Larry
DeanAmerican Airlines AstroStereo Music Programs (December 1964 - mid 70's)
Produced as a continuous 3 Hour program on standard 4/track open reel tapes that played stereo each direction at 3-3/4 ips. AA also started its AstroVision video playback of in-flight movies, using Sony helical scan videotape in 1964, replacing motion picture projectors. Album numbers (prefix SPRO) for EMI (Angel/Capitol) productions shown where known as these were manufactured at Magnetic Tape Duplicators. AMPEX duplicated these tapes starting in May '66 generating yet more series of numbers, each with gaps in squence. Original prefix numbers are W# for pop music and give the best indication of flight sequence. Tapes were changed each month and sold for home use after the current flight month for an AstroNomical price of $23.95 each (except the DOT #12 and #21 sold for $25.95). As the program guide says, "Tapes are reproduced at 3-3/4 ips on standard 7" reels, suitable for all 4-track recorders. Beautifully packaged in standard-size tape boxes to fit home tape libraries." The art work for the album covers seems to have been generated by American Airlines own advertising agency as it was the same pictures for both the classical and popular program tapes for a given month.
A number of the Classical Programs are available as MP3 CDs
| # | Flight Date | Classical Program Producer | Classical Album number | Popular Program Producer (number of songs total on tape) representative artists |
| 1 | 12/64 | ? | ? *** | |
| 2 | 1/65 | MERCURY/PHILIPS | pix | ? |
| 3 | 2/65 | ? | ? | |
| 4 | 3/65 | ? | ? | |
| 5 | 4/65 | ANGEL | SPRO 2818 | ? *** |
| 6 | 5/65 | ANGEL | SPRO 2868 | UNITED ARTISTS (64) Shirly Bassey, Melina Mercouri, Matt Monro *** |
| 7 | 6/65 | ANGEL | SPRO 2865 | WARNER BROS/REPRISE (65) pix Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Peter Paul Mary, Keely Smith, Sammy Davis Jr, Trini Lopez |
| 8 | 7/65 | ANGEL | SPRO 2878 | ATLANTIC/ATCO (62) pix Bobby Darin, Ray Charles, Acker Bilk, Mel Torme, Joao Gilberto, April Stevens and Nino Tempo *** |
| 9 | 8/65 | ANGEL | SPRO 2902 | MERCURY/PHILIPS/SMASH (65) pix Johnny Mathis, Roger Miller, Serendipity Singers, Sarah Vaughan *** |
| 10 | 9/65 | ANGEL | SPRO 2911 | 20TH CENTURY FOX (65) pix Lena Horne, Al Martino, Andre Previn Orch., Tony Martin, Ron Goodwin orch., Kitty Kallen, Harry Simeone Chorale, Vivienne Della Chiesa, Mikis Theodorakis Orch., The Haymes-Mundy Orch, Freddie Bell, Joya Sherill, Roberta Linn, Nino Oliviero Orch, and the Mary Kaye Trio. *** |
| 11 | 10/65 | ANGEL | SPRO 2918 | WARNER BROS/REPRISE (66) pix Frank Sinatra, Sammy Davis Jr, Trini Lopez*** |
| 12 | 11/65 | ANGEL | SPRO 2940 | DOT W12 (65) pix Pat Boone, Lawrence Welk, Margaret Whiting, Jimmie Rodgers, Billy Vaughn, Liberace, Eddie Fisher |
| 13 | 12/65 | ANGEL | SPRO 2947 | LIBERTY/DALTON/IMPERIAL (62) Julie London, Vic Dana, Chipmunks with Christmas tunes |
