Tony Booth AFKN 1969

Tony in Stars and Stripes

It's always great to hear the stories.  Tony Booth shared his:

My time doing "Good Morning, Korea" from 1968-1970 are some of my most fond memories of my 51+ years in broadcasting.  Just so happened I was lucky enough to have Lt. Col. Frank Tennant as the CO at AFKN when I arrived and his support of the entire unit was a credit to his career. (Just so happens that tomorrow 10/28) is his birthday so Happy Birthday, Colonel.)

The unit had some of the best talent probably assembled in the Army at the time except in Vietnam since so many of us were drafted.  I volunteered for the draft so I could get AFRTS (remember the MOS? 71Q and 71R).

To those who served with me in those years regardless of what you did or where you were stationed, let me say "Welcome Home."  I heard that for the first time about 5 years ago.

Today in addition to hosting my afternoon show at Big Oldies 107.3 in Richmond, Va (Bigoldies1073.com on the web), I do about 35-40 hours a month at the USO/Richmond International Airport.  The rewards are endless. Someone asked me recently if my dedication to those in uniform today had anything to do with the way we/I was treated when I came back home from Korea and the Vietnam War was still the hot topic, I said, "maybe a little but, honestly, I like the fact I get a new audience about every hour and can tell my jokes and stories and the only ones bored are the other volunteers...LOL"

Here's Tony at AFKN

Tony Booth

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Chris Noel 1970

A few years ago, Chris sent her original disks for us to share.  Wonderful radio.  When I was in Korea, several years of her shows were saved at the TDC station.  Great listening then and now.

Date With Chris - 1970

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AFN 1982 RIP MIke Sutton

AFN photographer PV1 Bruce Scott who also lost his life in the crash that day

Click here to download an easier to read copy of the story

Roger Carroll 1928-2019

We lost Roger on 7/31/2019.  He was in the ICU, with family and it was peaceful.

I knew Roger for about 10 years.  We'd trade stories and argue, always repectful  It was the internet.  He had saved a few boxes of his shows, which he sent over so we could hear them here on the blog.  It was gracious.

A few years ago he told me "I have Roger Carroll Radio".  When I figured out what that actually meant, he had a URL.  That would just be the start.  We talked about what would be necessary to do something with it.  Someone else eventually setup a website, with streaming that was sort of functional.  I sent over the audio I had.  I don't blame the guy who set it up, there aren't many web folks with broadcast experience.

Roger and the other guy had a falling out and he asked if I could help,  Took a couple hours and http://rogercarrollbestsoundsintown.com was on the air.  He loved it.  Smaller scale but it was being the front office again.  So for the last few years, I'd keep it running.  RC would let me know what he liked and didn't like and I'd tune it up.

At almost 90 he was very, very sharp.  Every idea made sense and made it better.  

I was doing some shows, all of the promos. He would give me critiques. Things that held me back when I did this for a living he saw immediately.

We'd chat, he sure could tell stories of an amazing life, career and family.

Roger started at a small station in Maryland, was one of the first announcers for the newly formed ABC network.  Went to work for Gene Autry at KMPC, did voiceover for CBS, decades with AFRTS.  

He made my life better.  He was a friend.

Roger Carroll shows

Roger Carroll 1966

Celebrating the Happy Hour wit Roger Carroll

http://rogercarrollbestsoundsintown.com 

I'm ready for my fix of the Best Sounds in Town.  Roger was a giant of the industry.  Top DJ, network radio and television announcer and three decades with the worlds largest radio network.  All of that when it really did matter.  Let's remember 1966

Roger Carroll 1966

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The Whistler 1946

The Whistler ran from 1942-55 in the states.  Sometimes nationally, sometimes only in the Western states. There were movies, books.  It was big.  AFRTS had it many times well into the 80s.  In the 1981 run it had apparently been picked up by a syndicator.

This appears to be an early 60s reissue of a 1946 show. The lawyer for the biggest crook in town finds himself the only witness that can convict his client. The story has a surprising and uncharacteristic finale.

The Whistler - The Trigger Man

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Adventures In Good Music 1970

Karl Haas at WJR

Classical music had a home on AFRTS.  The lead for that was Karl Haas.  He started his program in Detroit in 1959.  Somewhere in the early 60s it was picked up by AFRTS.  "Adventures in Good Music" became the world's most listened to classical music program.

The theme music for Adventures in Good Music was the 2nd movement from Beethoven's "Pathétique" Sonata (Sonata No. 8 in C minor), performed by Haas himself.

