach, FL 33435

Phone: (561) 736-4325

FAX: (561) 736-4325

http://www.ceasefirehouse.org/

http://www.blogger.com/www.chrisnoel.com

We are running out of money to run our operation. It’s very hard to keep a charity going in the current economy, with most people struggling from paycheck to paycheck. Now, Cease Fire House is in danger of closing its doors forever. I need your help!

I’m Chris Noel. In Hollywood, I did films with Elvis and Steve McQueen. In Vietnam, I performed live, and my radio show was broadcast to our troops, both in Vietnam and worldwide.

Then, in 1993, I founded Vetsville Cease Fire House, a non-profit charity based in Florida that is dedicated to providing food, shelter and care for indigent military veterans.

Vets make great employees. They’re dependable team players who work with pride, but finding full-time employment is often extremely difficult. And that's where Vetsville Cease Fire House comes in. Among the great organizations sponsoring us are the Nam Knights MC, a group of police officers and Vietnam veterans.

We’re also sponsored by groups like Rolling Thunder, Paul Revere and the Raiders, “Good Morning Vietnam’s” Adrian Cronauer, and various community organizations. We also hold popular yearly fund-raisers such as Veterans Day celebrations and Rock ‘n’ Roll Sunday!

Our mission is to provide homeless American military veterans --regardless of race, creed, color, sex or age -- with food, shelter, and a secure environment as we aid them in returning to society. That’s our goal -- and Vetsville Cease Fire House is making it happen ... with the help of your generous contribution!

Thank You For Your Time!
Chris Noel

Date With Chris 1969

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Herman Griffith - mystery solved

 Herman was a mystery to me, not a lot of information.  Diana Kelly was researching him and shared results.

Herman Griffith Bio – Short Version

Researched and Written by Diana K. Kelly, Ph.D.

August 29, 2022

 

 

Herman Griffith was one of the early radio announcers in black formatted Soul radio stations of the 1950’s and 1960’s.  He was a well-liked and well-respected disc jockey on KGFJ in Los Angeles from 1958 to 1967 and brought Soul music to the American Forces Radio and Television Service from 1966 to 1973. 

 

Herman Dennis Griffith was born on January 1, 1928 in Birmingham, Alabama, the first child of Herman Council Griffith and Margurite Branham Griffith.  His parents divorced and remarried, and Herman lived with his mother and step-father, William Callery, in Flemingsburg, Kentucky where his parents both taught at the segregated school for black students.  Herman attended school there until high school, but because the segregated high school had closed in Flemingsburg, Herman had to travel 17 miles to the segregated black John G Fee School in Maysville, Kentucky.  He attended his first two years of high school here until the family moved to Cincinnati, Ohio, where Herman attended the integrated Hughes High School in his junior and senior years.  He graduated from Hughes High School in 1945. 

 

After high school, Herman attended college, studying radio and drama at Central State College, a historically black institution in Wilberforce, Ohio.  In the summers, Herman came home to Cincinnati and worked the late night shift at the Cincinnati bus terminal as a “red cap.”   Herman graduated from Central State College with a bachelor’s degree in June 1949.

 

After finishing college, Herman served in the Navy between June 1949 and November 1951.  He had a dream of becoming a teacher, like his parents, but he wanted to teach radio broadcasting.  So after finishing his Navy service, Herman tried to enroll in the 2-year graduate-level Radio program at the Cincinnati Conservatory of Music. He needed a graduate degree to be a teacher.  Herman applied several times but was turned away because the college did not allow black students. 

 

So he did the next best thing to continue his education – he had private educational tutorials with one of the professors in the radio program at the Cincinnati Music Conservatory.  He also did free-lance work on Cincinnati radio stations and continued working for the Cincinnati Bus Terminal, announcing arrivals and departures from 11 p.m. to 8 a.m.

 

Herman’s long battle to be admitted to the Cincinnati Music Conservatory was well-documented in the Cincinnati newspapers, the New York Times, and other newspapers. Protests were held at the Cincinnati Conservatory of Music in favor of changing the admissions policy to include black students, and many hearings were held.  A signature drive was also done by students to urge the college to change its discriminatory practices.  There were strong feelings that any student should be admitted based solely on merit and should not be excluded because of race.  As a result, the institution made a change to the admission policy to allow black students to attend. Finally in September of 1951 Herman Griffith was the first black student ever to be admitted to the Cincinnati Conservatory of Music in its 85-year history.  Herman studied in the radio department and while in college appeared in dramatic programs on WLW radio and WKRC-TV in Cincinnati. 

