Welcome to OTRCAT.com: Old Time Radio Catalog
Loading. Please wait...

Phonograph Album (AFRS)

The Armed Forces Radio Service realized that the troops in the field would not be able to carry their album collection into the field, so they came up with the Phonograph Album program.

Phonograph Album

30 old time radio show recordings
(total playtime 7 hours, 2036 min)
available in the following formats:

1 MP3 CD
or
8 Audio CDs


Choose your CD format
or order disks individually: Add to Cart
Add to wishlist
Play a sample episode :

"Duke Ellington: Lazy Rhapsody"



... or click here to save the Mp3 file to your computer
Print

Text on OTRCAT.com ©2001-2024 OTRCAT INC All Rights Reserved. Reproduction is prohibited.

The fact that there is now a whole generation of kids who have never seen, let alone held and played a phonograph album is no longer shocking. What might be is that there is a generation of audiophiles who grew up during the digital age who crave the richness and honesty of analog vinyl recording.

Those of us who came of age during the vinyl age can appreciate the sentiment. Playing music "files" is certainly a convenient way to enjoy your tunes. It is possible to store thousands of songs in a tiny space, and they can be enjoyed in any order the listener desires with just a few clicks of a button. Listening to a vinyl album required an entirely different level of care and effort, especially if you cared about your music and your albums.

Probably the biggest drawback to the vinyl 33 1/3 rpm Long Playing (LP) record album was its relative fragility, although it was far and away superior to what had come before. Thomas Edison invented his phonograph in 1877 as a "telephone repeater" for recording and playing back conversations similarly to the telegrapher repeater he was working on. From the end of the 1880s until the early years of the Twentieth Century, wax cylinders were marketed in both Edison's "phonograph" format and Columbia Record's "graphophone" formats. German-American inventor Emile Berliner also began experimenting with sound recording in 1887, but rather that recording on a rotating cylinder, the sound was recorded on a horizontally rotating disk. This made recording moderately more complex than on the cylinder, but "pressing" a copy of the disk was a much simpler process than with a cylinder. Berliner was granted a patent for what he called a "gramophone".

The earliest disk records were made from a shellac-based compound which often included two-thirds mineral filler (ground rock) and cotton fiber for added tensile strength. The resultant mixture was an unattractive gray color, so carbon black was added which became the standard. The components of the shellac mixture were abrasive, which did little for the sound quality of the recordings, and their brittleness meant they were easily broken. 78-rpm became the standard playing speed and a 10-inch disk held about three minutes of material on a side. Record sellers began offering printed and bound cardboard record sleeves (usually with a circular cutout so the record label could read) so their customers could keep their disks in an "album" as they would their family photographs, and record makers followed up on the idea by offering a set of disks all with the same artist as albums; on a four-disk album there would be eight songs.

Hal kempRCA Victor first began offering 12-inch vinyl disks for a 33&1/3-rpm playback in 1931, but because consumers were not prepared to upgrade their playback equipment as the Depression deepened, the format did not take off. The superior playback of vinyl made it attractive for more professional applications, however, such as radio transcription disks. When shellac became scarce during the War, V-Discs were pressed using vinyl in a six minute per side 12-inch, 78-rpm format.

Columbia began releasing 33&1/3-rpm "LPs" with their new "microgroove" technology in 1948. RCA Victor, unwilling to accept their competitor's licensed standard countered with 45-rpm singles which became prized possessions of the emerging "teenie-bopper" generation. However, listening to a stack of "45s" was seldom as satisfying as enjoying an entire album.

The Armed Forces Radio Service (soon to be renamed the Armed Forces Radio and Television Service) realized that the troops in the field would not be able to carry their album collection into the field, so they came up with the Phonograph Album program. Each episode would open with the announcer revealing the artist and the title of the album. After reading the track list (or at least the tracks that would fit in the allotted quarter hour), the songs would be played without interruption. Afterward, the tracklist would be reread and the announcer signed off.

Even after the War, AFRS was known for providing innovating and high-quality programming that the folks back home were missing out on, so a recording of someone playing a record seems a little underwhelming, but the music is all first class and features some of the most popular acts of the period.

Text on OTRCAT.com ©2001-2024 OTRCAT INC All Rights Reserved. Reproduction is prohibited.

These classic recordings are available in the following formats:

  • Show Rating

    1
    1     0


    COMMENTS

    Be the first to comment on "Phonograph Album"


    Leave a comment

    You have reached the maximum number of votes for a unregistered user.

