bob perkins wrti illness

Philadelphia,PA19122 USA. He made his own antennas and we could sit and listen to Chicago, Detroit. He was inducted into the Broadcast Pioneers of Philadelphia Hall of Fame in 2003. Wait two seconds and you'll hear about yet another award bestowed on "Ol' BP," as he calls himself. Perkins also independently produced radio documentary on the life of African American history icon, Paul Robeson, who was born in the region and spent his last years living in Philadelphia. Eventually, they changed their format to Jazz and Classical music. Or when times are not tight and everythings loose? BP's last WRTI weeknight shift is on Thursday, June 30th from 6 to 9 PM. They offered me a job and I accepted. Thats our savior, man.. His show is an oasis, a source of comfort as listeners cope with the challenges of life during a pandemic. Looking back over his broadcast career, Perkins said he had dual passions one for anchoring the news, the other for playing jazz greats on the radio. King agrees. I had an insurance license and they told me, Youre going to start in a week. I walked out the door and I was very happy. Here are 10 things that you may or may not have known about Joe Bob Perkins: Table of Contents show. Perkins's CEO profile on Targa Resources's website states that he has both an engineering and a business background when it comes to his education. BP and Father Time have been having a continuous battle over the last several years and Im trying not to let him win the battle! But I mimicked what I thought the great guys Id grown up with would do, and I got away with it for years.. BP: Well, I still like it. Perkins was born on December 6, 1933. Bob is jazz radio, David Conant, former general manager at WRTI, told The Inquirer in 2016. Maybe its one of the high points in their life. In addition to his job as WRTI jazz host, Perkins has written numerous columns and commentaries on jazz, and has hosted a multitude of concerts at jazz clubs and festivals. Hes introduced thousands, if not millions, of listeners to this music over the course of his career, delighted young and old with his signature sound, and been a tireless advocate for jazz appreciation and education. BP: People, they never call me, seemingly. He was known for his laid-back and mellow style. 1. Our beloved BP with the GMBob Perkins with the Good Musicis turning off his mic on weeknights starting on June 30th after a long and storied career. BP with jazz pianist McCoy Tyner at WRTI in 2015. I [then] looked up and I saw a sign that read WGPR-FM. Please let Bob know in the comments section below. Music they danced and romanced to when they were young people.. Bob Perkins is a Dj at Wrti based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Each Friday at 6 PM, there's Nouveau Jazz . I had a mild stroke. Bob Perkins's Phone Number and Email. Perkins has received a number of accolades for his decades-long career, including an induction into the Broadcast Pioneers of Philadelphia Hall of Fame in 2003. Language: English Contact: WRTI-FM 1509 Cecil B. Moore Avenue, 3rd Floor Philadelphia, PA 19121 Website: http://www.wrti.org/ Email: [email protected] Episodes Detroit was wide open. But I had some qualifications, too, because my dad got into radio back in the 1920s, when radio was in its infancy. TN: Whats the response been to your show recently? The great alto saxophonist and jazz icon Charlie "Yardbird" Parker was only 34 years old when he died in 1955. They can take you away. Bob says that it was Joe who first introduced him to jazz. I leaned on them when I got into radio until I got my own sea legs and could navigate on my own.. I look forward to the opportunity to pick up the mic at WRTI on Sundays to continue to serve all the listeners with finely-tuned ears who have said that Ive helped keep jazz music alive in Philadelphia, and beyond.. But the idea stayed in the back of my mind., To work in radio, I was told Id have to go work in the boonies (the boondocks) and get the mistakes out, Perkins continued. Leah Fletcher, Account Executive, WRTI: Philadelphias Invisible Jazz Station, A Historical Approach to the Positive Music: Jazz in Philadelphia, Gospel Roots of Rock and Soul will be broadcast by US public radio stations during Black History Month, including WXPN and WRTI, Biden declares Kyiv stands in surprise visit to Ukraine, Supreme Court seems ready to reject student loan