 

Herman got his first full-time on-air radio job at a brand new black-oriented radio station, WXOK 1260 AM, in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, which went on the air on February 16, 1953.  He was part of a strong radio personality line-up, and his air name was “Golden Boy Griffith.”  Herman also worked at the sister station, WBOK in New Orleans before returning to Cincinnati to do newscasts on WCIN later in 1953.  In early 1955, Herman went to work on WWOK, Charlotte, North Carolina, before returning to Cincinnati in July of 1955, where he was on the air doing his own Gospel and R&B radio programs at WCIN in 1955 and 1956. WCIN was also one of the early radio stations programmed specifically for the Black audience.  WCIN went on the air on October 26, 1953 playing Jazz, Rhythm & Blues and Gospel music and providing news and community events for the large black population in Cincinnati.

 

In October 1956, Herman joined the staff of another new radio station -- WCHB in Detroit.  The station started broadcasting on November 1, 1956 and was the first black-owned radio station. WCHB was also committed to specifically serving the local black population in Detroit.  When starting this new station, the program director recruited experienced disc jockeys from other large-market black-formatted radio stations, including Herman Griffith. The 1957 Broadcasting Yearbook listed Herman Griffith as the News Director for WCHB.  Herman’s time at WCHB was less than a year due to illness.   By November of 1957, Herman was back on the air at WLEX in Lexington, Kentucky as “Papa Rock.” 

 

Herman moved on to Los Angeles to work for KGFJ which was starting a new full-time format for the local black audience. The new format started in September 1958 as the first 24-hour format for the black community.  The air staff at KGFJ was racially integrated, which was very unusual at that time. 

 

In September 1958, Herman did the evening shift from 6pm to midnight Mon – Sat, which included three programs – “KGFJ Showcase” (big band jazz),  “Roadside Chapel” (gospel music),  and “Record Caravan” (Soul and R&B Hits) from 9pm to midnight.  On Friday evenings Herman did a program for the military called “Air Force Record Flight,” and on Monday evenings he had a program called “Air Force Tiger in the Sky.” Herman’s air shift changed in late November of 1959 when Hunter Hancock, joined KGFJ.  Hunter took over the 6-9 p.m. air shift, and Herman continued doing the “Record Caravan” program from 9 p.m. to midnight, Monday – Saturday.

In 1960 Herman Griffith wrote the lyrics to a song composed by Hal Davis, called “Can I?”  It was recorded by local LA jazz singer Jennell Hawkins and was released as a single on “Dynamic Records.”  Although it received a favorable review in Cash Box Magazine, it didn’t sell many records.  A year later Jennell released another song, this time on “Amazon Records.” This song was “Moments to Remember” which was a big hit, particularly on R&B radio stations.  The flip side of this single was “Can I?”  Although the original recording didn’t get as much attention as it deserved, the song was later recorded by five more artists:  Brenda Holloway (1964), Eddie Kendricks (1971), Vee Allen (1972), Nancy Wilson (1973) and David Peaston (1989).  This song was also used in a 1997 stage musical “Street Corner Symphony” produced in Florida.

 

In 1962 Herman was the host of the Thursday Talent Night at “Club Nite Life” – 3801 S. Western Ave in LA. [NOTE – in 2022 this building is an Auto Body shop.]  These Thursday night programs were very popular – standing room only.  Herman used these Talent events to discover new music and entertainment talent and he also brought in big-name stars, including Etta James.  Later another KGFJ DJ, Rudy Harvey, joined Herman on Thursday nights. In September of 1962, Herman was honored with a party at “Club Nite Life” to recognize his efforts to find new music talent.  The party was hosted by columnist Gertrude Gipson who was also the owner of Club Nite Life.

 

In April of 1964 there was a "Payola" scandal in Los Angeles radio, and 25 high-profile Los Angeles radio announcers and others were accused of accepting pay from the record companies for playing certain records.  The radio people accused of this included some very highly regarded DJs, including Casey Kasem -- and Herman Griffith.  The court hearings went on for two years until 1966. The Los Angeles Times covered the FCC probe at the U.S. courthouse in Los Angeles.  After the hearings were completed, the FCC determined in 1967 that there was insufficient evidence to prove the accusations of payola.