    Please login or create a new account to continue...

    You have reached the maximum number to down votes in this page.

  • MP3 CDs are delivered by mail. These archival quality MP3 CDs are playable in your computer and many MP3 player devices.



    30 recordings on 1 MP3 CD for just $5.00. Total playtime 7 hours, 2036 min
    30 recordings on 1 MP3 CD for just $5.00
    total playtime 7 hours, 2036 min
    Add MP3 CD Collection to Cart

    1. 30 shows – total playtime 7 hours, 33 minutes
    2. PA 001 Glenn Miller In Mood .mp3
    3. PA 002 Duke Ellington Lazy Rhapsody.mp3
    4. PA 005 Dinning Sisters Once In While.mp3
    5. PA 006 Rca Victor Album Smoke Rings My Reverie Larry Clinton.mp3
    6. PA 011 Lene Horne Stormy Weather.mp3
    7. PA 012 Hal Kemp Memorial Album Speak Your Heart.mp3
    8. PA 015 Bunny Berrigan Jelly Roll Blues.mp3
    9. PA 016 Russ Columbo Auf Wiedersein.mp3
    10. PA 019 Songs Of Services Victor Military Band.mp3
    11. PA 020 Russian Master Singers In Dark Room.mp3
    12. PA 029 Hurtado Brothers Royal Marimba Band.mp3
    13. PA 030 Songs Of Red Army Boatmen Of Volga.mp3
    14. PA 037 Favorite Love Songs Frank Munn I Love You Truly.mp3
    15. PA 038 Cmsolbs Clhloe Dinah Shore.mp3
    16. PA 053 Juan Arvizu Troubado Of Americas Rancho Alegre.mp3
    17. PA 054 Cmsolbs Running Wild.mp3
    18. PA 057 Paul Weston Music For Dreaming Only Eyes You.mp3
    19. PA 058 Lani Mcintyre Aloha Hawaii Sweet Constancy.mp3
    20. PA 081 Johnny Noble Hawaiians Kings Serenade.mp3
    21. PA 082 Glenn Miller Iv String Of Pearls.mp3
    22. PA 095 Eddie Duchin Music Of George Gershwin.mp3
    23. PA 096 Morton Gould Concert I Espana Cani.mp3
    24. PA 097 Morton Gould Concert Ii Dark Eyes.mp3
    25. PA 098 Ambrose Night Ride.mp3
    26. PA 107 Hot Jazz Mckinneys Cotton Pickers Rocky Road.mp3
    27. PA 108 Ozzie Nelson Campus Favorites Washington Lee Swing.mp3
    28. PA 135 Raymond Paige Musical Americana Ii Night And Day.mp3
    29. PA 136 Raymond Paige Musical Americana Ii La Cumparsito.mp3
    30. PA 139 Cugats Favorite Rhumbas Begin Beguine.mp3
    31. PA 140 Kostelanetz Conducts I Solitude.mp3
  • MP3 downloads are available instantly after purchase!



    30 recordings on 1 MP3 Collection Download for just $5.00. Total playtime 7 hours, 2036 min
    30 recordings on 1 MP3 Collection Download for just $5.00
    201 MB – total playtime 7 hours, 33 min
    Add Instant Download Collection to Cart