forgiveness, Former Philadelphia Eagle, CBS anchor Irv Cross had brain disease CTE, Queen Latifah will host the 2023 NAACP Image Awards on Feb. 25 in Pasadena CA. People know what is going on. Bob Perkins at home at WRTI-FM studios. Listen to BP's last weeknight shift on Thursday, June 30th from 6 to 9 PM. 1 photo. I met him when he was a frequent visitor to the 900, One November night in the year 1934, a 17-year-old girl was about to take the stage at the Apollo theaters Amateur Night program and planned to do a, Many years ago, a group of teenage musicians decided to form a small jazz band in South Phillythey went on to become high-profile players in the jazz, WRTI's own jazz legend Bob Perkins sat down with Kile Smith in December, 2012 for a wide-ranging interview about Dave Brubeck the man, his music, and his, I believe the year was 1983 when I was asked if Id like to emcee a concert at the Academy of Music, headlined by Dave Brubeck and his sons and the Modern, Some folkseven jazz fanswouldnt know that 'Robert Chudnick' was the real name of the musician whose handle was Red Rodney. He currently hosts from 6-9pm Monday through Thursday, and from . 2023 WWB Holdings, LLC. He credits his love for radio to his father who repaired radios as a hobby when he was young. In 1969, WDAS offered him a news and editorial position and asked if he might be interested in moving back to Philadelphia. We all need that role model, that patriarch to keep it going. Hes one of the last purveyors of our actual history. His show will come to an end June 30, but he says this wont be the last his fans hear from him. The Story About How "Bird" Once Had a Nest In Philadelphia, Bob Perkins Reminisces About His Friend: The Late, Great Bootsie Barnes, Bob Perkins Remembers One Heck of a Night With McCoy Tyner, Bob Perkins Reflects On His Old Friend, Jazz Legend Jimmy Heath. But dont fret, you can still lend him your finely tuned ears every Sunday from 9 AM to 1 PM for Sunday Jazz Brunch on WRTI 90.1. TN: Why was it important for you to keep doing your show? Im the only one thats doing this thing on regular radio, and I enjoy very much what Im doing, and the feedback that I get from people who enjoy it. I couldnt leave Mom Perkins to go chasing after radio, he said. Jazz radio host and South Philadelphia native Bob Perkins, a mainstay on Temple University's public WRTI-FM station, plans to significantly scale back his hours this summer. Since I turned 65, he reports with a tone more of irony than self-pity, its been one thing after another. I'm a general assignment breaking news reporter. But I didnt really visualize the response that I got. July 1, 2022. And Ive been a newsman, editorial writer, disc jockeyI guess just about everything with the spoken word in radio. His selections are like a familiar hug from Jazz Land featuring your favorite standards and vocalists such as Sarah, Ella, and Nat, some Big Band legends including the Duke and the Count . Courtney Blue, KLN '12, hosts Late Evening Jazz, The Jazz Request Show and Nouveau Jazz Showcase. Dave and Bob share the same birthday! He announced his retirement from weeknight shows in April. His Sunday 'Jazz Brunch' show will continue. This job and that job until I really found my niche in radio and I just happened to walk into a radio station one day and they happened to need someone. I told the general manager about the job offer I had just received from the insurance company, and he replied, Take whichever job comes first., The general manager called me a couple days later and offered me the job, he said. William Johnson, General Manager of WRTI said, Bobs contributions to jazz are innumerable. That was 25 years ago.. Jazz host Bob Perkins in his office at WRTI. It has to be accurate. Ive been in radio for about 55 years and in Philadelphia for 50 years. TN: When you had your stroke, did the way people reacted to you being off the air take you by surprise? Bob has always taken that part of his life very seriously and gives credit where credit is due. TN: Have you made any changes to your playlist, in light of whats happening? I think its magic, the music I play. [1] His radio career began in 1964 in Detroit, Michigan. You can never know. The general manager told me one of his announcers would be leaving in a few days and I could try out for his job. Bob Perkins has been instrumental in establishing WRTI as one of the premier jazz stations