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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.
Saturday, December 6, 2025
Jim Pewter 1968
Nice work if you can get it. (courtesy and copyright of Playground Productions)
In 1967 Jim was managing Forever Records. They put out a two record set to benefit the USO. "Jim Pewter Salutes the USO Shows with 21 Hits From The Past" I've got to pick up a copy. Jim shared this original artwork picture with 21 teen models in Pasadena.
Don Tracy 1984
No holding some people back. Don was in Hartford, parlayed that into Los Angeles. At the top of his game was doing the AFRTS show for a long time. Thanks Don!
Don Tracy - 1984
Wednesday, December 3, 2025
Diego Garcia 1995 Stephen Payne
Stephen joined the United States Navy in 1991. He graduated from Defense Information School (DINFOS) at Fort Benjamin Harrison. He was a Navy broadcaster during his deployment in Diego Garcia, in the British Indian Ocean. By the time of Stephen’s Honorable Discharge in 1996, he held the role of Journalist Third Class, and he was awarded two Navy commendation medals as well as a Navy Achievement Medal. On this visit Stephen is with Marine Elizabeth Allen.
Stephen passed away in 2025 at 56 years old.
Stephen Payne - Diego Garcia 1995
Friday, November 28, 2025
Chris Noel 1968
The face of home to thousands of Vietnam era troops was Chris Noel. She has spent the past several years running a homeless shelter for vets, in Florida "Ceasefire House" click here. Our less fortunate brothers need your help. Please consider helping.
A few years ago Chris sent her collection of shows to us so that we could hear them again. Thanks Chris!!!
Here's a memory of 1968...
Joe Ferguson 1983
A young Joe Ferguson had done some shows as a dependent at the stations. Years later Joe was jocking in Portland OR. AFRTS had done one of the coolest things they ever did. Asked jocks from around the country if they'd like to do shows for the network. Joe saved his copies and made them available/ Thank you Joe!
Thursday, November 20, 2025
John Doremus 1968
Amazing set of pipes and smooth. John Doremus had evening music for many years. Similar to what Jim Ameche did earlier and what Pete Smith did later but smoother and bigger. He had recorded Music Through the Night shows sponsored by the airlines that ran on the biggest AM clear channel stations in the country. He also was the one that started syndicating in flight music.
AFVN Jim Huntley 1970
Tuesday, November 18, 2025
Mary Helen Barro 1983
Mary Helen Barro, "la voz de su casa" She carried on on the Latino tradition of Chiquita, Victor, Hernan Escodon and others.
Saturday, November 15, 2025
Joe Allison 1969
Joe Allison really was country music, starting as a DJ in Texas in 1945. He went on tour hosting Tex Ritter and got Tex to record one of his songs. From there, Nashville radio until going to a station in Pasadena CA. Penning "He'll Have To Go". Later to run the country department of Dot Records. Starting in the mid 60s Joe was recording the Country Corner for AFRTS.
Tuesday, November 11, 2025
Veterans Day 1963
Today is Veterans Day in the United States. Originally the holiday was Armistice Day, to commemorate the end of WWI.
Monday, November 10, 2025
Wolfman Jack 1979
Let's revisit 1979. I was 22, in Korea and don't remember most of the year. I met Wolfman at LAX when I came Stateside. Only time I was ever totally speechless at meeting a celebrity. Play it loud!
Hear Wolfman Jack every day at 3am on www.mybestsounds.com
Mary Turner 1992
It was a scandal. In the early 80s when the network started the Mary Turner show. Loud Rock and Roll. What will the generals say? We'll find out. Mary brought her KMET show to the world and it was a very good thing.
Chris Noel 1969
A life of service. In 1969 that service was with AFRTS. Thank you Chris.
Hear Chris Noel every day at 11pm Central on www.mybestsounds.com
Tuesday, October 28, 2025
Golden Days Of Radio - War of the Worlds
Frank Bresee is back with another look at radio's golden days. Today, the exciting conclusion of "War Of The Worlds".
Hear the Golden Days Of Radio every day at 8pm Central on www.mybestsounds.com
Monday, October 20, 2025
Jim Pewter 1970
In 1970 Guenther was in Germany listening to the Americans on AFN. He saved a lot of it.
Here's a 1970 visit.
Be sure to hear Jim at 6pm Central on www.mybestsounds.com
Herman Griffith 1967
Martha Reeves and the Vandellas "Jimmy Mack"
"Time for something for the brave and the bold, it's the Records Caravan". The music was changing. Herman made it better.
Hear Herman weekdays at 3pm Central on www.mybestsounds.com
Sunday, October 5, 2025
Spotlight Bands - Fort Devens MA 1945
Mostly, I try to stay away from CONUS network radio shows. Spotlite Bands is a little different. During WWII Coca-Cola sponsored the top bands in America playing at military bases in the US and to be recorded for AFRS. Here's Charlie Barnet, playing at Lovell General Hospital, Ft Devens MA
Joe Ferguson
Joe Ferguson was one of the jocks from all over the country sharing his skills in an experiment AFRTS tried in the early 80s. He shared these shows and I'll always be grateful.
Hear Joe every day at 11:00am Central www.mybestsounds.com
Roger Carroll 1970
Here's Roger at the Hollywood Palladium
Roger spent decades with us and did some wonderful radio. His day job was at KMPC but he grabbed a lot of announcing work at the civilian networks. A few years ago he shared his collection with us and I'm glad I can help share it.
Roger did some very stylish radio. But you've never heard it begin quite like this...
