Jubilee 1945

 I've never heard one of these without wonderful music. 

The first tune is, "Blowing The Blues Away." The All-American Quintet consists of Les Paul, Sid Cattlet, Vic Dickenson, Willie Smith, and Eddie Heywood (obviously a great group). Archie, Eddie the waiter and Clifton Finnegan visit from "Duffy's Tavern." The program was previously released as program #119. Billy Eckstine and His Orchestra, The All-American Quintet, Lena Horne, Ed Gardner, Charlie Cantor, Eddie Green, Les Paul, Vic Dickenson, Willie Smith (alto), Eddie Heywood (piano), Sid Catlett (drums), Ernest Whitman (m. c.), Verne Smith (announcer).

Jubilee #119 1945

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Jim Pewter 1968

  

Jim knows his stuff.  We went to different high schools together...

Jim Pewter - 1968

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AFKN Tony Booth 1969

 

Booth, has been galvanizing radio listeners since before the Beatles invaded America. "The Southern Gentleman" was spinning discs for troops in Korea and was a major voice in the Top-40 format; once the announcer for the Texas Rangers baseball team, Starting out in broadcasting at the tender, voice-changing age of 13.  In 1962, TONY BOOTH started to work as a DJ at KFTV RADIO in Paris, Texas. By '65, he was Music Director of the station besides his afternoon drive shift.  After that a run at some really great stations..

But now, it's Yongsan and Tony Booth:

AFKN Tony Booth 1969

Roger Carroll 1972

 

Roger Carroll and Hal Oiler at AFRTS

Starts a little silly and its wonderful.  Roger Carroll and a Thursday show on AFRTS.  Roger was an amazing talent.  We did an internet station together a few years ago.  At almost 90, still smart as a whip.

Roger Carroll - 1972

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Comments

 We had a crazy spam problem with comments a few years ago.  I've turned it back on.  Let's hear from ..you...

Charlie Tuna 1995

Charlie was with us for 25 years, thousands of shows.  Thousands of us at the stations studying how to do that.  In 1995 AFRTS let all of the network jocks go.  The system changed.  From October 1995, here's Charlie Tuna's last show to the world on AFRTS.

Charlie Tuna  - last show

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Chris Noel 1967

Chris was the girl back home for Vietnam era troops.  In the beginning middle of the road music.  By 1968, she was rocking out.

She still supports the troops, with the Vetsville Ceasefire House.  Support our brothers with a donation.  Buy cool Chris Noel stuff.  Just click here

Let's hear Chris!

Chris Noel 1967

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Clark Taylor AFN 1978

 

Recently we lost Clark Taylor:

At AFN-SHAPE, I did the morning show for two years and since I was an experienced interviewer, I was tasked to interview most celebrities coming through Paris, Amsterdam, and Rotterdam.  So I met Jerry Lewis the actor in Paris, Abba and Barry Manilow in Holland and Merle Haggard and many others in Rotterdam.  Clark Taylor biography

AFN - Clark Taylor - CMA Awards 1978

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Jazz Beat 1985

 

We played a lot of jazz well into the 1980s and spread the music worldwide. In 1986 Laura Lee hosted the Jazz Beat, give a listen:

AFRTS Jazz Beat with Laura Lee 1985

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Charlie Tuna 1987

 

Somewhere on planet earth it was morning and Charlie Tuna was doing a morning show all day long, somewhere.  That's pretty awesome and it's something we probably won't see again.  In 1987 here's what it sounded  like:

Charlie Tuna - 1987

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Meet the Press 1967

 

In the 1960s we didn't have reliable network connections.  Sometimes shortwave.  Sometime the talk shows would be on transcription.  On this Meet The Press, it's Senator WIlliam Proxmire.

Meet the Press 1967

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Wolfman Jack - Halloween 1975

 

Happy Halloween Ellery Queen!

Wolfman Jack Halloween

Roger Carroll 1970

 

It was a long story but several years ago Roger wanted an internet station and I was thrilled to help.  He was in his 80s and still sharp as a whip.  I learned a lot and am grateful.

This is the show before Roger went to AFN to record some shows in 1970. from his original ET.  The Happy Hour continues!

Roger Carroll 1970

Signature Sounds jingles

 

In 1978 we got the Signature Sounds jingles.  It's been a while.  These transcriptions had "locking grooves", so they're awful to transfer.  But fun to hear again!  Crank it up!

Jingles 1978

Garry had heard part of this before....

Visit his YouTube page

Hospital Radio

 If you've been following the story, many troops were first exposed to military "radio" via closed circuit stations in US hospitals. 

I was looking for this to attach to that story. After the war, the stars toured the VA hospitals. This program would have been heard on the "Bedpan Network".
Here's a 1954 magazine story about The Bedside Radio Network

 From 1955, Rand's OTR is featuring a Hospital Radio show Hospital Radio Christmas Show 1955

Chris Noel 1969

 

Vetsville Cease Fire House

291 NE 19th Avenue

Boynton Beach, FL 33435

Phone: (561) 736-4325

FAX: (561) 736-4325

http://www.ceasefirehouse.org/

http://www.blogger.com/www.chrisnoel.com

We are running out of money to run our operation. It’s very hard to keep a charity going in the current economy, with most people struggling from paycheck to paycheck. Now, Cease Fire House is in danger of closing its doors forever. I need your help!