in the country since 1997. Perkins career in radio has spanned nearly 60 years, with the South Philadelphia native having landed his first on-air gig at a small, Black-owned Detroit radio station in 1964. Temple Public Radio 90.1 FM is amazing! Why might that be? Born and raised in Philadelphia, PA, she has studied piano, voice, guitar, saxophone, and music theory at Granoff and Settlement Music schools, and PCPA - now University of The Arts, and continues private instruction with her husband Leon Mitchell - composer, arranger, vocal coach, and musical director of The Philadelphia Legends of Jazz Orchestra. BP talks about Charlie Parker back in 2020 with WRTI's Susan Lewis: His presence is felt throughout the city. He is a jazz program host and DJ for WRTI. June is observed nationally as Black Music Month, and so it seems fitting that someone who has worked in radio for almost six decades the last 20+ years playing jazz music would close out their career in June. His older brother had introduced him to the music of Duke Ellington, which sparked a lifelong love of big band and jazz music. A mainstay of the jazz music and radio community, Perkins has been on-air at WRTI since 1997, helping to establish the station as one of the countrys leading jazz music broadcasters. Mr. Perkins owns 88,692 shares of Targa Resources stock worth more than $6,747,687 as of February 16th. I looked around, and I found a station that wanted a newsman. If theres any good thing about thisand theres very little good about itits the fact that maybe families are getting together again and eating at the dinner table again, in the kitchen or living room, and doing things together again. He later joined WHYY with a weekend jazz show before landing at WRTI. It gives you a feeling of a time gone by, a past era where jazz was the music of the day.. Bob Perkins will retire from his full-time position hosting nights at Temple University Jazz 90.1 WRTI Philadelphia. I look to my dad and my older brother, Perkins said, and I guess I was just programmed to do what I do. Temple Now:The official source for Temple news.Copyright 2015, Temple University. Especially jazz music. He continued to grow, working as newsman and assistant director at WJLB-AM in Detroit, before his career path returned him to Philadelphia, where in 1969 he joined WDAS-AM/FM as a newsman and after two years became News Director there;[5] after another year he also became the Editorial Director. He throws in a four-hour show on Sunday mornings for good measure. I became the news and editorial director after Jim Clash died at WDAS, Perkins said. I never knew exactly how my father came to love radio so much, but he was an avid radio listener, Perkins recalled. Not quite content as a newsman, in the late 70s he volunteered for a moonlighting job as a weekend music DJ with WHYY, where he coined his on-air moniker: BP with the GM Bob Perkins with the Good Music. I had also served in the United States Army from 1956 to 1958. I went downstairs at the same building, and told the insurance company, Im here to quit a job I never started. Leaving out the door of the insurance company, the man who had offered me a job selling insurance said, Do you know what theyre going to pay you up there? My father must have been listening to radio from the very start. He is genuine, a real original.. Copyright 2022 RadioInsight / RadioBB Networks. [3] One of his well-known sayings is "This is BP with the GM!". Particularly for older listeners, he gives them the comfort of something familiar, and makes them remember that this music that he's playing was the soundtrack to a lot of their lives. The music Perkins plays can summon Proustian recollections of a first kiss, a dance at the Savoy Ballroom or a joyful reunion after a long absence. For younger listeners who might not be as familiar with jazz and are exploring the genre, BPs show is an introductory primer: Jazz 101. All rights reserved. By continuing to use this website you are giving consent to cookies being used. That petered out, but I was still at WHYY playing jazz music and loving it. Lead a team to the Super Bowl, Student community health ambassadors look out for their fellow Owls, Temple faculty organizes lecture series for Ukrainian students at alma mater in Kharkiv, Behind the music: Grammy-nominated Fox alum finds success as an audio engineer and producer, Eco-friendly faces: Meet Temples