| 14 | 1/66 | ANGEL | SPRO 2984 | MERCURY/PHILIPS/SMASH (62) pixSmothers Bros, Johnny Mathis, Horst Jankowski, Quincy Jones, Sarah Vaughan, Dinah Washington |
| 15 | 2/66 | ANGEL | SPRO 2999 | DECCA/CORAL (67) pix Brenda Lee, Burl Ives, Kingston Trio, Xavier Cugat Orch, Peter Duchin Carmen Cavallaro, Pete Fountain, Jonah Jones, Rick Nelson play tribute to the 1950's |
| 16 | 3/66 | ANGEL | SPRO 4000 | KAPP (67) pix Jack Jones, Roger Williams, Louis Armstrong, DoReMi Chorus, Hugo Winterhalter Orch, Burt Bachrach, Jimmy Sedler Orchestra, Joe Harnell Orchestra |
| 17 | 4/66 | ANGEL | SPRO 4025 | A&M/TIME/MAINSTREAM (65) pix Herb Alpert, Morgana King, Gordon Jenkins Orch, Baja Marimba Band |
| 18 | 5/66 | Command/Westminster (10) | AMPEX CW1 pix | ABC Paramount/Command (62) pix McGuire Sisters, Enoch Light, Ray Charles Singers, Della Reese |
| 19 | 6/66 | ANGEL | SPRO 4042 | WARNER BROS/REPRISE (66) pix Frank Sinatra, Les Baxter, Sammy Davis Jr, Bob Eberly, Morgana King,Trini Lopez, Dean Martin, Mexicali Singers, Jack Nitzsche, Helen O'Connell,Paul Smith Orchestra, Peter Paul & Mary *** |
| 20 | 7/66 | MERCURY/PHILIPS (17) *** | AMPEX CW2 pix | UNITED ARTISTS (62) aka AMPEX W2 pix Ferrante and Teicher, Lena Horne, Elmer Berstein Orch, Jimmy Roselli, Al Caiola, Leroy Holmes Orch *** |
| 21 | 8/66 | ANGEL | SPRO 4120 | DOT W21 (73) Pat Boone, Lawrence Welk Orch, Jo Stafford, Liberace, Jimie Rodgers |
| 22 | 9/66 | ANGEL | SPRO 4129 | CAPITOL (69) aka W22 Jackie Gleason Orchestra, Peggy Lee, Nat King Cole, Nancy Wilson, Al Martino, Ray Anthony Orch |
| 23 | 10/66 | VANGUARD *** | AMPEX CW3 pix | CAPITOL aka W23 [SPRO 4145] also KAPP pix Freddy Hart, Jack Jones, Waikikis, Freddy Martin, Roger Williams [guess this month was over booked] |
| 24 | 11/66 | ANGEL ? | MERCURY/PHILIPS/SMASH (67) pix Louis Armstrong,Luiz Bonfa, Horst Jankowski, Johnny Mathis, Paul Mauriat, Sarah Vaughan | |
| 25 | 12/66 | ANGEL | SPRO 4193 | CAPITOL aka W25 Lettermen, Wayne Newton, Nancy Wilson, George Shearing, and Hollyridge Strings, featuring Christmas tunes |
| 26 | 1/67 | ANGEL | SPRO 4225 | CAPITOL aka W26 [SPRO 4243] (68) pix Nat King Cole, Jackie Gleason, Hollyridge, Peggy Lee, Lettermen, Matt Monroe, Wayne Newton, David Rose. |
| 27 | 2/67 | NONESUCH (11) *** | AMPEX CW4 pix | MONUMENT (65) Knightsbridge Strings, Fran Jeffries, Digno Garcia, Boots Randolph, Bob Moore Orchestra, Jerry Byrd |
| 28 | 3/67 | ANGEL ? | CAPITOL aka W28 [SPRO 4270] Wayne Newton | |
| 29 | 4/67 | MERCURY/PHILIPS | AMPEX CW5 | ATLANTIC/ATCO (67) pix Mr. Acker Bilk, Bobby Darin, Richard Evans, Bent Fabric, Eddie Higgins, Barbara Lewis, Billy May Orchestra, Sergio Mendes, Johnny Mercer, Esther Phillips, Leslie Uggams, Mary Wells, and Leon Young String Chorale. |
