I’ve been having fun listening to CDs of World War II broadcasts to the Armed Forces. The Armed Forces Radio Services was formally established on May 26, 1942.
Initially AFRS programming included transcribed commercial network radio shows such as the Kraft Music Hour without the commercials.
Soon numerous original AFRS programs such as Mail Call were added. Famous crooners (mostly Bing Crosby) and musicians (Tommy and Jimmy Dorsey, Duke Ellington) regaled their audiences with songs, dialogue, and jokes.
So much to learn about the “trivia” of the era . . . what new products were being advertised, and even how many ration points they would cost the buyer.
Delightful stuff! I may just keep on and on. (:
I remember wonderful radio programs; and the hours of music and talk that expanded my world upon saving enough to buy my own transistor radio. Books still had a prominent place in my life, but the radio connected me to the real world. I wasn’t alive during WWII, but as a baby boomer was somehow connected to it. LOL I do love swing music though. Glenn Miller, Tommy Dorsey, on and on… When I was serving in the military, the radio (mostly late night or on weekends) would help keep me connected to the world outside of where we were operating. Loved the post ma’am.
Gail, what a fascinating find! Thank you for sharing with us.
J.D., my dad played piano by ear and had a repertoire of Big Bands music. Even though I grew up during the 50’s and 60’s, I knew very little about rock music and the artists, but I could name you dozens of titles and recite the lyrics to a bunch of big bands music.