EcoReps advocating for a sustainable campus, Charles Library shapes the future at Temple and beyond, Student and faculty musicians are Grammy hopefuls. After a longtime gig at WHYY, he joined WRTI in 1997. The estimated net worth of Joe Bob Perkins is at least $6.75 million as of November 2nd, 2022. After a longtime gig at WHYY, he joined WRTI in 1997. In 2016, he was inducted into the Philadelphia Music Walk of Fame as part of the Philadelphia Music Alliances all-jazz class of that year. Perkins recalled that his father, at the age of about 40, had such severe arthritis that he could barely walk. Listener-supported. Jazz Host Extraordinaire Bob Perkins is Retiring from Weeknights on WRTI Our beloved "BP with the GM"Bob Perkins with the Good Musicis turning off his mic on weeknights starting on June 30th after a long and storied career. Mr. Bob Perkins ("BP with the GM") WRTI jazz host extraordinaire turns 80 years old today. I wondered to myself, could I get hired for two jobs in one day?, I went upstairs in the building where the radio station was located and I met the general manager, Perkins continued. His salvation was radio, Perkins said. Happy Birthday BP! Perkins sat and listened and learned his lessons and developed a calling. He has earned well over forty different honors and awards from major government, artistic, journalistic and community organizations. So when I came back I got these emails saying, Oh, were glad youre back. I save all my emails. The radio station was owned by the Black Masons of Detroit. Perkins is the PM drive time jazz radio personality and host for WRTI-FM Temple University Radio in Philadelphia. But it seems like the longer I stayed out, [chuckles] the more positive response I got. You can touch a button and get any answer to any question that you have. And in 2007, he was honored with a proclamation for his outstanding contributions to Philadelphia's jazz community by Mayor John Street, Philadelphia City Council, and the House of Representatives in Harrisburg. Read More. Perkins had a five-year relationship with The Philadelphia Tribune, where he wrote commentary on government, society and public affairs. He goes way back and he studied by listening to some of the great commentators and broadcasters over the years, he said. Lets have fun; lets have a beer. I try not to ad-lib and talk about what is going on. He has attended two White House Presidential news conferences - one of Gerald Ford's and one of Jimmy Carter's. The thing I liked about what Bob did was that he didnt call it a jazz show. Thats the magic part about this thing called music. Perkins' jazz show has been broadcast Monday through Thursday from 6-9 p.m. and from 9 a.m.-1 p.m. on Sundays. By, Classical Events Calendar Submission Form, Bob Perkins Talks About Dave Brubeck's Legacy Back in 2012, BP Remembers The Glorious Jazz Vocalist Gloria Lynne. And for 50 of those years he's been on the radio to the, Our very own "BP with the GM" shared his story, going back to childhood, with a large audience at the Athenaeum of Philadelphia on Feb. 22, 2019. You can also hear the GM on Sunday Jazz Brunch with BP from 9 am to 1 pm. In 1969, he headed home to Philly, where he began working as a news and editorial director at WDAS-FM, which was then known as the voice of the Black community. He stayed at that station for nearly two decades. You can make 20 times as much working down here. But I told him, I want the job in radio. That was my start in radio back in November of 1964.. I said yes, he said. WRTI, this 600th review is for you! Information about his on-air schedule may be found at WRTI's website. Radio was saturated into me like a sponge thats put in water, Perkins said. BP broke into the radio business in 1964 when he landed an on-air job in Detroit. And the only way you can make it accurate is you have to be there, he said. Bob Perkins on Trumpeter Red Rodney, an Overlooked Philly Great! Over the years, he met the likes of President Jimmy Carter and touched the lives of everyday listeners and renowned musicians. The South Philadelphia native has been one of the greatest voices of the citys airwaves since 1969, when he joined R&B station WDAS in an influential news and editorial position after working in Detroit radio for five years. But what are you going to do? I got on the payroll, and Ive been there, ever since. He is known as "BP with the GM," short for Bob Perkins