Sunday, December 29, 2013

RIP Mark White

One of the great voices of radio history has been silenced. After spending a wonderful Christmas day with his family, Mark White went to bed and passed away in his sleep 12/29/2013. He would have been 89 on the 2nd of January. Mark was the manager of AFN Berlin from the 1950s until 1988. He left behind a great legacy and many friends. (David Glen Andersen facebook feed)



News Censorship at AFVN during the Vietnam War

Saturday, December 28, 2013

Melody Roundup 1944

Melody Roundup brought top Western talent.  This time with Bob Nolan and the Sons of the Pioneers.

 
Hard to tell what the source material was 78s, radio transcriptions, movie soundtracks. 
 
 
 

Friday, December 27, 2013

GI Jive - 1946


Martha Wilkinson was one of the first big stars of AFRS.  During WWII there was a show called "GI Jive", one of the DJ shows.  Pretty non-descript until Martha became GI Jill and the voice of home.


Wednesday, December 25, 2013

Merry Christmas 2013

Merry Christmas and thank you for visiting.   It's been a nice year with family, my day job and people in general.  More and more people are stopping by every month so I guess it serves a purpose.

If you haven't checked in yet, you can email  afrts@live.com or facebook Thom Whetston or the afrtsarchive.blogspot.com page (click "Like" on that one).

Approximately every week I send out an email about what's new, sometimes asking questions, sometimes looking for people.  Just let me know if you'd like to be on the mailing list.

If you saved any recordings or memorabilia about the network, please let me know.  There are a lot of people that'd like to remember it.



Chris Noel

Sunday, December 22, 2013

Enchanted Keyboard - 1951

By the early 1950s radio had changed.  Prior to that the networks were doing great comedy, mystery variety shows and AFRTS could clip the commercials and send them out.  But now they were tasked with creating a lot of programs.  Many information and education programs were produced along with entertainment offerings.

"Enchanted Keyboard" was typical.  Classical piano with Don Thompson announcing.  Some wonderful talent was available to come in and play the piano.

On this broadcast, Edward Rebner

Friday, December 20, 2013

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 Ameche - 1965

"The Most Beautiful Sounds Around"  Orchestral music just isn't heard anymore.  Jim Ameche brought it to AFRTS.


Jim was a huge star during the "Golden Days of Radio" and managed to stay very successful as a DJ.


Tuesday, December 17, 2013

Connectivity

We're back on the air.  About a week ago Comcast pushed out an update that killed my Motorola SGB6580.  I managed to get it back to defaults and running again.  I own my modem, rather than paying the 7 bucks every month.

Yesterday it was the same thing and I couldn't get it back online.

I spent four years working for Comcast, getting modems activated and online.  I do know this stuff.

Just wanted to let you know that Comcast and Motorola have a long history of not playing well on certain Motorola models.



On with the show...


Sunday, December 15, 2013

Friday, December 13, 2013

Good Morning Vietnam - the real story

Paul Bottoms  let me know about this:

"Adrian Cronauer, Tony Booth who was at AFKN in Korea and I gave a presentation in February 2011 for two days at the Virginia War Memorial in Richmond."

Here's the first part:

Saturday, December 7, 2013

FEN - 1964 the start of the Vietnam War

Here's live coverage from FEN August 5th and 6th 1964 of the Gulf of Tonkin, pretty much the beginning of the Vietnam War.
 
 

Tuesday, November 26, 2013

This Is The Story - Red Ball Express 1946

During the 1940s there were a lot of programs on the stateside networks that were educational, in a good way.  The best of these were repackaged by AFRTS.



This is the Story - "Red Ball Express" with Louis Calhern narrating.  Label notes it was originally broadcast on "Warriors of Peace", June 9, 1946.



This Is The Story - Red Ball Express 1946

Wednesday, November 20, 2013

AFN Bremerhaven 1993 - Bill Boyd



Time for good morning, 1993 style.  Here's Bill Boyd at the "PowerStation"

Monday, November 18, 2013

Saturday, November 16, 2013

The AFRTS Story - 1962


In 1962 the network sent out their 20th anniversary broadcast.  Marvin Miller does a wonderful job.  Only thing that puzzles me is the muddy transfers of shows from the 1940s.   Good listening, time to reenlist!


Thursday, October 31, 2013

Post 1000

1,000 posts.  A bare minimum of 500 hours to listen to everything again.  Thank you for your part in our history.  Thank you for visiting.  Thank you for visiting our sponsors.  Be sure to tip the waitstaff!



