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