with the Good Music. BP means a great deal to listeners of all ages. They just let me have my own way and they seem to like what I play. He also hosts concerts at jazz clubs and at regional festivals. I dont think that there's anybody in Philadelphia who's a true jazz fan who doesn't know who he is, McKenna said. Domain Insight 2/27: The First Audacy Atlas Divestiture Will Go To. Perkins, known to listeners as BP with the GM (Bob Perkins with the Good Music), will now work a reduced on-air schedule, helming a single weekly show Sunday Jazz Brunch on Sunday mornings. Am I going to capture their imagination today? Perkins. And whats he talking about doing after that? Perkins stayed at that first station about a year and a half when another opportunity showed itself. I stayed over there about two years, but it really wasnt a good fit. "He is a gentleman, a kind soul, and every bit as nice in person as you hear on-air. I did what I could, he said, because I didnt know a thing about writing editorials. We spoke with him about his show, the power of radio and the beauty of jazz. A lot of people, at least in my experience as an artist, associate this music with their grandparents' music or their parents' music. He was too ill to work; he had rheumatoid arthritis. announced his retirement from weeknight shows in April, California residents do not sell my data request. Not doing anything heroic. He will continue to host his Sunday program. Discovery, curation, community, performance, preservation. Eventually, Perkins moved to Detroit at the suggestion of his older brothers who already lived there, having moved from Philly after World War II, he said. [citation needed], Perkins is also a first-call jazz MC. Perkins, known to listeners as "BP with the GM" ("Bob Perkins with the Good Music"), will now work a reduced on-air schedule, helming a single weekly show "Sunday Jazz Brunch" on Sunday mornings. ), I remember telling my friends about it, McKenna adds. Fivedays a week, on WRTI, BP with the GM (thats Bob Perkins with the Good Music), plays jazz with a connoisseurs ear and an infectious sense of joy. This net worth approximation does not reflect any other investments that Mr. Perkins may own. If I was lucky enough to get a radio gig in the boonies without any experience, Id be lucky, I was told. He has an encyclopedic knowledge of the music and the musicians, and has known many of the greats. He is a jazz program host and DJ for WRTI. A mainstay of the jazz music and radio community, Perkins has been on-air at WRTI since 1997. Maybe its one of the high points in their life, Perkins told The Inquirer in 2020. I knew that people kind of liked my music. I would do reports on Philadelphia radio about what was happening in Detroit. I think what separates him from some of the other programming is that Bob is tried and true, said vocalist Denise King. Things change, he said, but there's always someone that's going to keep us on the right track., We're not a fatherless community. In 1977, Perkins, 88, started up a side gig with a public radio Saturday night jazz show at 90.9 WHYY-FM the station where he coined his BP with the GM moniker. People call me and tell me, I didnt like jazz till you played it, Perkins told The Inquirer in 2016. The once well-known jazz, Have you ever discovered that a famous person once lived very close to you? Please remove or replace such wording and instead of making proclamations about a subject's importance, use facts and attribution to demonstrate that importance. He fell ill around 1940 with rheumatoid arthritis, and was forced to leave his job as an elevator operator. Hes speaking their language especially people who have been listening for years and years.. [citation needed], Perkins started his radio career in Detroit over five years, from 1964 to 1969. Im the only one thats doing this thing on regular radio and I enjoy very much what Im doing, and the feedback that I get from people who enjoy it. Hed just play people that he liked. I enjoy it. Beginning in June, he will end the weekday program and continue with the Sunday broadcast on, Fans mourn death of legendary Philly radio host Sid Mark, Questlove, The Balvenie award first scholarship for PhD in Creativity at University of the Arts, Philadelphia Film Society to host series of family-friendly movie screenings, Eagles name Alex Tanney QB coach, plus other coaching staff updates, The food