 

By September of 1964, KGFJ had new owners and new management. Tracy Broadcasting Company purchased the station from Ben McGlashen.  A week later a slight format change was announced in Billboard Magazine, saying that Blues and Jazz and “Dee Jay Picks” were gone, and the station would be emphasizing Rhythm & Blues and would have a more consistent sound. Arnie Schorr was the new General Manager and Cal Milner was called the “Merchandising-Production Manager,”  but he later became the Program Director.  Both came from KHJ, home of the “Boss Radio.” The KGFJ news vans were taken off the streets and there was less emphasis on local news coverage.  However, the news vans were back in action during the 1965 summer Watts riots, and were the only news vehicles allowed to be in the streets of the riot areas. In the summer of 1965, Herman Griffith’s show was moved to afternoons, noon – 5:00 p.m. Meanwhile, Herman continued to do his Thursday night program at “Club Nite Life,” teaming up with Rosie Greer for these shows.

At the age of 38, in July 1966 Herman made a slight career shift.  While still working at KGFJ he had started recording Soul programs for AFRTS, the American Forces Radio and Television Service (later known as AFN).  AFRTS brought him in specifically to provide the first Soul and R&B programs for the overseas military.   By August of 1966, Herman announced that he had left KGFJ to work for AFRTS.  He produced his programs in the AFRTS Los Angeles studios from 1966 until 1973.  The studios were located at 1016 N. McCadden Place, Los Angeles, 90038, in a large, secure building that looks like a grey box.  Although the building is still there, it is no longer used by AFRTS.  Other big-name Los Angeles radio personalities also recorded radio programs for AFRTS in these LA studios to be aired around the world for U.S. military personnel stationed overseas. 

 

By March of 1967 Herman came back to KGFJ to work on the overnight shift, doing programs at the well-known “Dolphins of Hollywood” record store.  He did this overnight program through November 1967.

 

In May and June of 1971, the LA Sentinel published articles about a minority recruitment program for XERB (later XPRS) which stated that XERB hired Larry Diggs, Larry McCormick, and Herman Griffith for their air staff.  However, it isn’t clear whether Herman was ever on the air at XERB because his name never appeared in future articles about XERB’s new format.

 

In May of 1973, at age 45, Herman Griffith had an illness or injury that was so severe he was no longer able to work. His last AFRTS programs were aired in May of 1973. After that Roland Bynum’s show took over the time slot previously used by Herman Griffith.  Not much is known about his life from this point until his death. At the age of 63, Herman Griffith had a heart attack and died in Los Angeles on April 4, 1991.  Herman Griffith was married three times.  His first wife died, and his other two marriages ended in divorce.  He had no children.

 

Throughout Herman Griffith’s life, he faced numerous challenges, but he always persevered and overcame the challenges. Herman was an outstanding radio personality who broke ground for future black radio broadcasters.  His friendly and energetic approach on the air made him popular among his Los Angeles audience and among overseas audiences who heard him on AFRTS.  Herman Griffith made important contributions to the early radio stations focused on serving the black community.

 

 

Herman Griffith – Chronological List of Radio Stations

1952 – WLW, Cincinnati – radio acting while in college at Cincinnati Music Conservatory

Feb 16, 1953 – WXOK, Baton Rouge – and later in 1953, WBOK, New Orleans

Late 1953 - 1954 – WCIN, Cincinnati – news

1955-1-5 – WWOK, Charlotte, N. C.

1955-7-30 – WCIN, Cincinnati

1956-10-17 – WCHB, Detroit – news director in 1957 Broadcasting Yearbook

Nov 1957 – WLEX, Lexington, Kentucky -- as “Papa Rock”

1958-9-1 – July 1966 – KGFJ, Los Angeles

July 1966 – May 1973 – AFRTS -- recording programs in Los Angeles for distribution to troops overseas. 

March – Nov 1967 – KGFJ, Los Angeles – overnights on the broadcast from “Dolphins of Hollywood.”

Jun 1971 – Herman was hired at XERB by Golden West Broadcasters. (No references to him at XERB after that, so he may not have actually done any shows for them.)

Charlie Tuna 1983

 

Charlie in the movie "Rollercoaster"

Radio Hall of Fame member Charlie Tuna was great. A quarter century with AFRTS. 40 years on the air in Los Angeles. We lost a great talent. When I was overseas Charlie was one of the key voices of Armed Forces radio. See why...