| 30 | 5/67 | DECCA (23) | AMPEX CW6 pix | DECCA/CORAL (66) pix Leroy Anderson, Peter Duchin Orch., Pete Fountain, Earl Grant, Mimi Hines, Burl Ives, Jonah Jones Quartet, Bert Kaimfert Orch., Sammy Kaye Orch, Brenda Lee, Bobbi Martin, Freddy Martin Orch., Robert Maxwell, Rick Nelson, and the Stratford Strings |
| 31 | 6/67 | ? | AMPEX CW7 |
MOTOWN/MAINSTREAM/TAMLA/TIME (66)
pix Elmer Bernstein Billy Eckstine Marvin Gaye Barbara McNair Carmen McRae The Supremes The 4 Tops |
| 32 | 7/67 | MERCURY/PHILIPS (21) | AMPEX CW8 | MERCURY/PHILIPS (66) pix Johnny Mathis, Roger Miller, Smothers Brothers, Lesley Gore, Dinah Washington |
| 33 | 8/67 | ? | ? | UNITED ARTISTS (60) pix Al Caiola, Luis Prima, LeRoy Holmes, Lena Horne, Jimmy Carroll *** |
| 34 | 9/67 | ? | MGM/VERVE Cy Coleman, Don Costa, The Cowsills, Roy Etzel, Connie Francis, Erroll Garner, Stan Getz, Lainie Kazan, Julius La Rosa, MGM Singing Strings, Metropolitan Pops Orchestra, Wayne Newton, Arthur Prysock, Johhny Tillotson [MGM/Verve previously made tapes for Continental Airlines] | |
| 35 | 10/67 | Command/Westminster (16) | AMPEX CW9 | ABC/COMMAND (65) Ray Charles, Ray Charles Singers, Steve Allen, Mitchell ayres & his orch., The Brass ring, Orch. Cinefonica, Vic Garcia, Dick Hyman, Frankie Lane, Robert Maxwell, Lionel Newman Orch., Della Reese, Doc Severinson, Jamie & the J Silvia Singers, The Young Americans |
| 36 | 11/67 | ? | WARNER BROS/REPRISE (66) pix Frank Sinatra, Almeida, Buddy Cole, James Darren, Sammy Davis,George Greeley, Harpers Bizare, Antonio Carlos Jobim, Morgana King, Trini Lopez, Dean Martin, Raoul Meynard, Peter, Paul & Mary & Nancy Sinatra *** | |
| 37 | 12/67 | ? | ? | |
| 38 | 1/68 | MERCURY/PHILIPS (17) | AMPEX MER R 210 | A&M W38 (64) pix Herb Alpert, Claudine Longet, Sergio Mendez, Chris Montez, Burt Bacharach |
| 39 | 2/68 | VANGUARD (16) | AMPEX CW211 pix | PROJECT 3 W39 (60) pix Enoch Light and the Light Brigade Stan Freeman Orchestra Bobby Hackett The Kissin' Cousins Peter Matz Orchestra Tony Mottola |
| 40 | 3/68 | ANGEL? | CAPITOL aka W40 (64) pix Laurindo Almeida, Ray Anthony Orchestra, Tony Bruno, Glen Campbell, Nat King Cole, Jackie Gleason Orchestra | |
| 41 | 4/68 | DECCA (21) | 41 AMPEX CW212 pix | DECCA/CORAL (61) pix Brenda Lee, Sammy Kaye, Bert Kaempfert, Freddy Martin, Rafael Mendez, Trumpets Ole, Earl Grant, Pete Fountain, George Feyer, Peter Duchin, Lenny Dee, Carmen Cavallaro, Vincent Bell, Laurindo Almeida. |
| 42 | 5/68 | SERAPHIM (11) | AMPEX CW213 pix | LIBERTY (69) pix Vikki Carr, Martin Denny, Jackie DaShannon, Four Freshmen, 50 Guitars of Tommy Garret, Julie London, Nelson Riddle, Johnny Mann Singers, Sue Raney, Bud Shanks, Felix Slatkin, Sunset Strings, and Trombones Unlimited. *** |
| 43 | 6/68 | ? | MGM/VERVE (62) pix Cy Coleman, Don Costa, The Cowsills, Roy Etzel, Connie Francis, Erroll Garner, Stan Getz, Lainie Kazan, Julius La Rosa | |
| 44 | 7/68 | ? | ? | |