Adventures in Good Music 1970

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AFVN Steve Sandoz 1969

From the late AFVN'er Paul Bottoms.  Steve's daughter wanted to hear dad.  It's the 1969 AFVN year end countdown

Chris Noel 1968

Chris has a book about filming the movie "Beach Ball".  Take a look Click here.  In 1968, she was on AFRTS making some amazing radio.  Thank you Chris!

Date With Chris - 1968

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Chris Noel 1971

Chris Noel - 1963

Chris did the show during the height of the Vietnam War and toured the theater several times.  Thanks for everything Chris!

Please consider supporting homeless vets through Ceasefire House, Chris runs this in Florida Click here

Date With Chris - 1971

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Jingles, what time IS is?

The the MISC library there were many generic jingle packages.  One of them with a very hokey band and these lyrics:

 

"For the best music on wax

it's time to sit back and relax

with your favorite disk jockey show"

 

How could I not play that?

What I did find recently was MISC-249

Jingle time

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Did you have a favorite jingle?

Roger Carroll 1980

He sure kept busy! 

 Stop by Roger's  Roger's Facebook page and say hi.  Hear all of the greats on http://rogercarrollbestsoundsintown.com 24 hours a day.  

Roger Carroll - 1980

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LaRita Shelby 1994

I'm always going to be grateful to LaRita and Roger Carroll for helping us get a LOT of new material.  In there was a bunch of her AFRTS shows.  Wonderful radio.  Take a listen!

LaRita Shelby 1994

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Well, that's unusual.

If you've been battling with this trying to play/download stuff, just wanted to let you know that's all been fixed.  Apologies and thanks for your support!!!

Roger Carroll 1979

Roger Carroll and Los Angeles radio were the same thing. From 1948-58 at KABC and 1959-79 at Gene Autry's KMPC.

"KMPC was one of the most successful radio stations in the country, and had the lineup -- the most envied talent in the radio business," said Roger Carroll, who played records on KMPC. The key to their success, he said, was a rapport with the audience. "Everybody who listened to the station thought we were their friends."

Roger brought that sound to McCadden Av. and AFTRS. Part of the reason he related so well was that he was one of the few network personalities that were a veteran.

"I served two years active duty 1953-55 then 26 years doing my AFRTS show every Tuesday for five hours....my William Morris agents knew and told clients who wanted me to do their voice overs he is not available Tues 8a-1p doing his AFTRS shows many client who served in the military we will wait for him..."

Roger said it was very special "when parents of our guys in Viet Nam and around the world would call me at KMPC or write a letter, telling me their son wanted to thank me for doing the show that they hear on AFVN, FEN, AFN and all around the world."

Mr. Carroll's company was responsible for the recruiting shows done by Gene Price, Roland Bynum and himself heard every Sunday morning on hundreds of radio stations in the 70s and 80s


The theme was an edit of one of the KMPC jingles . Harry Zimmerman Orchestra.

Roger Carroll - 1979

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Bob Kingsley 1974

Bob was an AFRS Keflevik vet (1960), then a career of jocking around Los Angeles before becoming the longtime voice of American Country Countdown for many years. In the mid-70s he was doing an AFRTS rock show. Bob is still Doing the Country Top 40 Visit the website, listen to the show!

Bob Kingsley - 1974
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Polka Party - 1961

Dick Sinclair was one of our first jocks.  He was in that first class at Fox Film studios in 1943, went to the Mosquito Network.  When he got back he made polka music incredibly popular, a syndicated radio show, several TV shows.  He loved his work.  By the 1950s Polka Party was on AFRTS and continued through the late 1960s.

Polka Party - 1961

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AFKN-FM 1968

Once upon a time, automation wasn't a horrible thing.  We had fun on the AM and the Colonels listened to the FM.  Good trade.  Some day I'll tell you about the first live assist systems...

But in 1968 here were the liners for AFKN-FM.  

AFKN FM 1968

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Chris Noel 1967

Chris Noel in "Get Yourself A College Girl"

And another great hour of music.  Chris had been doing the show for almost a year and she connects.

Date With Chris - 1967

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AFRS Alaska 1944

TIME OUT from pool game to listen on the radio.  Portable radios are furnished by the Special Service division of the Army.  Radio reception is not too good in most sections of the Highway, due perhaps to mountains, mineral deposits, and Northern Lights.  Pool tables are, however, a late addition to most camps.  They were furnished by the American Red Cross.

(The Alaska Highway "Truck Tracks" 16 Feb 1944)

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.

Story of Iwo Jima

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AFVN Gary Gears 1968

After 1968...

So Gary Gears was drafted, promptly aggravated the higher ups and was taken off of his DJ shows.  After that Gary spent a lot of hours in the production room practicing and keeping his chops..

AFVN Gary Gears 1968

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