Charlie Tuna - 1983

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Sports Interviews - 1943

 

Joe Hassle is back with Sports Interviews talking with early 1900s baseball legend Honus Wagner.

Sports Interviews - 1943

More sports

Herman Griffith 1965

 

"Hello Gang!  Here's Herman Griffith with exitement in sound and music in motion!! The rock AND the roll for the young and the old, the brave and the bold on the Record Caravan!!!! "

Don Browne shares some memories:

"When I first heard "The Herman Griffith Show" on AFRTS (at FEN in 1969), I was appalled.

He was "stepping on" the starting vocal (later called "the post") of every song, "talking over" the entire lyric of many songs, and worst of all, mispronouncing AFRTS. Griffith called it "Aye-Eff-Argh-ugh-Tee-Ess!

He was definitely relegated to the "vampire squad" (1 a.m. to 5 a.m.) on FEN!

It was two years later that I discovered what caused "the Herman Griffith syndrome".

I visited AFRTS-LA and took a closer look at their so-called "broadcast studios".

They had been designed as "recording studios" by a contractor who was told that "they were making records" at AFRTS-LA.

A true enough statement. But not making records like for orchestras and singers, with separate channels each with EQ, separate tape-recorder playback of selectable sources designed for multi-track, and combination of audio sources "down-stream" for multi-track. They initially didn't have "mute" when a microphone was "live" because "recording studios" didn't "mute" mikes.

A typical "recording studio", not for broadcasting purposes.

The multi-channel audio control consoles were manufactured by "Unidyne" for four studios at 1016 North McCadden Place in 1965.

When Herman Griffith recorded his show, he heard the music on playback from the tape recorder, two-seconds after the "live" recorder input. Playback was for confidence-only, to ensure that a recording was being made. Herman's voice was combined "down-stream", so Herman in natural radio procedure "cupped-his-ear" to hear his "live" voice.

Therefore, in real time, Herman stepped on every starting vocal.

The radio producers weren't experienced in the R&B format and thought this was normal.

The "Unidynes" were eventually replaced with "broadcast" consoles."

 This would have been the place to rock.  Roland Bynum said that Herman introduced him to the AFRTS gig.

Herman Griffith #129 1965

More Herman Griffith

Jim Pewter 1968

 

Dean Torrence, Jim Pewter, Jan Berry and Roger Christian
Photo copyright Playground Productions. thank you Jim!

Straight ahead, don't bunch up!

Jim Pewter 1968

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Melody Roundup 1943

 

George Hayes?  I felt pretty silly when I found out.  More good radio'

Melody Roundup 1943

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AFN 50th anniversary 1993

Memories of AFN

Harry Newman 1985

 

Harry's daughter shared the following:

My dad was a HUGE fan & supporter of those in the military & was thrilled that one of my daughters was born on Nov 10...just a few hours away from Veterans Day. He ALWAYS reminded me when Veteran's Day was coming, bc he just had so much reverence & respect for those who served. And if I happened to be visiting in November, we always ate out on the 11th!

And Harry was the voice of "Cops".  On today's show, it's a summer day in 1985 and Ed Bruce stops by.

Harry Newman - 1985

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Turn Back The Clock

 

Andy and Virginia Mansfield brought their brand of oldies to NBC and shortly around that time to AFRTS.

Turn Back the Clock 1958

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AFN Pam Windsor 1984

 

This came in on one of Chris's great tapes that he'd been saving for years.  When I asked Pam:

I left AFN in 1986, came back to the states, got a radio job in Roanoke, Virginia, then moved into TV and worked my way up to becoming News Director at the ABC Affiliate in Lynchburg, VA. Afterwards, I took a job at CNN International but my kids weren't happy in Atlanta so I ended up moving to Louisville, Kentucky to take an Executive Producer job at the NBC Affiliate. I'm currently not working in TV and am instead doing Public Relations but now that my youngest is in college, I'm thinking of trying to get back into something more fun. I'm still trying to figure out on exactly what that might be. :)

AFN Newswatch June 1984

More from AFN

Tom Campbell 1971

 

Tom Campbell had an amazing focus.  He just sounds excited and like every last word is important. And it's not an act, he's excited about life,   He really could make reading the phone-book pop.  

Tom Campbell 1971

Here's more Tom Campbell

AFN and AFRTS jingles

 

 

Some days the jingles rock.  This is from several jingle packages. Some are voiced AFN, some voiced AFRTS.  Ed Tooma is on the voice drops.

