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Bob Crosby did a lot of shows for us during WWII, usually as a DJ sometimes with his band.
"Yank Swing Session" was interesting. Sometimes they played records. Usually, they played unissued music from radio shows. Here's a 1944 visit.
Saturday, August 22, 2026
Jim Ameche 1965
Jim Ameche has some beautiful music. Jim was one of the first to really be successful as a syndicated DJ, later becoming the voice of the Longines Symphonette.
Saturday, August 15, 2026
AFN Nuremberg - Mike Kimbrell 1984
Time for Mike Kimbrell from "The Tower Of Power"
AFN Nuremberg. Studio im Grand Hotel (1950 - 1956). Studio at the Grand Hotel (1950 - 1956).
Gene Price 1978
Whoever came up with the phrase Country Gentleman must have known Gene Price. It's classy. It's silly and it's wonderful radio.
Ira Cook 1961
In the early 1960s, they weren't really recording at McCadden. Recordings were done at the stations, usually but it was haphazard. Here's Ira Cook recorded at KMPC in 1961.
IRA LEIGH COOK Passed away on May 15, 2007 at the age of 90. Ira was a disc jockey in Hollywood for over 25 years working at KMPC the majority of the time. He also broadcast over the Armed Forces Radio Services. He was a beloved husband of Virginia for 58 years who predeceased him.
Hear Ira every morning at 5am (central) on mybestsounds.com
Sunday, August 9, 2026
Roger Carroll 1976
Here's some more fun from Hollywood with Roger Carroll! Roger has was a part of this crazy business since the 1940s.
Mary Turner 1984
Time for another visit with Mary Turner, She started at the network in 1981 or so, bringing a new perspective. It was rocking...
Mary checked in last time with good words about her AFRTS time.
FEN Automation and Burr Hoyle 1965
Awhile back Monte Jones had some information about the automation system at FEN in the late 60s. I thought something capable of segueing the ETs and putting the news on the air was very high tech for the times. Norm Medland was there before Monte and he had some information: Henry Yaskell was way ahead of his time from the automation system to tropo scatter to distribute the net up the line to Misawa and other places; Kuma Station and Wakkanai in the far north of Japan. In addition to the voice network to our outlying stations, we also had a teletype network and a fulltime employee to type and send printed newscasts to all the stations. Yes, they could have had all news prerecorded on tape and I believe Henry wanted that but it pushed immediacy back by at least an hour and the programmers would not allow it. Automation basic brain may have been a Harris-made unit, but not sure. Henry had at least four turntables connected along with a bank of Ampex tape recorders and several cart machines. It used a room about 20x20 and had one fulltime GI and a Japanese engineer plus probably a GI engineer. Time hacks were automated and the unit could switch between functions and the news booth and production studios. A lot of local production done on tape like “Tokyo Calling.”.
It took a lot of tending and no one but Henry thought it saved any manpower. Still, it was ingenious and way ahead of most broadcast stations. I worked at a station in Sacramento after I retired that was automated with a Harris-90 with just a bank of tape playback units and two production studios. Very simple by comparison. FEN even had on loan from Sony an early portable tape unit that rode around on a cart much like a current day audio visual cart with a few shelves. Not very portable and weighed a couple of hundred pounds. This never worked properly and wasn’t used in the field that I know about. Our audio equipment was the best you could buy, and programming concentration was totally audio. I think we had a least six Nagra tape recorders. We were just a radio station, (no TV at all), and the network feed, but we were very good. Great talent in house. Unfortunately, many of them are now deceased. I am certain we would have made money in any market in the United States. I was just a buck sergeant and staff sergeant as I left, but had worked radio in Denver, San Diego, and small Iowa stations before arriving there. I wasn’t bad, but others there made me look like an amateur.
From January 1965, here's Burr Hoyle:
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
Saturday, August 8, 2026
Turn Back The Clock 1958
Andy and Virginia Mansfield brought their brand of oldies to NBC and shortly around that time to AFRTS.
Tom Campbell 1971
\Tom's back, with program 2 of "Tom Campbell Stateside" He's retired and leading the good life in California. Recently the crazy weather hit his town, but he wasn't on that side of town.
Hear Tom every day at 1pm Central mybestsounds.com
Saturday, August 1, 2026
Laura Lee 1986
Jazz was an important part of the network, even into the 1980s. Laura Lee kept it alive with The Jazz Beat.
Jim Pewter 1967
Neil found us a bunch of late 60s Jim Pewter shows. I'm very happy about that. When you see something that might be interesting for all of us, drop me a note afrts@live.com
Jim was an AFKN vet who shaped the world of music, his command of the oldies inspired a lot of people. It's December 1967 "Let's Go"
Hear Jim every day at 6pm Central on mybestsounds.com
Sunday, July 26, 2026
Don Tracy 1993
Don earned his due in Connecticut radio, through WPOP, WNHC and WAVZ then to win in Los Angeles.
KGFJ, KDAY, KABC-TV, KNX as a sales executive, his own ad agency and editor of the R&B Report.
Chris Noel 1967
Chris did one of the most popular shows ever. A pretty girl, great music and caring. She brought "home" everywhere.
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!
John Doremus 1967
The theme is songs about movement, a seemingly straightforward idea. John would skillfully blend these songs with poetry and concepts. His shows gained popularity nationwide, particularly with major airlines, where he pioneered the production of in-flight music. A truly remarkable talent.
