Imagine my surprise when I checked the website voicemail and there was a message from Don Tracy, offering whatever help he could. Don sounds great. Don started with AFRTS in 1973 and it was largely a weekend gig that got more interesting as time went by. It took a while for the fan mail to start and he had received a letter from Germany, asking if he'd like to come over as a morale builder. He went to in Nuremberg, to support AFN. A big memory of that was when the Stars and Stripes reporter was going to make him look bad by asking about the government paid boondoggle. It didn't work. Don had taken vacation and paid for the trip out of pocket.
Places to go
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Thursday, November 30, 2023
Wednesday, November 29, 2023
Chris Noel 1970
Chris Noel has always been a special person from being such an amazing film talent through the Date With Chris years to running veterans shelter in Florida. We have a lot to be thankful for. Here's a plate of memories:
Hear Chris every night at 9pm Pacific, Midnight Eastern on the Hook:
or:The Hook
John Doremus 1967
Mark White AFN Berlin 1980
The late Mark White had his claim to King of Jazz. He brought some wonderful music to Berlin for well over three decades. Chris Muermann was a big fan at the time and recorded several of his broadcasts. Garry made them available. Today it's a tribute to Ella Fitzgerald, coming to Berlin for a concert. Mark, keep swinging...
Tuesday, November 28, 2023
Charlie Williams - Country Corner 1972
Charlie Williams didn't host the show for very long but he brought a big piece of rural America worldwide. Charlie had the show between Joe Allison and Gene Price.
Wolfman Jack 1974
July 1995 we lost the Wolfman and that piece of a great radio heritage. Wolf, you're missed.
Monday, November 27, 2023
Peter Troy 1965
By the 1960s, there wasn't much drama being produced in the United States. AFRTS reached out to British, Australian and South African radio,
In 1963 South Africa's Springbok radio produced "Walk Softly Peter Troy". Well written. We ran it in 1965.
"The Blonde With The Delicate Air". Peter's been framed for murder by a very lovely lady. Tom Meehan, Herrick Merril (producer), John Simpson, Merle Wayne.
Sunday, November 26, 2023
AFTN New Show Preview 1069
There are some great new shows coming up to celebrate 1969 in Thailand on AFTN!
Roger Carroll 1969
Roger Carroll didn't want to be DJ. He was at the pinnacle of success for an announcer. Booth announcer at ABC. They needed DJs. None of the announcers wanted to do it. He was the new guy. Do it. That decision was the start of a new life for RC. Let's remember 1969. Your happy hour awaits...
Andy Mansfield 1964
Andy Mansfield continues his tribute to MAJ Glenn Miller. If you didn't already know, Glenn was at the top of his game with one of the hottest dance bands in the country, and was way to old to go in the military. He did.
Wednesday, November 22, 2023
Roland Bynum 1979
Roland brings the dancing! It's 1979 and in the Creators Workshop there's Stephanie Mills, Donna Summer and Michael Jackson.
Jim Pewter 1980
I miss this music. As the years go by there are less and less opportunities to hear it, particularly from someone that understands it.
Jim was at AFKN in 1966 and shortly after went too the network for a three decade run.
The weekend starts.... it's Friday
Tuesday, November 21, 2023
Chris Noel 1967
In 1963 Chis Noel was a fashion model. In 1966 we had A Date With Chris. Thank you Chris!
Joe Ferguson 1983
In 1983 AFRTS brought in jocks from all over the country to record shows. Today it's to Portland OR for the Joe Show!
Monday, November 20, 2023
Pete Smith 1983
Pete Smith was part of the EZ listening tradition at AFRTS. He followed John Doremus, who followed Jim Ameche. He had quite a career in Los Angeles radio KNX; KDAY, 1956-58; KRKD, 1958-61; KNOB; KPOL; KMPC, 1961-88; KJQI/KOJY, 1993-95; KGIL, 1998. Pete was part of "Music of Your Life."
Roger Carroll was telling me that Pete was fulltime swing at KMPC. What a gig.
