American Jukebox™
May 23, 2020 4:00 PM – 6:00 PM
With Garrett Stack
AFVN: The GI's Companion
For ten years, the Armed Forces Vietnam Network (AFVN) radio served as a lifeline to "home" for the millions who served in Vietnam and southeast Asia.
Americans in Vietnam between 1963 and 1973, without a doubt listened to the programs on AFVN, Armed Forces Vietnam Network. They were a big deal. There was no internet or email. The best way to connect with "home" was with the stateside vibe coming from the radio: news, information, "commercials" that were actually PSA's geared toward the troops, and most of all the music. Pop, rock, soul, folk and country all held their own on the programs heard on AFVN.
AFVN was staffed by military personnel with few exceptions. Your "job" in Vietnam just may have been as a broadcaster on one of the shifts coming from the radio 24/7. The 1987 film, Good Morning Vietnam starring Robin Williams, made one such broadcaster, Adrian Cronauer, famous. What you probably don't know is that for his two year stint in the Army, Wheel of Fortune's Pat Sajak did the Dawn Buster show with the famous opener GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOD MORNING VIETNAM starting at 06:00 each day.
This edition of American Jukebox features the actual air checks of the voices of AFVN, and with careful editing, weaves the music into the soundtrack for a robust hi-def sound. The air checks came from the collection of Marine Sergeant Harry Simons, a prominent AFVN DJ who did two rock 'n' roll shifts a day - morning and night. The tapes also hold several other voices and programs. Town and Country, for the country and western leaning GI's and Chris Noel's A Date With Chris are also featured in the program. In 2015, WEBY in Pensacola, FL put a 10-hour special together master-minded by WEBY's Mike Bates and Harry Simons, USMC Retired. Portions of that 2015 broadcast have been used to create this two-hour special edition of American Jukebox. Without these men, all this history would be lost.
If you're a Vietnam Vet you'll be turned back to another time and place. For those of us who weren't in Vietnam, this is the "taste of home" that we were used to and they longed for. The program is dedicated to the 3.4 million Americans who served in Vietnam and to the memory of more than 58,000 who died there.
4:01 PM | The M.G.'s Green Onions (Remastered) 100 Hits of the 60's Carter Lane - OMiP
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4:04 PM | Martha and the Vandellas Nowhere To Run Best Of MBOB DIRECT - BLACK CAT
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4:07 PM | The Grass Roots Where Were You When I Needed You 20th Century Masters: The Millennium Collection: Best Of The Grass Roots GEFFEN
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4:10 PM | Jay & The Americans This Magic Moment Come A Little Bit Closer Capitol Records
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4:13 PM | Desmond Dekker and The Aces Isralelites Reggae Gold 2013 VP Records
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4:16 PM | The Beatles Get Back - Remastered 2009 The Beatles 1967 - 1970 (Remastered) Universal Music
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4:20 PM | Clarence Carter Slip Away Almost Famous (Music From The Motion Picture) Universal Music
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4:23 PM | The Doors Touch Me ( LP Version ) The Soft Parade Rhino/Elektra
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4:26 PM | Bill Deal May I Best Of Bill Deal & The Rhondells Heritage Records
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4:29 PM | The Mamas & The Papas I Saw Her Again Best Of The Mamas & The Papas - Superstar Series Strategic Marketing
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4:32 PM | The Supremes The Composer The Best Of Diana Ross & The Supremes Anthology Motown
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4:35 PM | Jose Feliciano Marley Purt Drive The Definite Best RCA/Legacy
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4:40 PM | Sonny Charles And The Checkmates Ltd Black Pearl Love Is All We Have To Give Universal Music Ireland Ltd.
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4:44 PM | Andy Kim Shoot 'Em Up Baby Andy Kim/Jeff Barry Steed
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4:50 PM | Petula Clark Don't Give Up The Ultimate Petula Clark BMG Heritage
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4:54 PM | The Doors Hello, I Love You Waiting For The Sun Rhino
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4:57 PM | SSgt. Barry Sadler The Ballad Of The Green Berets Nipper's Greatest Hits 60's Vol. 2 RCA Records Label
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5:03 PM | Merle Haggard It's Not Love (But It's Not Bad) The Very Best of, Vol. 1 Sony ATV
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5:08 PM | Conway Twitty Hello Darlin' The Ultimate Classic Country Collection StarPointe Records
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5:10 PM | Tanya Tucker Delta Dawn 16 Biggest Hits Columbia/Legacy
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5:13 PM | Bobby Bare Detroit City Jukebox Hits, Vol. 8 2011 Classic Records
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5:16 PM | Buck Owens Cryin' Time Act Naturally, Vol. 3 Country Music Group
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5:19 PM | Hank Locklin Dear Ole Ryman T. Howard single 45 RCA Records Label
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5:22 PM | Johnny Cash Oney Life Columbia/Legacy
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5:27 PM | Peter, Paul And Mary Leaving On A Jet Plane The Best Of Peter, Paul And Mary: Ten Years Together Elektra Records
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5:32 PM | Dionne Warwick Promises, Promises Promises, Promises (US Release) Rhino
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5:35 PM | Johnny Rivers Poor Side Of Town Secret Agent Man: The Ultimate Johnny Rivers Anthology 1964-2006 Shout Factory
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5:38 PM | Johnny Nash Hold Me Tight The Reggae Collection Epic/Legacy
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5:41 PM | Magic Lanterns Shame Shame Colley/Henderson Magic Lanterns, Shame Shame: The Complete Recordings Cloud 9 Music
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5:44 PM | The New Christy Minstrels Reach Out (I'll Be There) On Tour Through Motortown Columbia/Legacy
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5:48 PM | Gene Chandler & Barbara Acklin From The Teacher To The Preacher The Brunswick Years Vol. 1 Brunswick Records
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5:51 PM | Neil Diamond Brother Love's Traveling Salvation Show The Very Best Of Sony Legacy
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5:55 PM | Frank Sinatra Cycles Cycles Universal Music
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5:58 PM | Mason Williams Greensleeves traditional Classical Gas Warner Brothers
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