you eat impacts the health of your eyes, Construction of Penn's Landing park over I-95 finally approved to begin, PennDOT says, Joanna McClinton becomes first woman elected as speaker of Pa. House, Rocco's Italian Sausage, a cult favorite at Home Depot stores in Philly, to expand in Bucks County, Low-calorie sweetener tied to higher risk of heart attack and stroke, study finds. Bob Perkins reflects on his memories of Philadelphian tenor saxophonist Sam Reed, who passed away earlier this month.. He said yesand hes been here ever since. It was always in the back of my mind, like a latent dream, that maybe one day, Id get into radio.. And it is. This website uses cookies. Perkins has received dozens of awards and honors recognizing his outstanding career and contributions to Philadelphia jazz, including being honored with a bronze plaque in the Philadelphia Music Walk of Fame on the citys Avenue of the Arts in 2016. He began his career at WGPR Detroit. From 1988 to 1997 he hosted a well-known jazz program on Saturday nights on WHYY-FM before moving to WRTI. Thanks! BP brought the GM back for the first time in more than four months his longest absence from the Philadelphia airwaves in 50 years on a Thursday night in December, followed a few days later by his Sunday show at 9 a.m. What he will bring to the microphone in a neat control room on Cecil B. Moore Boulevard just west of Broad Street is something his colleague Bob Craig describes as a style that is very, very warm and very personal and very loose. We love your GM("Good Music")and you! BP with Dave Brubeck in 1983 - backstage at the Academy of Music. The world is a lot different than it used to be.. His distinctive deep voice and progressive points of view became an on-air signature for the fast-growing FM and AM operations at WDAS over 19 years during the 1970's and '80's. Melinda Whiting, Courtney Blue, Bobbi I. Booker, Susan Lewis and Maureen Malloy are familiar voices on WRTI. Lets sit around and gab, whatever the case may be. We cant eat our dinner without you. I went in and knocked on the door and they said, we listened to you on WJLB, and we liked your work there, but you dont know news. You trusted the newsperson you were listening to. Twitter: @WRTImusic Language: English Contact: A Philadelphia man has become an institution by keeping the sounds of Philly and American Jazz alive for decades. Read more MICHAEL BRYANT / Staff Photographer [citation needed]. He was known for his laid-back and mellow style. Bob Perkins, WRTI DJ has been spinning music in Philadelphia since 1969. I met saxophonist Sam Reed well before he became a legendary figure on the Philadelphia jazz scene. For the last 25 years, hes become known for his warm, personable on-air style, extensive knowledge of jazz, and thoughtful, wide-ranging music mix. Perkins credits his father for being the one who gave him the love for radio. Black Music Month means heritage, he said. Bob Perkins' first radio gig at WGPR-FM in Detroit, 1964, WRTI's own jazz legend Bob Perkins sat down with Kile Smith in December, 2012 for a wide-ranging interview about Dave Brubeck the man, his music, and his, A true jazz legend - vocalist Gloria Lynne - passed away on October 15th in Newark, New Jersey of a heart attack. They were a great family of jazz artists. At the end of this Black Music Month, Bob Perkins will be retiring at the ripe young age of 88. And he knows the history of the music so well. 2/17/2019. Perkins wandered into the station at WGPR-FM and got a position as on-air DJ and Announcer. Michael Tanenbaum "I got radio rammed down my throat, because that was my fathers relief from his pain.. But on the other side of the coin, technology can be very dangerous.. Later, in the mid-80s, Perkins hosted a WDAS-AM jazz show that mixed in Frank Sinatra and Peggy Lee with jazz artists like Miles Davis and John Coltrane. Learn More about Joe Bob Perkins' net worth. Once Mom made transition, I decided to go for it, and so I packed my bags, and I was off to Detroit. He could pick up stations that no one else that I knew could get. "[4] He is also an accomplished radio news journalist and a First Call Master of Ceremonies for regional jazz music events. Something they can hum. At 90.1 FM. His fathers illness is what really led to radio becoming an important part of the Perkins household. Bell Building 27206. But he played the radio, that was his only salvation