Mary Helen Barro 1983
Seemed like every time I was at finance, trying to guess what they did to my check Mary Helen Barro was on. It was great mid-day show. Take a listen.
Charlie Tuna 1974
Our Breakfast Serial continues with this visit with Radio Hall of Famer Charlie Tuna. A lot of people started their duty day with Charlie. He started with us in 1972 and was there until the end of originated network programming in 1996. We lost Charlie in 2016.
Wednesday, November 15, 2023
Sugar Report 1945
This one was sure a story. Sugar Report was apparently never sent out on vinyl. Each disk apparently unique and broadcast on shortwave at the time. Bakedalaska got this one for us, thanks for the donation!. When it came in there was a thick gray film and severe chipping and cracking. Doing anything aggressive to remove the film will cause the chips to come off. So... I gently cleaned it as best I could and did a transfer. It was noisy but mostly complete. With that being done, I tried a much better cleaning.
Acetate disks are actually made of organic cellulose. When stored poorly something called palmyric acid leeches into the grooves. That's important because it looks like a normal dirt. Warm water and soap tends to make it worse. Water with a small concentration of vinegar will dissolve it. Windex is pretty close. Most of it dissolved, Noise reduction removed the majority of the pops but it was still rough. The pops were places where the cellulose was actually cracked.
Wolfman Jack 1975
Time for another visit with the Wolfman. Always a wonderful talent. Has anyone seen the Midnight Special DVDs yet? You know those have to be great.
Tuesday, November 14, 2023
Roger Carroll 1969
Roger Carroll and Hal Oiler at AFRTS
Roger has another hour of the best sounds in town. It's a Friday in 1969 with the best sounds in town. and Frank Sinatra tell his story from "A Man and His Music". It's a really great hour.
"Thom part one Sinatra "A Man and His Music" that I introduced to the world is OUTSTANDING My beautiful Beverly who I miss we had 60 wonderful years together and five great loving children" - Roger Carroll
Sunday, November 12, 2023
Andy Mansfield 1964
In 1964 Andy Mansfield did a tribute to Glenn Miller, a multi-part feature with much care, craftsmanship and memories. Here's Part six of "America's Popular Music"
Friday, November 10, 2023
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.
Jim Pewter 1980
Jim Pewter brings the memories in this 1980 broadcast. We went to different high schools together.
Don't bunch up!
Golden Days of Radio 1980
Frank Bresee recorded the last network show under the old system. GDOR was a celebration of all things radio in the 1930s, 40s and 50s. Frank started the show with AFRTS in 1967 and was the last to be recorded for the 1996 changeover.
Thursday, November 9, 2023
John Doremus 1967
Music for the dinner hour from John Doremus. After the run of the show John did many spots and short form shows that ran for years.
Wednesday, November 8, 2023
Paul Bottoms AFVN 1969
Paul was a helper here, stories and memories. Great broadcaster.
From 1969, Here's Paul and the Orient Express.
Tuesday, November 7, 2023
Mary Helen Barro 1983
Yesterday it was finally humid in Minnesota, rapidly moving rain. Tropical memories of Panama indeed. Let's have the music with Mary Helen Barro.
Saturday, November 4, 2023
Your audience awaits!
Many of us saved a tape or acetate or two. There are a lot of people that would like to hear them again. The airchecks from AFN/AFKN/SCN etc usually turn out as popular as the LA talent. If you've saved a tape or two, jammed in the back of a drawer somewhere, I'd really like to hear it and I'm sure others would too. So much of our collective history has been lost in the name of housekeeping.
"We went to different high schools together" - Jim Pewter
Please contact me if you've saved anything.
Thom
afrts@live.com
Wednesday, November 1, 2023
Charlie Tuna 1985
Charlie Tuna with Bobbie Ocean
Easy to see why Charlie was on top for so very long. Most of the shows could be scheduled pretty much any time day or night. Charlie was in the morning and woke up the world. Stay tuned for Mister Hollywood! Nothing sounds quite that easy without a lot of work..
Johnny Bond 1961
Johnny Bond was a movie star, recording artist and radio star. He was with us for many years.