 

Punch up a jingle

AFN and AFRTS jingles

Herman Griffith 1966

 

Herman with Jim Pewter and Roger Carroll

It's easy to see Herman Griffith as the voice of a community in 1966. There's a lot to his presentation that others refined and copied. Herman talks about Savings Bonds, with an interest rate very similar to today... Let's take a listen.

Herman Griffith 1966
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Chris Noel 1968

 

During Vietnam, actress Chris Noel did the “Date With Chris” show, one of the most popular programs in the history of the network. There are some examples in the blog. Since the war she’s run a shelter for veterans, still fighting the good fight. Take 10 seconds and help a great person.  Now she needs your help.  Please do what you can. Vetsville

Date With Chris - 1968

s

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AFRS Iceland - JIm Rourke 1971

Jim Roark checked in with his memories of AFRTS in Iceland:

Karl Phillips directed me to this site: he worked the Nite Owl show on nights when I was off. I was full time at the radio station from sometime in 71 to sometime in 73. Prior to that I volunteered as Karl did, canning an oldies show called Shake, Rattle and Roark from 70 to 73. Other DJ's from that time were Tom Weicks (mgr), Mark Lazar (Morning Man), Tom Hughes (drive time), Bob Howard (replaced Tom) and Karl. We were given credit by someone for introducing rock music to the Icelanders.

I i left Iceland in 1973 and got out of the navy in October. In November I started the radio/electronics course at Elkins Institute in Atlanta, took the FCC exams in February and got my 1st and 2d Class licenses. As for any further broadcasting, my father, who put DJ's just slightly ahead of used car salesmen, sent me to law school (which occupation, it could be argued, was beneath both of the above).

I practiced law for 12 years then became a judge. I got my old band back together in 2008 and played for two years. I'm now remastering some songs I wrote in Iceland, one of which has been selected to appear on an album.

AFRS Reykjavik -  Jim Rourke 1971

Kris Erik Stevens 1980

 

Kris Erik Stevens sent in a nice promo picture for the collection (pictured). Kris had been a legend in Chicago radio before Los Angeles. Thanks! 

Erik Stevens 1980
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Love with Tony Pigg 1971

 

In 1971 no one was even sure what AOR was but Tony Pigg was doing it in New York at WPLJ. AFRTS was rockin..




"Love" with Tony Pigg

Love With Tony Pigg - 1971 More Tony Pigg

Bob KIngsley 1975

 

For someone who went on to host American Country Countdown, Bob Kingsley could sure rock up a storm.  Bob was an Air Force AFRS Iceland vet.  Take a listen:

Bob Kingsley 566 part 2

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Tom Campbell 1971

 

Tom Campbell is back with what's happening stateside.  Today we see what's going on in Honolulu from KPOI.

Tom has sent over a bunch of shows that he did and his best wishes.  Enjoy!

Tom Campbell - 1971

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Charlie Tuna 1973

 

Charlie and Michael Jackson

I used to do the morning show in Panama then run the Charlie Tuna show...and listen.  Charlie had an awful lot of what we wanted to grow up to be" Years later I was working at a station in Manchester and the PD was asked me how I could do content that wasn't cliché "topical" or "music related" but was 'one on one'.  It was something I think we learned from all of the AFRTS guys, but Charlie in particular.

Thanks for the memories!

Charlie Tuna - 1973

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RIP Gene Price

 

Some sad news:

 Gene Price passed away last night. He'd been ill for the last couple years with various ailments. 

I'm forwarding the email I received tonight from Gene's wife Janet.

Regards,

Marc Yablonka

From: Janet Price 
Date: Thu, Jun 2, 2022 at 11:20 PM
Subject: Yesterday

Dear Marc, Rudy and Cathy,
Sad to tell you that Gene passed at 8:24 last night. He had been holding his own for quite awhile, but began declining quickly at 4:30 p.m.
We were married for 52 years, tho wanted more. But God wanted him Home, so grateful for every memory.
You were special friends and I do appreciate all you have meant to us both.

From happier times, a few years ago I got Gene on the phone.  He was a very special person

A Chat With Gene Price

More from Gene Price

Johnny Bond 1961

 

Johnny Bond did a lot of songs, movies and had a long term radio gig with AFRTS.  Archive.org has much of his music click here  He brought the back home music

Johnny Bond - 1961

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Jim Pewter 1979

 

Album Jim did for the USO

Jim lives the oldies.  From his time with his band to AFKN, Los Angeles radio and then the worldwide network it's just really hard to describe.  Fire up the grill, grab a beer and remember.