AFN - Dave Malone - 1978 CMA Awards



We're up to the last part of the 1978 Network wide broadcast to celebrate the CMA awards.  From Frankfurt, here's Dave Malone.


Thanks Hans Knot for making these available!

Sunday, October 27, 2013

Golden Days Of Radio - War Of The Worlds


Frank Bresee is back with another look at radio's golden days.  Today it's part two of War Of The Worlds

 

AFN Berlin - Rik De Lisle 1978 CMA Awards


AFN's tribute to the 1978 CMA awards continues from Berlin with Rik De Lisle.

Small World - George Church - 1965


Some light music, interviews and companionship.  It's Small World with George Church.


Saturday, October 26, 2013

Adventures in Good Music - 1970

Detroit's Karl Haas was excited about his job.  For many years he put excitement into music from long gone composers.


AFRTS brought it worldwide.  Here's a 1970 visit.



Friday, October 25, 2013

AFKN Reunion

10/21/13
To: Thom Whetston
From:Brian Hartzell
Sent:Mon 10/21/13 10:27 PM
To: Thom Whetston (afrts@live.com)
I've been chatting with a couple of ex-AFKN vets who would like me to reopen the question of organizing an AFKN Reunion sometime in 2014 (probably September or October).  

Could you send out an email or Facebook message asking former AFKN staffers to make some suggestions as to what city (or part of the country) they would prefer such a reunion to be held? It is thought that we would have more success if we hosted the reunion in a city that is centrally located, although I don't necessarily believe that is true.  We are open to suggestions.

I, for instance, live in Ohio.  I know you live in Minnesota.  Dave McAlary lives in northern Virginia. Gary Theiman lives in southern California.  Etc., etc.  Some of our associates also live in Texas (seems popular to many as a retirement favorite).

Any thoughts...care to be a part of this conspiracy?

Brian E. Hartzell
Hartzell Consulting
"Fundraising & Public Relations Counsel to Nonprofits since 1979"

Thursday, October 24, 2013

FEN - Teens on Parade - 1960


The kids were dancing on the weekend in Tokyo.  From 1960 Dave Robinson and Ray Goodwin hosting a live show fun for the dependents.  Danny and the Red Coasters is our in studio band.  


Wednesday, October 16, 2013

AFN 1978 Country Music Awards - Jim Johnson

 
Our tribute to the 1978 Country Music awards continues (Thanks Hans Knot).  This time we go to AFN Bremerhaven and Jim Johnson
 

Just Music - 1967

Peaceful music for the dinner hour?  Music to keep the Colonels off our back?  We ran a lot of it.  During WWII we had a program called "At Ease", 15 minutes of uninterrupted orchestral music.  In 1967 it was the same thing, called "Just Music". 



Sunday, October 6, 2013

Sound Off - Bill Goodwin 1942

Here's the other side of a disk from a couple of months ago.  Before we had a network the government was sending radio shows to the field.  Announcer Bill Goodwin shows us a precursor to American Top 40:

 
 
 

Friday, October 4, 2013

AFN - Dick Beacham - Country Awards Show

Hans sent this one in.  In 1978 AFN Europe celebrated the Country Music Awards with a series of shows from all over the network.  Here's Dick Beacham with the first part

 
 
 
 
 

Thursday, September 26, 2013

The Army Hour - 1963 "Korea, A Decade of Courage"

AFKN was an Army "Meritorious Unit".  Everyone was authorized an additional ribbon while there.  The ribbon was authorized because of the war coverage.  Troops went to the field with huge tube powered recorders.  I've heard short clips of this before but this is the most complete version that I've ever heard.


The Army Hour was on NBC during WWII, ending up on Mutual by the 1960s. 

Thursday, September 12, 2013

Moog logos


This would be from roughly 1971. Parts of this have been posted before but this is complete.  The "TotalSound" Moog-logos.


Saturday, September 7, 2013

AFN Munich - Dick Dale 1981

And now "The Old Sarge"
 
 
I started like most, joining the Service, then attended Armed Forces Radio School, in Ft Ben. Harrison. That was by far..... the Best Schooling, anyone could receive. Bar None.  I was in the Service for only the 3 years enlistment. Spent all of my time, in Europe, except for one Year.. I'm thinking, was "On The Air" for Two of those Years. My final Year, was spent in the Information Office, on Okinawa/Japan.
 
Following my ETS, worked in Lexington, Ky, Sioux City, Iowa, and Kansas City.

