Joe Allison with his gold record
for writing "He'll Have To Go"
Sunday, May 24, 2026
Joe Allison 1963
Wolfman Jack 1981
When I came back from Korea I met Wolfman at LAX. The only time in my life I was totally blown away by meeting a celebrity. Only thing I remember was that he was nice with magic. I've been a fan ever since.
Wolfman Jack - 1981
Wolfman Jack - 1981
All That Jazz 1968
Sometimes there's a show with zero information. Jack Taylor was playing some smoky jazz in the 1960s
Roger Carroll 1981
Here's Roger's hit record, Going To Maui:
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.
Vance Graham 1974
Victor was Vance Graham. Vance had entered Los Angeles radio in the 1930s and found his greatest success as a spanish DJ. Bolero Time was heard on multiple stations and recorded for AFRTS well into the 1970s.
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.
Hear Herman every day at 3pm Central on mybestsounds.com
Saturday, May 16, 2026
Andy Mansfield 1964
Glenn Miller records "I Sustain the Wings"
Andy Mansfield continues his tribute to Glenn Miller, part five, it's America's Popular Music.
Tom Campbell 1971
AFRTS network programming was like driving a battleship, small changes when necessary. In 1971 they got serious about a more contemporary sound. In the first group were Tom Campbell and Wolfman Jack, with Charlie Tuna to follow shortly. Here's Tom's first show for AFRTS.
Wednesday, May 13, 2026
My Best Sounds
Over the weekend was a major server crash on the live stream. We were up and running several hours later. I've been cleaning that up. Fingers crossed, we're back up and running.
Update: The new server and updated processing is working great. Let me know if you hear issues,
Roland Bynum 1981
Roland always got the party started. Let's take a listen.
Hear Roland every day at 9pm My Best Sounds
Sunday, May 10, 2026
Tom Campbell 1980
Tom was another guy who worked Minneapolis. He was Paul Bunyan at WDGY before getting to the coast and killin' it in San Francisco.
Great phone number...
Hear Tom 1pm (central() everyday mybestsounds.com
So, from Torrejon...
Rocketing Rhythms 1961
Here's something for the kids. KLACs Bill Stewart fills in for Jack Brown. Rocketing Rhythms was sort of a countdown show sometimes with guests.
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...
Don Tracy 1995
The network kept rocking til the end. In 1995 the Network we all knew was changing but Don Tracy still had his chops...
Sunday, May 3, 2026
Chris Noel 1967
In 1967, the biggest show was "A Date With Chris". Chris Noel brought a helping of home every day. She still does way more than her share with her veterans shelter in Florida. Please do what you can to help. Click here.
Hear Chris every evening at 11pm Central on mybestsounds.com
Joe Ferguson 1983
It's a Wednesday in the summer of 1983 and blogfan Joe Ferguson has "The Joe Show". I ran these on SCN... Thanks again for sharing the memories Joe!
Hear Joe every day at 11 Central on mybestsounds.com
John Doremus 1967
Jose Fritz did a very nice writeup about the life of John Doremus.
Now some music for the dinner hour:
Myron J Bennett 1971
We had some odd filler programs. Myron J Bennett was a big deal in Des Moines radio for many years. Apparently "Talk Digest" went out on Mutual and AFRTS picked it up.
I'd always wondered what the deal was with these until I got out of the army and went to work at a very profitable daytimer (in 1984), near Christmas about 15 minutes of news and up to 27 of commercials. THAT'S what these were designed for. For us in the early 70s they were shipping shows with strange lengths. Charlie Tuna, John Doremus and Gary Owens were 45 minutes and it did need some fillers.
Paul Bottoms AFVN 1969
It's the summer of 1969 and Paul A. Bottoms is rocking Saigon on the Orient Express.
Former KSCS/Dallas and KWCY/Phoenix morning news anchor Paul Bottoms passed away March 7, 2019 at age 70. Bottoms was a member of The Dorsey Gang in Dallas from 1987 to 1996 before working with Tim & Willy in Phoenix from 1997-1998. Other stops include KONO/San Antonio, WJJD/Chicago, WCXR/Washington and WLVK/Charlotte. Bottoms retired in 2011 after a decade as News-Talk WRVA/Richmond Dir./News. He was a Vietnam veteran and did news for Pat Sajak on Armed Forces Radio
Air Rescue Vietnam 1968
I was going through crates of ETs looking for something else, and found this. Glad I did. Air Force SGT Herb Manchester did this from AFVN.
Sometimes AFRTS-LA would have contests. If something was really well done, it was distributed worldwide.
Saturday, May 2, 2026
Gene Price 1980
Gene Price is back, Leonard is ready to go. It's 1983 and great!
Hear Gene every morning at 7AM Central at mybestsounds.com
Ira Cook 1970
Ira Cook with Singer Becca Adler
It's a Friday in 1970, and a happy day!
Hear Ira every morning at 5am Central on mybestsounds.com
Saturday, April 25, 2026
Charlie Tuna 1982
Charlie Tuna and Del Shannon
On almost everyone's lists of favorite AFRTS jocks, Charlie Tuna's name is there. Here's another example of radio consistency and perfection... Be sure to check out charlietuna.com
Hear Charlie Tuna mornings at 8am Central on www.mybestsounds.com
Wolfman Jack 1983
Wolfman was one that we'd get complaints about. First thing I did at SCN when I could was get his airtime changed from 3am to 8pm. There was only one Wolfman, I'm proud we had him.
Friday, April 24, 2026
Roger Carroll 1968
I'm still excited about Roger Carroll sending several of his shows for us to hear. The Happy Hour continues for a long time to come. We start with a Fall 1968 show. Enjoy!
