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Charlie Tuna had been doing the show on AFRTS for ten years already and it was only the beginning...
Thursday, March 6, 2025
Wednesday, March 5, 2025
Roger Carroll 1973
Roger's back with the Happy Hour. Phil recorded this off of AFN in the summer of 1973, so it starts with some Watergate news and memories.
Mary Turner 1984
A whike back, Mary checked in:
"I often think about my 18 years at Fort McCadden with great fondness. Loved that Roach Coach-I remember always getting teased for actually paying for a bottle of water. I was ahead of my time!"
And she certainly was.
Sunday, March 2, 2025
Harry Von Zell 1944
Harry Von Zell was one of giants of radio announcing. In the 1920s he was the announcer for Paul Whiteman. By 1930 a CBS staff announcer. Harry Von Zell biography in Wikipedia
Today Harry jives up a storm in Sound Off!
Turn Back the Clock 1961
So what exactly were oldies in the mid 50s? Here's a good place to start. Andy and Virginia Mansfield got their show on the air on the west coast, on NBC and then on AFRTS.
Friday, February 28, 2025
Tom Campbell 1973
Welcome back Tom Campbell, after Tom Campbell dominated San Francisco Radio he came to Los Angeles, jocked, found a bunch of voiceover work and was doing his show for AFRTS..
Hear Tom Campbell every day 11am Pacific 2pm Eastern on www.mybestsounds.com
Tom Campbell - 1973
Tuesday, February 25, 2025
AFN Iraq - They got Bin Laden 2011
This is great, AFN Iraq the morning after Bin Laden was killed. Bet the PAO shop was there.
Here's Adam Prickle
Jim Pewter 1967
AFKN vet Jim Pewter checks in periodically and it's always great. We went to different schools together! Jim had a lot to do with some of the greatest music.Jim Pewter - 1967
Don Tracy 1980
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.
Monday, February 24, 2025
Chris Noel 1968
Chris Noel brought America to troops worldwide with a A Date With Chris. She's dedicated her life to the troops. I'm grateful. Now Chris has a shelter for homeless veterans Click here. She saved most of her shows and is sharing them with us.
Hear Chris's show every day, 9pm Pacific, 12 Eastern on www.mybestsounds.com
Joe Ferguson 1983
Joe Ferguson is back. Joe was one of the US jocks that AFRTS contracted to really be the Voice of Home. Joe sent the shows along to share and I for one am very grateful.
Sunday, February 23, 2025
Jim Ameche 1961
Jim was the voice of beautiful music, great orchestras and the sounds around. He had roughly a ten year run with the network, during much of that time with KMPC as a day job.
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...
Gene Price 1974
Time for another visit with Gene Price, it's the summer of 1974 and Leonard says "hi"!
Mary Helen Barro 1983
I remember the Canal Zone.. It sure would be nice to stretch out on the beach. Mary Helen Barro has the music. You'll have to bring a beverage.
Thursday, February 20, 2025
Charlie Tuna 1983
"Charlie Tuna, comin' back at you for another 60 minutes in the radio". Just say it, you'll feel better!
Thanks for the memories Charlie.
Hear Charlie Tuna every morning at:
6am Pacific
7am Mountain
8am Central
9am Eastern
Johnny Bond 1961
Johnny's career started in the late 1930s with Jimmy Wakely and after that joining Gene Autry. His biggest hit was in 1965 with "Ten Little Bottles" but he had the big seller on this one:
Johnny did a long running show for us:
J
Wednesday, February 19, 2025
Wolfman Jack 1973
Are you Wolf enough?
Wolfman's on a tear on this 1973 recruiting broadcast for the Air Force.
Roger Carroll 1972
It's a celebration of Wednesday. 1972 memories of RC and the Happy Hour on AFRTS.
Mary Turner 1983
Mary Turner and Ted Nugent
Mary Turner was the opposite of GI Jill and Chris Noel, a broadcaster that was a female, it kept with the times, yet still was the girl left behind.
When Mary started her show we were concerned about how an hour of slamming rock and roll would go over. I knew the troops would love it but the Colonel. The Canal Zone civilians? They really liked to complain. It went over great and was a wonderful addition.
Monday, February 17, 2025
Vance Graham 1973
KMPCs Vance Graham sees Amelia Earhart off.
Latino! A special program, presented five times a week. With Victor, at your service.
"Victor" was Vance Graham. An announcer who's career went back to WWII when he was doing news at KMPC. Later he worked at KFI. Prior to Latino, Vance did the "Bolero Time" program for AFRTS. "Vance Graham Bolero Show" was a daily feature at KTYM Los Angeles in the 1950s.
We ran TWO Latin shows at the same time? I didn't know this. The other show was Viva!
Herman Griffith 1967
Jim Pewter, Herman Griffith and Roger Carroll
Herman Griffith kicked up a storm, with KGFJ and with AFRTS. I wish I knew more of his story. Roland Bynum says that Herman helped him get his job with us.
