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. 



Roland Bynum 1980

 


Roland's back with some really wonderful music.  Partytime starts now!



Thursday, February 13, 2025

Golden Days of Radio 1984

 

A few years ago Frank's amazing record collection went on the market.  But these were the days, a 1951 Lux Radio Theatre production of Sunset Boulevard.


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...



Don Tracy 1985

  


Where's the party?  Anywhere Don Tracy is.



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!"



Mary Helen Barro 1983

 


Celebrate with a 1983 show with Mary Helen Barro y la musica mejor!



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

 


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

More Herman Griffith

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

 




It's a Monday in 1980, but don't let that get you down.  Soulin' and Roland...a perfect combination. Here's Roland Bynum with another hour of favorites. And still lookin good...



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

More Jim Pewter

 

 


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!



Chris Noel 1970

 


Chris Noel back with another hour of memories of 1970.


Chris has a new book "Filming Cease Fire" about the movie she did with Don Johnson. "Cease Fire" was the first movie to deal with PTSD.   




Monday, February 3, 2025

Joe Ferguson 1983

  


Joe Ferguson checking in from Portland OR and KUPL with The Joe Show.



Jim Ameche 1965

 




"The Most Beautiful Sounds Around" is a phrase that evokes the rarity of orchestral music today. Jim Ameche, a prominent figure during the golden age of radio, introduced it to AFRTS. He remained a successful DJ, sustaining his stardom beyond his radio days.




Gene Price 1980

 


Gene wrote a holiday book for kids of all ages, it's a nice read and great for holiday giving.

Gene Price is back with your kind of country.  It's memories of 1980 on AFRTS

Hear Gene at  5am Pacific, 8am Eastern on https://www.mybestsounds.com



Sunday, February 2, 2025

Ira Cook 1970

  


Ira Cook with Singer Becca Adler

It's a Friday in 1970, and a happy day!



Friday, January 31, 2025

Mary Helen Barro 1983

 


Mary Helen Barro invites you to a Friday fiesta!



Charlie Tuna 1982

 


In 1982 it was much easier to stay Tuna'd.  AFRTS started sending two hour daily Charlie Tuna shows.

Hear Charlie every morning at 6am Pacific/ 9am Eastern on www.mybestsounds.com

Joe Allison 1969

 


Joe Allison is back with another hour of your country favorites.  Hello Dottie West...


Thursday, January 30, 2025

Wolfman Jack 1972

  





Your weekend howls with Wolfman Jack.  

In 1972 the Air Force had Wolf magic...  I remember these, making the military much cooler.



Roger Carroll 1968

 

Roger Carroll at the Hollywood Palladium

It's the best sounds in town!  Here's Roger Carroll with some 1968 fun.  Busy times, AFRTS show, KMPC, CBS and I'm sure a bunch of agency work.  Nice...

Hear RC and the Happy Hour every morning at 7am Pacific 10am Eastern



Mary Turner 1985

    

And we were proud to have her.  Mary started her show with us in 1982.



Mary Turner, hailed as the first lady of rock radio in Los Angeles, passed away in 2023 at the age of 76. She died at her Beverly Hills residence after a prolonged fight with cancer.

From the mid-1970s to the early 1990s, Mary Turner was the leading female air personality in contemporary music radio. She was the top-rated disc jockey at Los Angeles' iconic KMET, hosted "Off The Record," a nationally syndicated interview show by Westwood One that broadcasted on over 300 stations weekly, and led the "Mary Turner Show" on Armed Forces Radio. After departing from radio in 1994, Dr. Pattiz enrolled at UCLA, becoming a certified drug and alcohol counselor, and started her career in substance abuse treatment. She earned a Doctor of Psychology degree from the California Graduate Institute, now part of The Chicago School, in 2008. She was active in the field as a counselor and group leader, and held positions on the boards of DARE, the Musicians Assistance Program, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center's COACH for Kids, the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences' MusiCares, the Betty Ford Center, and the Betty Ford Institute. Dr. Pattiz was the spouse of the late Norman Pattiz, the founder and chairman of Westwood One Companies, and resides in Beverly Hills and Santa Barbara.




Tuesday, January 28, 2025

Command Performance 1942

 How do you come up with words for something like this?  In 1942 the US radio networks and all of the stars of radio and movies cooperated to make the biggest variety show ever, Command Performance.  The program continued well into 1951.  The wartime shows in particular were a big deal.