Hear Roger every morning at 9am Central on www.mybestsounds.com
Tuesday, September 30, 2025
Charlie Tuna 1982
It's summer 1982, I'm enjoying life in what was left of the Canal Zone and Charlie Tuna had us staying Tuna'd
Hear Charlie every morning at 8:00 Central at www.mybestsounds.com
Tuesday, September 23, 2025
Gene Price 1980
Gene Price, Charlie Tuna and Jim Pewter
So is it inspired silliness, wonderful radio or country music at it's best? All three, it's the Gene Price show from 1980 on AFRTS...
Hear Gene every morning at 6am Central on www.mybestsounds.com
Monday, September 22, 2025
Ira Cook 1967
Wednesday, September 17, 2025
Early AFN
GI Jive 1945
In 1943 Martha Wilkerson was the voice of the girl left behind as GI Jill on on the brand new Armed Forces Radio Service.
Tuesday, September 9, 2025
LaRita Shelby 1995
LaRita still keeps it happening. Take a look at her filmography. We were lucky enough to have her doing a show for us. This is another one of George's recordings.
At her website, http://www.laritashelby.com there are some wonderful videos (buy the cd!).
Jim Ameche 1965
Jim Ameche has another hour of the most beautiful music of the best orchestras from around the world.
Tuesday, September 2, 2025
AFVN Gary Gears 1968
Here's the 1968 year end show from AFVN. Gary Gears, who went on to great things at the best Chicago stations voices this.
Gene Price 1973
Gene had been doing the show for about a year, starting a quarter century of making friends around the world.
Hear Gene every morning at 7am central at www.mybestsounds.com
Saturday, August 23, 2025
AFRTS 1977
In November 1977 I was rocking AFKN TDC and we were running these same shows from AFRTS-LA. Bruce Phillip Miller has a "Coffee Break", Roger Carroll with a Word or Two, Roland Bynum and Kris Erik Stevens.
Charlie Tuna 1973
This was sourced from the mastering reel with the slug still intact.
Charlie was at KKDJ during the week and was squared off against Charlie Van Dyke at his old KHJ home. Robert W. Morgan was at K-100. Talk about a radio battle! But we can treasure the Saturdays at the McCadden studios, making radio like this:
Sunday, August 17, 2025
Joe Allison 1969
Joe Allison really was country music, starting as a DJ in Texas in 1945. He went on tour hosting Tex Ritter and got Tex to record one of his songs. From there, Nashville radio until going to a station in Pasadena CA. Penning "He'll Have To Go". Later to run the country department of Dot Records. Starting in the mid 60s Joe was recording the Country Corner for AFRTS.
Wolfman Jack 1977
This is nice, Wolfman recorded off of AFN in Germany in 1977, at the end Wolfman is on voice tracks talking about USAEUR. Did all of the AFRTS-LA team record these? Howl!
It's been almost 30 years since we lost Wolf.
Saturday, August 9, 2025
Roger Carroll 1981
Mr and Mrs RC
Memories of 1981 with the Happy Hour. Such memories. It was quite a hit on SCN..
Mary Turner 1992
It was a scandal. In the early 80s when the network started the Mary Turner show. Loud Rock and Roll. What will the generals say? We'll find out. Mary brought her KMET show to the world and it was a very good thing.
Herman Griffith 1068
Indeed, the music was fantastic. Herman Griffith, who joined us from KGFJ, was known for not "hitting the posts." This was due to the lack of a proper headphone output when AFRTS upgraded their studios. Given his style, Herman relied on the headphone output more than others. His energy and the music are truly memorable.
Tuesday, August 5, 2025
AFKN Faun Mann 2020
The morning show from Daegu (used to be Taegu) with Faun Mann. The tradition continues. I notice the similarities. Someone in Berlin the 1940s sounds a lot like someone in Vietnam. Done well it's just relating to the troops.
Turn Back The Clock 1958
Andy Mansfield and Kay Starr
Turn Back the Clock was a fascinating show. Andy and Virginia Mansfield were playing the songs of 20 and 30 years ago. Of course in the mid-50s that could mean Al Jolson and acoustic cylinders. Let's revisit 1958 and Turn Back The Clock.
Wednesday, July 30, 2025
Tom Campbell 1971
The music was great and so was Tom Campbell. Tom was one of the greatest one on one voices and through that was very successful being the voice of several great sponsors. Tom's still around, and taking your calls...
Hear Tom Campbell everyday at 1pm on www.mybestsounds.com
Tuesday, July 29, 2025
Jim Pewter 1968
PV2 Jim Pewters and Jill St John in Korea 1964. Jill was with the Bob Hope show. Copyright Playground Productions. Courtesy Jim Pewter.
Jim Pewter has your favorite oldies. These guys did such a great job with Command Information. I was just listening to this one and realized I had spent a minute being interested in a spot about hepatitis . I would have been in Korea around this time. Street vendors, things swimming in the water. I did avoid the tattoo parlors..
Hear Jim every day at 6pm Central at www.mybestsounds.com
The music's great. C'mon down to the malt shop..
Don Tracy 1984
No holding some people back. Don was in Hartford, parlayed that into Los Angeles. At the top of his game was doing the AFRTS show for a long time. Thanks Don!
Don Tracy - 1984
Thursday, July 24, 2025
Chris Noel 1971
By 1971 Chris was doing a rocking show. In the beginning it was more MOR/standards based. She did both great.
Joe Ferguson 1983
From Portland to you. Joe Ferguson from KUPL did a series of shows for AFRTS in 1983. A few years ago he shared them with us. It's a fun listen.
John Doremus 1969
Been a long time since we had a visit with John Doremus. John was the big voice of soft music after Jim Ameche and before Pete Smith. He recorded a bunch of PSAs for us that we were using many years after. He was the one that brought music to air travel. He hosted a nationwide program of soft muisc on the BIG AM stations in the 60s. Big talent.
Thursday, July 17, 2025
Gene Price 1973
Willard is back, with your favorite silliness. Gene Price Country World is nice way to start the back to work crunch.
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