I’m Chris Noel. In Hollywood, I did films with Elvis and Steve McQueen. In Vietnam, I performed live, and my radio show was broadcast to our troops, both in Vietnam and worldwide.

Then, in 1993, I founded Vetsville Cease Fire House, a non-profit charity based in Florida that is dedicated to providing food, shelter and care for indigent military veterans.

Vets make great employees. They’re dependable team players who work with pride, but finding full-time employment is often extremely difficult. And that's where Vetsville Cease Fire House comes in. Among the great organizations sponsoring us are the Nam Knights MC, a group of police officers and Vietnam veterans.

We’re also sponsored by groups like Rolling Thunder, Paul Revere and the Raiders, “Good Morning Vietnam’s” Adrian Cronauer, and various community organizations. We also hold popular yearly fund-raisers such as Veterans Day celebrations and Rock ‘n’ Roll Sunday!

Our mission is to provide homeless American military veterans --regardless of race, creed, color, sex or age -- with food, shelter, and a secure environment as we aid them in returning to society. That’s our goal -- and Vetsville Cease Fire House is making it happen ... with the help of your generous contribution!

Thank You For Your Time!
Chris Noel

Date With Chris 1969

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Charlie Tuna 1983

 

Charlie in the movie "Rollercoaster"

Radio Hall of Fame member Charlie Tuna was great. A quarter century with AFRTS. 40 years on the air in Los Angeles. We lost a great talent. When I was overseas Charlie was one of the key voices of Armed Forces radio. See why...

Charlie Tuna - 1983

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Sports Interviews - 1943

 

Joe Hassle is back with Sports Interviews talking with early 1900s baseball legend Honus Wagner.

Sports Interviews - 1943

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Jim Pewter 1968

 

Dean Torrence, Jim Pewter, Jan Berry and Roger Christian
Photo copyright Playground Productions. thank you Jim!

Straight ahead, don't bunch up!

Jim Pewter 1968

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Melody Roundup 1943

 

George Hayes?  I felt pretty silly when I found out.  More good radio'

Melody Roundup 1943

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AFN 50th anniversary 1993

Memories of AFN

AFN Pam Windsor 1984

 

This came in on one of Chris's great tapes that he'd been saving for years.  When I asked Pam:

I left AFN in 1986, came back to the states, got a radio job in Roanoke, Virginia, then moved into TV and worked my way up to becoming News Director at the ABC Affiliate in Lynchburg, VA. Afterwards, I took a job at CNN International but my kids weren't happy in Atlanta so I ended up moving to Louisville, Kentucky to take an Executive Producer job at the NBC Affiliate. I'm currently not working in TV and am instead doing Public Relations but now that my youngest is in college, I'm thinking of trying to get back into something more fun. I'm still trying to figure out on exactly what that might be. :)

AFN Newswatch June 1984

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AFN and AFRTS jingles

 

 

Some days the jingles rock.  This is from several jingle packages. Some are voiced AFN, some voiced AFRTS.  Ed Tooma is on the voice drops.

 

Punch up a jingle

AFN and AFRTS jingles

Chris Noel 1968

 

During Vietnam, actress Chris Noel did the “Date With Chris” show, one of the most popular programs in the history of the network. There are some examples in the blog. Since the war she’s run a shelter for veterans, still fighting the good fight. Take 10 seconds and help a great person.  Now she needs your help.  Please do what you can. Vetsville

Date With Chris - 1968

s

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Love with Tony Pigg 1971

 

In 1971 no one was even sure what AOR was but Tony Pigg was doing it in New York at WPLJ. AFRTS was rockin..




"Love" with Tony Pigg

Love With Tony Pigg - 1971 More Tony Pigg

Bob KIngsley 1975

 

For someone who went on to host American Country Countdown, Bob Kingsley could sure rock up a storm.  Bob was an Air Force AFRS Iceland vet.  Take a listen:

Bob Kingsley 566 part 2

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Charlie Tuna 1973

 

Charlie and Michael Jackson

I used to do the morning show in Panama then run the Charlie Tuna show...and listen.  Charlie had an awful lot of what we wanted to grow up to be" Years later I was working at a station in Manchester and the PD was asked me how I could do content that wasn't cliché "topical" or "music related" but was 'one on one'.  It was something I think we learned from all of the AFRTS guys, but Charlie in particular.

Thanks for the memories!

Charlie Tuna - 1973

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Johnny Bond 1961

 

Johnny Bond did a lot of songs, movies and had a long term radio gig with AFRTS.  Archive.org has much of his music click here  He brought the back home music

Johnny Bond - 1961

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JIngles from the 70s

 

This is from one of the TM packages.  Stereo and  nice.

 

AFRTS jingles

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Silly spots

 

>

So somehow almost 50 years later, I'm still making silly spots.  Here's how they did it at AFN:

Finding sweet spot between informative and zany at AFN