Here's how it all began:


Herman Griffith 1967

    

Jim Pewter, Herman Griffith and Roger Carroll

Herman brought rock and soul to the troops.  These are great!

Hear Herman Griffith every day at 3pm (Central) on www.mybestsounds.com 

Herman Griffith 1967


More Herman Griffith

Turn Back the Clock 1958

  



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


Monday, January 27, 2025

Tom Campbell 1971

 


Tom Campbell is a rockin.  It's still really early in his AFRTS run. he's got the grrove.



Roland Bynum 1980

 


It seems like yesterday.  Great music and wonderful talent.  Here's a 1980 visit to the Creators Workshop.






Sunday, January 26, 2025

Bill Stewart 1969

  

Amazing talent from KMPC




Don Browne has some insights: Not all AFRTS-LA radio show hosts methodically recorded their programs at the beginning of the RU 8-week cycle-to-air. Of course, all AFRTS stations and networks held the RU "on the floor" for an additional 3-weeks as a protection for four-class mail delays enroute. The only exception was AFVN in Saigon, RVN who aired the RU and RP ("Date With Chris") the week that it was received. Saigon had daily flights from Travis AFB, CA and didn't have to worry about delay in four-class mail deliveries.
Bill Stewart, and a few other hosts, recorded and stored their shows at AFRTS-LA for four to six months prior to air. Although the programming was 5-55:00 at the beginning, it was considered "ever green" by the LA producers. Bill Stewart never mentioned "it's the Monday edition" or "it's the Tuesday edition" the way Roger Carroll did for his 5-55:00 series. I believe this was due to the inordinate delay in recording the Bill Stewart Shows. He just didn't know what day the show was to be aired!
When Bill Stewart says "this song is a new release", it really isn't. . .it's four to six months old!
Because of the long "lead-time" in recording the Bill Stewart Shows (at the request of Bill himself), I reviewed and logged a year of the Bill Stewart Show to determine if there was a detrimental effect on the program. This took about two weeks of auditioning the pristine discs in the Library of Congress. I saved the "Bill Stewart logs" when I retired from AFRTS in January 2001.



Bill Stewart is back for another swinging hour.  It's a little jumpy near the beginning but it fills the Bill..




Don Tracy 1980

 


The weekend came blasting like a freight train.  Here's Don Tracy, making a Friday rock..



Thursday, January 23, 2025

Cousin Brucie for Vietnam

 



In 1969 the Coca-Cola company asked some very bigtime jocks to record shows for the troops, which were distributed on LP.  The Real Don Steele did one.  Hy Litt did one Here's the one that Cousin Brucie did.. 
AFVN Cousin Brucie

The series was not documented.  What I know for a fact is that the Don Steele one showed up on eBay last year and went for top dollar.  I've heard rumors that AFVN ran some of them on the air.  I can't confirm that.

Sunday, January 19, 2025

Chris Noel 1969

 


Chris Noel has memories on "A Date With Chris"

Don Browne has details "Date" was started expressly for the Vietnam War to counter AM broadcasting from "Hanoi Hanna". The first show with Chris Noel was aired 12 December 1966, 5-55:00, RP 23-7. As the Vietnam War began to wind down in 1969, the last AFRTS 13-week "flight" of 5-55:00 was 14-0 to 26-0 (Oct - Nov - Dec 1969). "Date" was demoted to "flights" of 1-55:00 and the last-ever Date With Chris AFRTS 13-week "flight" was 27-1 to 38-1 (Jan - Feb - Mar 1971).




Joe Ferguson 1983

 




Joe Ferguson makes Portland the voice of home.  It's a Monday in 1983.


John Doremus 1969

  


John Doremus brings us the power of the orchestra.  And stories.  



Friday, January 17, 2025

Gene Price 1973

  


When I arrived in Panama and was settled into the temporary quarters in 1980 there was Gene Price.  Gene and Leonard had a long run on the network.  Gene followed fellow KFOX vet Charlie Williams as one of the AFRTS country voices and truly made the show his own. 


Mary Helen Barro 1983

 


Warm up your day with musica latina from Mary Helen Barro.



Thursday, January 16, 2025

Charlie Tuna 1983

 


In 2017 a friend of mine was visiting family in Duluth MN.  I was texted "Charlie Tuna's on the radio up here!!!"  Charlie had a syndicated show heard from coast to coast (through Black Card).