Friday, February 14, 2025
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.
Tom Campbell 1971
A few years ago Tom sent along a bunch of shows. These are at the beginning of the run.
Thursday, February 13, 2025
Golden Days of Radio 1984
Bill Stewart 1969
Amazing talent from KMPC
Bill Stewart is back for another swinging hour. It's a little jumpy near the beginning but it fills the Bill..
Jim Pewter 1980
Jim Pewter is back with a "Beach Party Reunion", songs of summer and surf.
Here comes summer...
Wednesday, February 12, 2025
Chris Noel 1968
Right now it's memories of 1968. Good year for some, bad year for others. Chris made it better. Click the link to hear the memories
Hear Chris Noel every night at 9pm Pacific/12pm Eastern on www.mybestsounds.com
Joe Ferguson 1983
Joe Ferguson was the first one to share his disks with us. It's been a few years and the shows keep coming. I appreciate it very much!
Hear Joe every day:
9AM Pacific
11AM Central
1201PM Eastern
Monday, February 10, 2025
Jim Ameche 1965
Jim Ameche had the most beautiful sounds around. An hour of orchestral music, with just the right touch of personality. Jim had knocked around in radio since the 1930s but hit his stride with syndicated DJ shows starting in the 1950s. As the man that made syndicated DJ shows work he was a natural for the world's largest radio network.
Gene Price 1974
Gene Price updates us on the benefits of joining todays all volunteer force! These programs would run on local radio here in the states and be credited as 25 minutes of Public Service time. Very popular on Sunday morning.
Ira Cook 1974
He started his career at KMTR in 1938 (later became KLAC) , working as a record librarian and occasionally as an announcer. A recent graduate from Stanford with a degree in basic medical science, his passion for radio began at the tender age of eight during a visit to a local station with his father. Ira, a native of Duluth, Minnesota, recounted in a detailed interview, "During World War II, at the Battle of the Bulge, we lost 10 to 15 guys from my platoon." Post-war, Ira teamed up with Frank Bull to broadcast boxing and wrestling matches from the Olympic Auditorium. Later, he became the host of Lucky Lager Dance Time on KFAC and pursued his interest in songwriting.
In a 1957 Newsweek story connected with a payola probe, Ira made the following comment about being a DJ: "It's safer than stealing, more legal than gambling, easier than loafing, and it beats working!"
Saturday, February 8, 2025
Charlie Tuna 1980
That picture is from the AFRTS-LA promo set of 8x10s that went to every station. We lost Charlie a while back. The family is working on a tribute at http://www.charlietuna.com
It's a trip to 1980, a Friday and time for the Charlie Tuna Show.
Joe Allison 1967
First couple of minutes on this are a little rough, but Joe has a nice show here. Rich Green from AFRTS Kwajelein visits with Joe
Wolfman Jack 1973
Summer in the city. The summer of 1973...
Wolfman's back with more information about the Air Force . I remember these from when I was a kid....
Roger Carroll 1972
I really wish I had both sides of this one. Roger Carroll was celebrating Friday, it was 1972 and bandleader Les Brown stopped by.
Friday, February 7, 2025
Mary Turner 1985
A solitary GI yearning for a female voice found solace in Mary Turner's broadcasts, as she carried on the legacy of GI Jill, Rebel Randall, and Chris Noel, speaking directly to the hearts of the troops.
Herman Griffith 1972
Herman Griffith with Jim Pewter and Roger Carroll
Hey, brave and the bold! He sure rocked. Here's more of the KGFJ vet. Herman's story is here.
Herman Griffith - 1972
Andy Mansfield 1963
Andy Mansfield loved his oldies, but when you start doing an oldies show in the 1950s we hear big band and before. His first show was with his wife but always it was some of his favorites from his collection.
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!
Thursday, February 6, 2025
One Night Stand 1962
Well into the 1960s radio had remote broadcasts from the big bands. AFRTS played these for the troops worldwide on One Night Stand. A little piece of home.
Si Zentner had a very good band. Unfortunately, the big bands were dying out. But they'll always have a magic:
Roland Bynum 1980
Bill Stewart 1969
Amazing talent from KMPC
Bill Stewart is back for another swinging hour. It's a little jumpy near the beginning but it fills the Bill..
Wednesday, February 5, 2025
Jim Pewter 1976
Jim was another giant, I wish I had more tape of the show. Jim was an AFKN vet, who went on to be a successful producer, songwriter and jock. Today we take another look at rocks beginnings. The top seven hits of 1964.
Straight ahead, don't bunch up...
Jim Pewter - 1976
Don Tracy 1980
It's Don Tracy with another hour of favorites. I'm still in suspense. Don has some things coming up that could be good. But right now, Don Tracy!
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