| 45 | 8/68 | Deutsche Grammophon (18) | AMPEX CW214 | WARNER BROS/REPRISE (61) pixSammy Davis JR Duke Ellington The first Edition Vince Guaraldi Harpers Bizarre Lee Hazlewood Antonio Carlos Jobim Anita Kerr Singers Trini Lopez Dean Martin Peter, Paul and Mary Nelson Riddle Nancy Sinatra and Frank Sinatra *** |
| 46 | 9/68 | MERCURY/PHILIPS | 46 AMPEX CW215 pix | MERCURY/PHILIPS (63) pix Jerry Butler, Roger Miller, Regis Philbin, Frankie ValliLennon Sisters, Smothers Brothers, Spanky & Our Gang |
| 47 | 10/68 | CAPITOL (14) | AMPEX CW216 pix | A&M W47 (59) pix Herb Alpert, Nat Adderley, Burt Bacharach, Artie Butler, JJ Johnson, Pete Jolly, Claudine Longet, Herbie Mann...*** |
| 48 | 11/68 | ANGEL? | CAPITOL (58) pix Glen Campbel, Nat King Cole, Ella Fitzgerald, Jackie Gleason, Hollyridge, Stan Kenton, Peggy Lee, Lettermen... | |
| 49 | 12/68 | VANGUARD (21) | 49 AMPEX CW217 | DOT/DIVA/BRAVO (67) Luiz Bonfa, Pat Boone, Frankie Carle, Mia Farrow, Jack Halloran Singers, Pet King Chorale, Liberace, Midnight String Quartet, Mills Brothers, Greg Morris, Leonard Nimoy, Sound Symposium, Billy Vaughn |
| 50 | 1/69 | SERAPHIM | AMPEX CW218 | PROJECT 3 (63) pix Pearl Bailey, Free Design, Urbie Green, Enoch Light and the Light brigade, Tony Mottola, and Dinah Shore. |
| 51 | 2/69 | AMPEX CW219 | MONUMENT pix | |
| 52 | 3/69 | MERCURY/PHILIPS (21) | AMPEX CW220 pix | MERCURY/PHILIPS (63) pix Cascading Strings, Don Costa, Ray Davies, Horst Jankowski, Gloria Lynne, Paul Mauriat, Roger Miller |
| 53 | 4/69 | ANGEL? | CAPITOL (65) | |
| 54 | 5/69 | DECCA (20) | AMPEX CW221 pix | DECCA/CORAL (60) pix Brenda Lee, Pete Fountain, Shirley MacLaine, Carmen Cavallaro, Clebanoff Strings, Lenny Dee, Peter Duchin, Earl Grant, Irish Rovers, Bert Kaempfert & Sammy Kaye |
| 55 | 6/69 | AMPEX CW222 | CAPITOL (61) Lettermen, David Rose, John Andrews Tartaglia, Peggy Lee, Geraldo Vespar, Ivan Romanoff, Tom Baughn, Al Martino, Stu Phillips | |
| 56 | 7/69 | Deutsche Grammophon (19) | AMPEX CW223 | RANWOOD/CADET pix Ray Anthony, Clea Bradford, Ray Bryant, Fran D'Rone, Jean DuShon,Tanya Falan, Woody Herman, Ahmad Jamal *** |
| 57 | 8/69 | VANGUARD (15) | AMPEX CW224 pix | ABC/Command/20th Century Fox (64) pix Steve Allen, Julie Andrews, Ray Charles, Jimmy Dempsey, Frankie Laine, Mamas & Papas, Toots Thielemans |
| 58 | 9/69 | ANGEL? | CAPITOL (65) Pua Almeida, Glen Campbell, Al de Lory, Webley Edwards, Judy Garland, Jackie Gleason, Ferlin Husky, Sonny James, Haunani Kahalewai, Charlie Louvin, Buck Owens Dond Randi, George Shearing, Nancy Wilson. | |
| 59 | 10/69 | MERCURY/PHILIPS | 59 AMPEX CW225 | WARNER BROS/REPRISE (61) pix Theo Bikel, Petula Clark, Sammy DavisJr, Duke Ellington Orchestra, First Edition, Ella Fitzgerald, Vince Guaraldi, Tony Hatch Orchestra, Don Ho, Dean Martin, Frank Sinatra, Nancy Sinatra, Stanyan Strings, Mason Williams *** |
| 60 | 11/69 | ANGEL | 60 SPRO | A&M W60 (60) pix Bacharach, Alpert, Kai Winding, Jimmy Rodgers |