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.
Sunday, April 19, 2026
Guantanamo Bay - Bill Stiles 1966
The US military had a radio presence in Cuba for over 100 years. Jose Fritz did a nice writeup on this. Click Here.
The picture is Miguel Fernandez at WGBY, the AFRTS station at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. Today we hear Bill Stiles, with "something for the ladies." 1966. Bill's guest is Dorothy Lamour. Jeremy found the tape:
"Those tapes came so close to getting lost forever. Dorothy Lamour is definitely "old Hollywood" I like her observations about people in Hollywood going out and spending money to seem rich." I totally agree. Great radio and thanks for sharing!
She would be totally lost in today's Hollywood scene.
Chiquita 1955
Starting in 1945 Chiquita Juarez started her show for our Spanish speaking troops. I wish I had more information on MIss Juarez. She showed up on at least one Duffy's Tavern and had smaller parts in several movies. For AFRS, she was Chiquita...
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.
Saturday, April 18, 2026
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.
Tom Campbell 1978
Tom was "Paul Bunyan" for WDGY in the 1960s.
Tom did two shows for us "Stateside" with current hits. Later a weekend show "Playback" was added, with a wider playlist.
Tom shared a bunch of his shows, enjoy!
Hear Tom at 1pm Central on mybestsounds.com
Roland Bynum 1983
Bobby Troup 1968
Bobby Troup in MASH
Well, here's something we've never heard before. Bobby Troup was an actor, musician, DJ and husband to Julie London. He did a show for AFRTS:
Saturday, April 11, 2026
Ronnie Landry 1959
Ron Landry, later of Hudson and Landry was drafted into the Army in 1958. By 1959 he was doing a show on the network from AFRTS New York.
I was usually assigned with the infantry, this was a classic:
Jim Pewter 1967
Jim Pewter had pretty much just gotten back from AFKN and scored a deal on McCadden Ave. The music was great!
The Jim Pewter show every day at 6pm (central) on mybestsounds.com
Don Tracy 1983
Don Tracy was from Hartford. Learned his trade at the Conneticut School of Broadcasting with gigs in Hartford and New Haven before the lure of California. Then to KGFJ, KABC TV and KDAY and KMBY in Capitola CA then where most of us found him AFRTS. In 1997 Don was selling at KNX after that he was a part of Malloy and Associates, an advertising agency in Los Angeles. Here's a short piece from 1983.
Chris Noel 1971
A pretty girl IS like a melody. Chris made home just a little closer for Vietnam era troops. Here's a 1971 listen.
Hear Chris every night at 11pm Central at mybestsounds.com
Joe Ferguson 1983
It was a discussion we had many times ""There's no one good in Milwaukee, Miami, Dallas or anywhere else?" In 1983 the network bid out contracts with talent from all over the country. Joe Ferguson from Portland OR was with us for a while. On this show, Joe talks about being a dependent and in the radio club at AFN.
Hear Joe on mybestsounds.com at 11am Central
Monday, April 6, 2026
My Best Sounds
We also stream 24/7 at mybestsounds.com Proud to say I've got the signal processing to work correctly. Upgraded the internet to get additional bandwidth. It sounds much better.
Link has been fixed, Thanks Garry!!
0300AM Wolfman Jack
0800AM Charlie Tuna
0900AM Roger Carroll
11:00AM Joe Ferguson
3:00PM Herman Griffith
6:00PM Jim Pewter
8:00PM Golden Days of Radio
9:00PM Roland Bynum
11:00PM Chris Noel
More to come!
Take us wherever you go on your mobile device. My Best Sounds is on the following mobile apps:
My Tuner
Online Radio Box
Simple Radio by Streema
Radio Garden
Live Online Radio
Radio FM
Sunday, April 5, 2026
AFN Ray Tubberville 1973
Thanks to Phil for sharing.
Ed Tooma worked with Ray:
Ray and I worked together at AFN Berlin and at the Army Information Radio Service in Washington, D.C. Did we ever have fun doing production. I only wish I had kept the many spots and promo's we voiced together and we did some great character stuff too. Probably one of the most memorable spots was about us standing in that long unemployment line and deciding we'd be better off in the service. It became an AFN Frankfurt Network Radio break spot. Speaking of spots - it sure would be nice if everyone would share their production and send it to Thom so we could all go down memory lane together.
Jim Ameche 1961
Jim Ameche had two shows in the early 1960s, The Jim Ameche Show and Pop Concert. Both programs had the best in orchestral music.
Jim was one of the first to figure out how to successfully syndicate a DJ show.
Saturday, April 4, 2026
Charlie Tuna 1986
This broadcast includes something that didn't happen often, the disk sticks... Most of it has been edited out, but memories...
Small World 1964
Ted Herring sent this along. Thanks Ted.
Spike Jones, Marilyn Monroe and Ken Murray
In 1964 Spike Jones brought his brand of crazy. He stopped by to do a show with George Church.
Saturday, March 28, 2026
Joe Allison 1969
Joe Allison with Red Stegall and Don Light
Joe Allison was the country voice for a long, long time. Joe was a musician, producer, writer "He'll Have to Go" and a truly fine DJ. Before Joe, country radio was hillbilly. He brought it modern.
Army Hour 1970
The Army Hour had a long run. PAO shops all over the country getting the message out. Aired on hundreds of stations in the US, most of the time it was also aired on AFRTS.
Wolfman Jack 1976
Are you ready to rock and roll baby? Wolfman has the good on a 1976 show for the Air Force. Delicious...
Roger Carroll 1967
Roger Carroll
Mary Turner 1983
Mary Turner rocks. But after winning at that, she made the world better as a psychologist and philanthropist.