That's It.
 
Retired from Radio, in 2008. I'm currently living in Northern California.
 
Many times I've been asked if I'm the Dick Dale, of the Del-Tones. (Misserloo)

I just say "No.....but I can play Wipe Out, with my thumbs on the Dashboard of
My Car" That usually ends the conversation!
 
Best Regards,
Dick Dale
  

Friday, September 6, 2013

Brian Hartzell - AFKN 1972

My AFKN story isn't the most exciting, although I enjoyed my nine-plus month tour of duty in the Land of the Mourning Clam. Arrived in country the day after Thanksgiving 1972.  Was assigned to AFKN News, prepared and announced newscasts for AM radio, occasionally assigned to handle a "Ten O'Clock News" on weekend  TV and the all-important "Newsbeat: Korea" which I once called "Nosebleed Korea" on-air (purely by accident).  After about five months, I asked for a transfer to serve as Program Director for AFKN-FM which was pretty much a one-man job programming the FM automated system, create some one-hour programs, etc.  


I worked with Bobby Zix (now Kamasami Kong in Japan), Jim Kane (AF-SSG who moved on to AFN-Ramstein, etc.) and Dave McAlary (career at VOA) and Wally Cornelison (who went back to AFKN in the role of civilian director of TV operations), both retired and still in touch on occasion.  Bruce Dortin was a contemporary. Have lots of stories, but little tape.  


Somewhere, oh, somewhere, I've got a couple of reel-to-reel tapes with airchecks  that I thought might be helpful finding a part-time radio job during grad school, but never used them.  My broadcasting career was brief. I got the assignment originally because I had radio experience in college and a few months before the lottery called my number.


Received early discharge in late August 1973 to attend graduate school at Kent State (just three years after the shootings). Studied journalism/public relations. Went into public relations counseling full-time for eight years, switched to non-profit work as executive director of two Ronald McDonald Houses, gaining fundraising skills over 19 years.  Worked in fundraising for two additional hospitality house programs (another ten years), then a hospice and finally as a consultant (now) as I approach semi-retirement. 



Brian E. Hartzell
Hartzell Consulting
"Fundraising & Public Relations Counsel to Nonprofits since 1979"

Monday, September 2, 2013

Laurie Allen 1990

Laurie's trek began in Morris, Minnesota.  Then it was a journey through the Midwest.  California called then San Francisco and Los Angeles and AFRTS.  Laurie can be heard now on Go Country 105 an in syndication over Dial Global.



But this was a classic rocking Thursday...

Friday, August 30, 2013

From The Library....

I am so grateful when someone chooses to share their radio shows through this blog.  A lot of you have sent your air checks in and it's great.  It's a perspective of the stations that just can't be done any other way.  Thank you.  Its what this is all about.  AFN, AFKN, AFVN, SCN  and the rest.  I hear similarities and differences of my experience.  I hope that you do too. 
 
Every week the AFRTS-LA guys were presented with copies of the transcriptions that we used in the field.  Like anyone who's ever been a DJ most of the time they weren't saved.
 
Joe Ferguson was the first of the AFRTS guys to send his transcriptions in for us all to hear.  Those 1983 shows were the same ones that I had run in Panama. 
 
Last month, Roger Carroll sent in a huge box of ETs of his shows.  I was glad.  Didn't have enough Happy Hours.  Once again the same programs I had run before.  I've talked with about his life and career. 
 
A few weeks ago Chris Noel asked if I'd be able to take care of and share her shows.  The logistics on that one were a story in themselves.  Chris managed to save most of her shows.  You will be hearing them.
 
 
 
 
 
I'm honored to have the chance to transfer these and make them available.  Thank you Chris, Roger, Joe and everyone else that's shared with us.

Thursday, August 29, 2013

AFRTS Adak Alaska - Michael Brown 1970


A while back Michael Brown send a bunch of shows that he did in Adak.  Time for another, this was shortly after he arrived...

 

Wednesday, August 28, 2013

Sound Off - 1942


Johnson Mercer has more of the countdown you called for in "Sound Off".  Sound Off is older than AFRS.  These programs were distributed on 12" vinyl like V-Disks.  I've heard there were disks with rebroadcasts of network shows, I've just never actually seen one.  The joint is jumpin'... Sound Off!!

Sunday, August 25, 2013

Frank Bresee is on the air!

Some good news in the mail...
 