| 61 | 12/69 | NONESUCH (12) | 61 AMPEX CW226 | ? |
| 62 | 1/70 | MERCURY/PHILIPS | 62 AMPEX CW227 | Scepter/Musicor Dionne Warwick, B.J. Thomas, Hugo Winterhalter |
| 63 | 2/70 | VANGUARD | 63 AMPEX CW228 | ? |
| 64 | 3/70 | NONESUCH (16) | 64 AMPEX CW229 | WARNER BROS/REPRISE pix *** |
| 65 | 4/70 | MERCURY/PHILIPS (12) | AMPEX CW230 | Buddha/Kama Sutra (59) pix Lovin Spoonful, Lou Christie, Dean Christopher Orchestra |
| 66 | 5/70 | DECCA | AMPEX CW231 | DECCA/CORAL/MCA (65) pix Carmen Cavallaro, Cuff Links, Pete Fountain, Earl Grant, Bert Kaempfert, Sammy Kaye Orchestra, Brenda Lee... |
| 67 | 6/70 | VANGUARD | AMPEX CW232 | MERCURY/PHILIPS pix Jacques Brel, Jerry Butler, Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons, Gloria Lynne, Joe Henderson, Paul Mauriat, Spanky and Our Gang, Sarah Vaughan, Melba Moore, Nama Mouskouri. Moms Mabley, Jerry Byrd |
| 68 | 7/70 | ANGEL | 68 AMPEX CW233 | A&M (62) pix Hugo Montenegro, Martha Reeves & The Vandellas, Supremes, Temptations, Marvin Gaye, Stevie Wonder, Diana Ross, Four Tops |
| 69 | 8/70 | AMPEX CW234 | WARNER BROS/REPRISE pix Frank Sinatra, Liberace, Trini Lopez, Nancy Sinatra, Petula Clark, Mason Williams, Rod McKuen, Peter Paul & Mary, Don Ho, Kenny Rogers, Dean Martin and John B. Sabastian *** | |
| 70 | 9/70 | MERCURY/PHILIPS | 70 AMPEX CW235 pix | KAPP pix Roger Williams, Neil Diamond, Waikikis, Jack Jones |
| 71 | 10/70 | NONESUCH | 71 AMPEX CW236 | MGM |
| 72 | 11/70 | ANGEL | A&M pix Herb Alpert TJB, Liza Minnelli, Carpenters, Bacharach, Sandpipers | |
| 73 | 12/70 | ? | ||
| 74 | 1/71 | ? | ||
| 75 | 2/71 | MERCURY/PHILIPS pix Kieth Textor, Melba Moore, Mystic Moods, Patti Page, Paul Mauriat, Roger Miller, Xavior Cugat | ||
| 76 | 3/71 | LONDON | 76 AMPEX CW238 | ? |
| 77 | 4/71 | ? | ||
| 78 | 5/71 | WARNER/REPRISE pix Sinatra, Van Morrison, Grateful Dead, Beach Boys *** | ||
| 79 | 6/71 | LONDON phase 4 | ||
| 80 | 7/71 | A&M Procol Harum, Carpenters, Cat Stevens, Quincy Jones, Rita Coolidge, Liza Minnelli, Paul Williams, Carole King | ||
| 81 | 8/71 | NONESUCH | AMPEX CW243 |
Both American and Continental Airlines tapes are listed in the 1968 Ampex catalog of prerecorded tapes for sale, and the Harrison Catalogs. *** These were still being sold in the Stereotape catalogs circa 1976-1978 although Stereotape did not always use the airplane cover art. The Continental Airlines tapes run half the length, only 90 minutes total, with selections from MGM and DGG. Also they sold for a more economical $11.95 with 1966 release dates. Occassionally "promo" type airline music tapes turn up as the tape duplicating facilities all were scrambling to get into this lucrative genre to service yet other airlines but only AstroStereo had the staying power. Knightbridge Singing Strings took a shot at airline programming with BACKGROUNDS FOR THE JET SET on Purist recordings.
Larry
Dean|
|
|