Jim Pewter - 1979

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Lyndon Johnson - Memorial Day 1963

 

Vice president Lyndon Johnson on Memorial Day 1963 as broadcast by AFRTS 

Lyndon Johmson - Memorial Day 1963

Memorial Day Memories

.

Harry Newman 1991

 

There's two more weeks to go on the first Gulf War and time for the Harry Newman show.  Harry had a big career in country radio in Los Angeles KBLA, 1965-66; KBBQ, 1967-68; KLAC, 1970-84. Harry retired in 1995 and was living the good life in central California.

Harry Newman - 1991

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JIngles from the 70s

 

This is from one of the TM packages.  Stereo and  nice.

 

AFRTS jingles

More Jingles

Mary Turner 1994

Mary Turner was rocking.  In 1994 it had already been a ten year run.  Take a listen..

Mary Turner 1994

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Silly spots

 

>

So somehow almost 50 years later, I'm still making silly spots.  Here's how they did it at AFN:

Finding sweet spot between informative and zany at AFN

Harry Newman 1994

 

In the early 1990s Matt was in England enjoying the sounds of AFN from hundreds of miles away:

I recorded these in east Anglia (approximately 800 miles away from the transmitter at Weisskirchen) using my trusty old boom box. Sometimes, at night, when the weather was right, you could get a pretty good signal. The recordings were all somewhere between 1991 and 1996. Sorry I’m not sure of exact dates.  Because I was limited to 30 or 45 min audio cassettes, I didn’t tend to record whole shows, instead recording a section where I was interested, I also seem to have  a habit of sometimes stopping the recording if the DJ was playing a song I could get in the UK.

He recorded a lot of things I didn't have.  Thanks for sharing!!!

Harry Newman - 1994

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Chris Noel 1969

 

Vetsville Cease Fire House

291 NE 19th Avenue

Boynton Beach, FL 33435

Phone: (561) 736-4325

I’m Chris Noel. In Hollywood, I did films with Elvis and Steve McQueen. In Vietnam, I performed live, and my radio show was broadcast to our troops, both in Vietnam and worldwide.

Then, in 1993, I founded Vetsville Cease Fire House, a non-profit charity based in Florida that is dedicated to providing food, shelter and care for indigent military veterans.

Vets make great employees. They’re dependable team players who work with pride, but finding full-time employment is often extremely difficult. And that's where Vetsville Cease Fire House comes in. Among the great organizations sponsoring us are the Nam Knights MC, a group of police officers and Vietnam veterans.

We’re also sponsored by groups like Rolling Thunder, Paul Revere and the Raiders, “Good Morning Vietnam’s” Adrian Cronauer, and various community organizations. We also hold popular yearly fund-raisers such as Veterans Day celebrations and Rock ‘n’ Roll Sunday!

Our mission is to provide homeless American military veterans --regardless of race, creed, color, sex or age -- with food, shelter, and a secure environment as we aid them in returning to society. That’s our goal -- and Vetsville Cease Fire House is making it happen ... with the help of your generous contribution!

Thank You For Your Time!
Chris Noel

Date With Chris 1969

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Jim Pewter

 

Jim Pewter and Mamie Van Doren

Jim Pewter just sent up a bunch of 1995 shows.  Didn't we go to different high schools together?  Thank you Jim.  Thank you Timmy (Radio's best friend)

Jim Pewter 1995

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Quick Look at DINFOS

 DINFOS 1972 

Over the years a lot of military broadcasters took their civilian skills to AFRTS, sometimes with formal training, sometimes without.


The Army began their Army Information School in 1946 at Carlisle Barracks PA. In the following years the school did varying degrees of joint service training until 1951. That was the year that The Armed Forces Information School opened at Ft Slocum NY. The Navy operated their own school at Great Lakes.

1964 brought us the Defense Information School at Ft Slocum, moving to Ft Benjamin Harrison in 1965

In 1992 DINFOS was merged with the Defense Photography School (DPHSCH), and the Defense Visual Information School (DVISCH) at Ft Meade MD.

Every year DINFOS graduates another 4,000 Public Affairs professionals.

DINFOS is where a lot of memories began.

DINFOS Today

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