    1. 30 shows – 201 MB – total playtime 7 hours, 33 minutes
    2. PA 001 Glenn Miller In Mood .mp3
    3. PA 002 Duke Ellington Lazy Rhapsody.mp3
    4. PA 005 Dinning Sisters Once In While.mp3
    5. PA 006 Rca Victor Album Smoke Rings My Reverie Larry Clinton.mp3
    6. PA 011 Lene Horne Stormy Weather.mp3
    7. PA 012 Hal Kemp Memorial Album Speak Your Heart.mp3
    8. PA 015 Bunny Berrigan Jelly Roll Blues.mp3
    9. PA 016 Russ Columbo Auf Wiedersein.mp3
    10. PA 019 Songs Of Services Victor Military Band.mp3
    11. PA 020 Russian Master Singers In Dark Room.mp3
    12. PA 029 Hurtado Brothers Royal Marimba Band.mp3
    13. PA 030 Songs Of Red Army Boatmen Of Volga.mp3
    14. PA 037 Favorite Love Songs Frank Munn I Love You Truly.mp3
    15. PA 038 Cmsolbs Clhloe Dinah Shore.mp3
    16. PA 053 Juan Arvizu Troubado Of Americas Rancho Alegre.mp3
    17. PA 054 Cmsolbs Running Wild.mp3
    18. PA 057 Paul Weston Music For Dreaming Only Eyes You.mp3
    19. PA 058 Lani Mcintyre Aloha Hawaii Sweet Constancy.mp3
    20. PA 081 Johnny Noble Hawaiians Kings Serenade.mp3
    21. PA 082 Glenn Miller Iv String Of Pearls.mp3
    22. PA 095 Eddie Duchin Music Of George Gershwin.mp3
    23. PA 096 Morton Gould Concert I Espana Cani.mp3
    24. PA 097 Morton Gould Concert Ii Dark Eyes.mp3
    25. PA 098 Ambrose Night Ride.mp3
    26. PA 107 Hot Jazz Mckinneys Cotton Pickers Rocky Road.mp3
    27. PA 108 Ozzie Nelson Campus Favorites Washington Lee Swing.mp3
    28. PA 135 Raymond Paige Musical Americana Ii Night And Day.mp3
    29. PA 136 Raymond Paige Musical Americana Ii La Cumparsito.mp3
    30. PA 139 Cugats Favorite Rhumbas Begin Beguine.mp3
    31. PA 140 Kostelanetz Conducts I Solitude.mp3
  • Standard Audio CDs are delivered by mail on archival quality media with up to 60 minutes on each CD and play in all CD players



    30 recordings on 8 Audio CDs. Total playtime 7 hours, 33 min
    30 recordings on 8 Audio CDs
    total playtime 7 hours, 33 min

    Phonograph Album Disc A001

    1. PA 001 Glenn Miller In Mood
    2. PA 002 Duke Ellington Lazy Rhapsody
    3. PA 005 Dinning Sisters Once In While
    4. PA 006 Rca Victor Album Smoke Rings My Reverie Larry Clinton

    Add Audio CD to Cart - $5.00
    Phonograph Album Disc A002

    1. PA 011 Lene Horne Stormy Weather
    2. PA 012 Hal Kemp Memorial Album Speak Your Heart
    3. PA 015 Bunny Berrigan Jelly Roll Blues
    4. PA 016 Russ Columbo Auf Wiedersein

    Add Audio CD to Cart - $5.00
    Phonograph Album Disc A003

    1. PA 019 Songs Of Services Victor Military Band
    2. PA 020 Russian Master Singers In Dark Room
    3. PA 029 Hurtado Brothers Royal Marimba Band
    4. PA 030 Songs Of Red Army Boatmen Of Volga

    Add Audio CD to Cart - $5.00
    Phonograph Album Disc A004

    1. PA 037 Favorite Love Songs Frank Munn I Love You Truly
    2. PA 038 Cmsolbs Clhloe Dinah Shore
    3. PA 053 Juan Arvizu Troubado Of Americas Rancho Alegre
    4. PA 054 Cmsolbs Running Wild

    Add Audio CD to Cart - $5.00
    Phonograph Album Disc A005

    1. PA 057 Paul Weston Music For Dreaming Only Eyes You
    2. PA 058 Lani Mcintyre Aloha Hawaii Sweet Constancy
    3. PA 081 Johnny Noble Hawaiians Kings Serenade
    4. PA 082 Glenn Miller Iv String Of Pearls

    Add Audio CD to Cart - $5.00
    Phonograph Album Disc A006

    1. PA 095 Eddie Duchin Music Of George Gershwin
    2. PA 096 Morton Gould Concert I Espana Cani
    3. PA 097 Morton Gould Concert Ii Dark Eyes
    4. PA 098 Ambrose Night Ride

    Add Audio CD to Cart - $5.00
    Phonograph Album Disc A007

    1. PA 107 Hot Jazz Mckinneys Cotton Pickers Rocky Road
    2. PA 108 Ozzie Nelson Campus Favorites Washington Lee Swing
    3. PA 135 Raymond Paige Musical Americana Ii Night And Day
    4. PA 136 Raymond Paige Musical Americana Ii La Cumparsito

    Add Audio CD to Cart - $5.00
    Phonograph Album Disc A008

    1. PA 139 Cugats Favorite Rhumbas Begin Beguine
    2. PA 140 Kostelanetz Conducts I Solitude

    Add Audio CD to Cart - $5.00

LISTENERS WHO ENJOYED THESE RECORDINGS ALSO COLLECTED