Sunday, July 19, 2026
Iwo Jima 1945
Here's the other one of those USMC official records about the battle of Iwo Jima. Pretty incredible. They tell the story and talk to the troops, presumably recorded by the Mosquito Network.
Gene Price 1974
Gene, Charlie and Jim
It's been a privilege to stay in touch with all three. Here's Gene Price with your 1974 country favorites:
Jim Ameche 1968
Jim Ameche is back with the most beautiful music in the world. Jim was one of the very first to make syndicating a DJ show work. He later was the voice of the Longines Symphonette.
Mary Helen Barro 1983
Mary Helen Barro kept the Latino beat alive. She started with the network in the late 70s and was there a long time. Bailar!
Sunday, July 12, 2026
Charlie Tuna 1974
Charlie was a distinctive voice, waking the world for a quarter century. I'm pretty sure no one else can make that claim. It was a shame when we lost him.
Hear Charlie every morning at 8am Central at mybestsounds.com
Joe Allison 1965
Joe Allison is back, starting a new week with a Monday show from 1965. Take your shoes (boots?) off and get ready for the Country Corner!
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.
Saturday, July 11, 2026
Roger Carroll 1969
Seems like yesterday when Roger Carroll got me to setup his streaming website. it was 2017.
Hear RC everyday at 9am Central at mybestsounds.com
Roger was with the network for a long, long time. We're glad to make this available.
Mary Turner 1986
Mary Turner brought the rock in the 1980s and 90s. She had the daily show and "Off The Record". The music was great and she really had a way with an interview. She always treasured her time as one of the AFRTS-LA talent.
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 whose 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
Herman with Jim Pewter and Roger Carroll
Feeling brave? If you're young or old Herman Griffith is here with the Records Caravan. Bold? If you
Herman was at KGFJ in Los Angeles in the early 60s, was with us into the 1970s and not much else is known.
Hear Herman at 3pm Central on mybestsounds.com
Sunday, July 5, 2026
Tom Campbell 1976
Tom's a great guy. Glad to know him. He provided a lot of his shows for you to hear.
Hear Tom every day at 1pm Central mybestsounds.com
Roland Bynum 1981
Roland Bynum with the late Don Cornelius
The music was so good. Here's Roland Bynum cutting loose for the weekend. He was that good and brings the future to America through teaching.
Hear Roland nightly7 at 9pm Central mybestsounds.com
Bill Stewart 1968
Time for a musical Bill affair (Listen to the jingle). Bill was still with us in the late 70s with a neat brew of swing. Bill was the one on "Quarter Century of Swing" for AFRTS. We lost Bill in 1993 to heart failure. Bill graced KMPC, 1951-59; KGIL, 1965-66; KRHM, 1966 and 1969; KGIL, 1973-75.
Jim Pewter 1985
Not the Beatles tribute band. 1964 was sure a great year for music, the Beatles had pretty much changed everything. Motown got better. It was a great topic for another theme show by Jim Pewter. Jim was one of us, having spent 1964 working for AFKN.
Hear Jim every day at 6pm Central on mybestsounds.com
Don Tracy 1995
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Thanks George for taking the time to record these in 1995. It's a Don Tracy Friday. The party starts now!
Chris Noel 1969
Chris Noel in Pleiku 1968
Chris really stepped to the plate, did a wonderful show and went to the troops. Today she still supports the troops in need with her homeless shelter for veterans. Vetsville
Hear Chris every evening at 11:00 central on mybestsounds.com
Joe Ferguson 1983
From Portland OR, Joe has the memories of 1983. Seems like yesterday.
Hear Joe every day at 11:00 easter on mybestsounds.com
John Doremus 1967
Must be the dinner hour. John Doremus would create a mood. There were few who could really do this. John was also the one that came up with the idea for music on your airplane rides. Amazing talent.
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
Las musica mas major en el mundo! Mary Helen Barro plays your Latin favorites on a Monday in 1983.
Sunday, June 28, 2026
Charlie Tuna 1986
Charlie in Boston 1965, he worked there with "Johnnie" Lujack.
The scary part of listening to a lot of Charlie Tuna shows is the end. It's amazing how many of the affiliate locations don't exist anymore or don't have an AFRTS station (I have the one for SCN as the logoff sound on one of my computers, "before we say goodbye..."). It's always great listening. Thanks again Charlie!
Charlie's website : http://www.charlietuna.com
Meet the Press 1962
Edward R. Murrow was the journalist's journalist. Eventually Mr. Murrow was a vice president of the CBS. In 1961 he was the director of the US Information Agency for the Voice Of America and presented America to the rest of the world.
AFRTS presented the big news interview shows. This is from a 1961 "Meet the Press"
Saturday, June 27, 2026
Wolfman Jack 1978
Wolfman SURVIVED. The 1950s, the English Invasion, Motown, AOR. He'd connect with his audience and make magic. He always sounded so comfortable.
Wolfman Jack - 1978
Roger Carroll 1981
I always find it special to transfer a disk that I would have run at the station. In 1981 I was at SCN, did the cleverly titled "Morning Show", played Charlie Tuna then Roger Carroll. RC brings us straight back to a Friday in 1981. It really is the best sounds in town..
Hear RC every morning at 9am Central mybestsounds.com
Sunday, June 21, 2026
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.
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.
Roland Bynum 1978
Roland Bynum now, with daughter April
Are you ready for the weekend? Here's Roland with a Friday party from 1978
Hear Roland and the Creators Workshop Evenings at 9p Central on mybestsounds.com
Sunday, June 14, 2026
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