Charlie Tuna

17/08/2025

POLL TIME: Trying something new!
Please vote for the open reel tape number you wish us to share next via Patreon (snippets shared here on Facebook)!

Review each image here, numbered 1–10, and read the contents catalog in Charlie's handwriting.

Post a comment with the tape number you'd like to hear us share next. We'll tally the comments in a few days or a week depending on response rate and let you know which one it will be.

Thanks for participating!

15/08/2025

Here's a public Patreon post for our Armed Forces service members. We hope you never felt far from home with Charlie Tuna's AFRTS shows.

I was reminded of how important you are every time he tore out the door after recording to make another tape delivery deadline. I did not realize the impact he would make on you or how truly far and wide his voice would carry.

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15/08/2025

Charlie Tuna scoped aircheck, TenQ 11-15-1978.
The full cassette (Side 1) transfer is now up on YouTube, ready for your nostalgia pleasure. This cassette did not hold the entire on-air shift (appears to have been a 5am-10am shift).

We hope you enjoy and remember with us!

Charlie Tuna, TenQ Los Angeles, November 15, 1978From the official family archives, this scoped aircheck comes from a cassette transfer from Charlie's collec...

14/08/2025

Charlie Tuna on KTNQ (TenQ), 1978 aircheck excerpt. Public post on Patreon.

Also, I enjoyed rebuilding the TenQ logo in layers in Photoshop.

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07/08/2025

The #1 Technics RS1520 machine is back! It has all the vibes and authentic patina of Charlie Tuna wear and tear. 🥹 It's been completely refurbished and tested by Adrian Pro Audio.

This is his tape machine #1 of 3, pictured a few posts ago. Not sure we will be going through the expense of recapping (replacing capacitors) his other two reel to reel machines unless we put one up for sale to a Charlie Tuna super fan as a fundraiser.
Any interest out there for that? Anyone?

This first unlabeled 7" reel I'm calling Tape 00001 sounds like content that went into a larger assembly edit of bits for a show from 1998-2000.

This tape marks my first play-out of this open reel format since I was a kid. I used to sneak into his studio to play with the mixing board and tapes after watching him work. I would practice recording, cutting/splicing tape, and imagined—if only for a moment—I understood what it took to be Charlie Tuna.

This reel didn't require any baking as it appears to be all acetate (no backing). I have another more complicated (for me) tape up next with a combo of Ampex 456 and acetate edited into it. I will have to split it out and bake the Ampex portions then reassemble it.

Support us on Patreon to help me make this my full-time gig, digitizing all his archives to share with you, his fans, friends, coworkers, and historians!

Stay Tuna'd!
—Daniel

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07/08/2025

Thank you to Lisa Hernandez!
We hope you join her in supporting us in our Charlie Tuna archive digitization efforts!
https://www.patreon.com/posts/shout-out-to-135342371?utm_medium=clipboard_copy&utm_source=copyLink&utm_campaign=postshare_creator&utm_content=join_link

Patreon has some exclusive audio and memories, advance viewing/listening of archive content before we edit and post here and to YouTube.

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04/08/2025

Rest in peace, Loni Anderson. Our deepest sympathies to her family, friends, and fans.

Charlie Tuna spoke with Loni several times over the years. Here is a small excerpt from those interviews.

28/07/2025

Charlie Tuna, 93 KHJ Los Angeles, December 15, 1977
A third cassette was discovered from that era!

From the official family archives, this is a 2min30sec excerpt of the full aircheck from this day, found on YouTube (link in comments).

Transferred from a cassette Charlie sent to his parents, tape 3 from December 1977. Transition effects added to bridge silence gaps where the mic went off.

I hope you enjoy this slice of history. Let us know what parts you remember or if you know any of the callers from this day.

16/07/2025

Update on Charlie Tuna archives:

This pic, taken December 30, 1980, shows Art (Charlie) in his newly-constructed home studio, ready to create and assemble AFRTS shows, syndicated work, and prep segments he would take to the station to air on his live show.

The Technics 1520 reel-to-reel machine to the right of him has been painstakingly restored and reconditioned (re-cap'd) and will be active soon. I have the splice block he used as well which I'll put back on with double-stick tape.

We will "bake" some tapes soon and discover the treasures on each with you, together (YouTube and Patreon with snippets on social media). You, his fans and coworkers, will be instrumental in helping us identify mystery tapes and unlabeled content.

Thank you to Adrian at Adrian Pro Audio Service in the valley (phone number pictured) who serviced all Dad's tape decks over the years!

—Daniel

P.S.:
Out of frame: RSL speakers, mounted high. Can't find that Marantz cassette recorder. Maybe he gave it away?

Fun facts: That's a waterfall just outside the window (bio-habitat for frogs—more on that in another update). The thin, rattling aluminum windows were switched out in 1990s.

01/07/2025

Charlie Tuna, 93 KHJ Los Angeles, December 7, 1977

Update: Image used here is from similar era: TenQ (KTNQ). Thanks, Dave Skyler!

From the official family archives, this is a 3-minute excerpt of the full aircheck from this day, found on YouTube (link in comments).

Transferred from a cassette Charlie sent to his parents, tape 2 of 2 from December 1977. Transition effects added to bridge silence gaps where the mic went off.

I hope you enjoy this slice of history. Let us know what parts you remember or if you know any of the callers from this day.

16/06/2025

Charlie Tuna, 93 KHJ Los Angeles, December 14, 1977

From the official family archives. This is a 3-minute excerpt.
Full air check found on YouTube (link in comments).

Transferred from a cassette Charlie sent to his parents, tape 1 of 2 from December 1977. Transition effects added to bridge silence gaps where the mic went off.

I hope you enjoy this slice of history.
Let us know what parts you remember or if you know any of the callers from this day.

11/06/2025

Rest in peace, Brian Wilson. ❤️