08/25/2013
 
Hi Thom,
 
I am Frank Bresee's producer on the Yesterday USA Radio networks.  Frank was on AFRTS from 1965 to 1994 with his Golden Days of Radio show.  Roger Carroll mentioned you to Frank and I am dropping you a note.  Frank is still on the air with me on Friday night at 7-30 Pm West coast and his Golden Days Radio show is heard during the week at different times on our networks at www.yesterdayusa.com 

Take care,
Walden Hughes 

Friday, August 23, 2013

Sagebrush Theatre 1970


From 1942 onward the radio networks sent their shows to AFRTS for rebroadcast to the troops.  The network saved those and over the years repackaged them many times.  I'd love to see a picture of what the library looked like at McCadden Place.  Comedy shows, Mystery shows.  This is from Western shows.  "Fort Laramie" starred a pre Perry Mason/Ironside Raymond Burr. 

 

Tuesday, August 20, 2013

Countdown August 2013

Here are the most popular shows of the last two weeks!

Saturday, August 17, 2013

Jim Ameche 1968

Jim Ameche had the relaxing sounds.  He had a high profile easy listening show.  Jim's career started in 1930s radio as the original "Jack Armstrong, the All-American Boy"

When brother Don Ameche left the Chase and Sanborn Show, Jim signed on as the announcer.  He had many successes in the Golden Days of Radio.

By the 1950s he was a successful DJ in Los Angeles and New York and started syndicating a nationwide DJ show.  Around this time he signed with AFRTS and continued well into the 1960s.  We lost Jim in 1983.

 

Friday, August 16, 2013

Frank Bresee update


Good news from Roger Carroll.  Frank Bresee had a stroke a while back.  Rehab is going so well that he will be vacationing in England.
  In the late 1960s and early 70s, Frank Bresee would stop by Roger's KMPC show and share memories of the Golden Days of Radio.  Here are a couple of visits.  Thanks RC!

Sunday, August 11, 2013

Facebook

A Lot of our AFRTS-LA friends are on facebook. 

Gene Price

Charlie Tuna

Roger Carroll

LaRita Shelby

Chris Noel

Roland Bynum

Do you know any others?  They'd all like to hear from you!



Sunday, August 4, 2013

Downbeat 1942

We didn't quite exist yet, but there were plans. The War Department was distributing radio programming on 12" disks. These disks could be sent wherever the troops were. Welcome to Box B.
 


AFN Small World 1964 George Church

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.
 


Spike Jones had an interesting life Spike Jones at Wikipedia

Sunday, July 21, 2013

AFN has cool promo items


When I was doing this on the other side of the mic, one of my biggest complaints was the lack of promo items.  Sean sent a bundle of what they're doing now.  Stickers, temporary tattoos, bags, pencils, key chains and such.  Promo items have always re-enforced the branding.  More and more like stateside radio, in a good way..

Tuesday, July 16, 2013

AFN Bremerhaven 1992


In 1992 AFN Bremerhaven took the Keith L Ware award.
Here's why:


Great sounding station!  Thanks Bill Boyd!



Jim Ameche 1964

Sometimes I miss "beautiful music", orchestral arrangements mostly of pop songs of the 1930s-1960s.  It was the rhythm of the grocery stores.  AFRTS had a history of playing it, going back to WWII.  Carrying the mantle in the 1960s was Jim Ameche.  Jim had been a big radio star in the "Golden Days of Radio" but his big success was being the first to nationally syndicate a DJ show. 

In 1964, we heard "The Best Sounds Around"
 
 
 

Thursday, July 11, 2013

AFKN 1969 Year End Show - Roger Schulman

And now from Yongsan, Roger Schulman who later did big things in Tampa radio.  In 1969 he escorted us through decades of hits!.
 
 
I can't find a current location for Roger, but this was a couple of years ago:
 
 

Thursday, July 4, 2013

AFN Berlin - Mark White 1967


 
Mark White went to AFN during the 1950s and stayed to be the voice of America to several generations.  Here's Mark with some swinging sounds, 1967
 

Sunday, June 30, 2013

TP-191

 
 
 
 
 
 
EMI records has blocked Red's version in the US
 

Paul Bottoms and AFVN

About 2000-2001 a Dallas station was running a weekend feature show and ran a AFVN aircheck.
Paul Bottoms heard it and emailed.  It was his show.  He called in the next week and talked about AFVN.

Paul sent in an aircheck of that broadcast.
 
 
 

Happy Birthday AFN Europe!

Since the 4th of July 1943 AFN Europe has been making us proud.