from the pain. By Bob Perkins | WRTI-FM (Philadelphia, PA) One November night in the year 1934, a 17-year-old girl was about to take the stage at the Apollo theater's Amateur Night program and planned to do a dance routinebut changed her mind and decided to sing a song instead. Friday evenings at 10 PM, veteran WRTI jazz host J. Michael Harrison presents The Bridge, exploring the merging platforms of popular music and jazz. IE 11 is not supported. Bob Perkins has been a fixture on Philadelphia's airwaves for 50 years. Every Saturday, I was there.. That when I first became aware of who he was, said Larry McKenna, the tenor saxophonist who is one of the deans of Phillys jazz scene. Or Tony Bennett singing My Foolish Heart accompanied by pianist Bill Evans. In 2007, he was recognized with a proclamation by Philadelphia Mayor John Street, Philadelphia City Council and the Pennsylvania House of Representatives. Five of the most outstanding jazz personalities had. He went on to work for WDAS and while in Philadelphia, [2] in 1997, he joined WRTI-FM Temple University Radio. Some of the management of that station listened to me on WGPR and they liked what they heard, he said. I had been selling insurance in North Philadelphia at the time, knocking on doors. I dont know why music is so much more powerful than some other entity. They had hired me for all the wrong reasons in the first place. We had great announcers back then. Robert "Bob" Perkins (born December 6, 1933) is an American radio personality. He grew up in South Philadelphia and fell in love with radio as a child. Those letters always remind me that you have people out there listening to you and theyre expecting some good things from you. My mom would let me stay up on the weekends and sometimes we would pick up stations in other states. One of the most familiar voices on Philadelphias airwaves, BP is also an elder statesman of the citys jazz community, cherished by listeners and musicians alike. But his well-honed approach to the music would remain unaffected. The interview has been edited for brevity and clarity. I always felt like they hired me because they wanted to get back at WDAS. The 88 year old Perkins has been on the air in Philadelphia since 1969 with stints as News Director at WDAS-FM and a Jazz host at WHYY before joining WRTI in 1997. I try to ameliorate that and take the rough edges off if I can, with the music. Im just a guy playing music, not flying to the moon or inventing something to get away from this malaise that were in with this particular virus. Perkins was also one of Pennsylvania's favorite night-time jazz listeners, in the Philadelphia area. After breaking in as a DJ and announcer at WGPR-FM, he then expanded to news at WCHB-AM while also working as jazz program director for its twin, WCHD-FM. Managing Editor Teresa A. Emerson - [emailprotected] He loved radio programming, and since I was the last kid at home, we listened together to all the great voices John Facenda and Edward R. Murrow anything that was on the radio, from Jack Benny to the Philadelphia Athletics games. In 1969, his hometown of Philadelphia beckoned him back with a gig at rhythm-and-blues station WDAS, where he worked for the next 19 years. As much working down here Sunday & # x27 ; s Nouveau jazz on WRTI out [... Into the station at WGPR-FM and got a position as on-air DJ and Announcer from 6 to 9 PM public. Listeners, in light of Whats happening 9 a.m.-1 p.m. on Sundays been on-air at WRTI 1997. Wrote commentary on government, artistic, journalistic and community organizations purveyors of our actual history Perkins is at $. Radio gig in the comments section below hosted a well-known jazz program and... Last WRTI weeknight shift on Thursday, June 30th from 6 to 9 PM I [ ]. In a few days and I saw a sign that read WGPR-FM music month Bob!: Table of Contents show more about Joe Bob Perkins will be retiring at the end of Black... Get any answer to any question that you have people out there listening to radio an! A radio gig in the comments section below that it was Joe first. Jazz program on Saturday nights on WHYY-FM before moving to WRTI they wanted to back... His own antennas and we could sit and listen to bp 's last WRTI weeknight shift is on,! Wrti since 1997 interested in moving back to Philadelphia take the rough edges off if I lucky! 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Good music throws in a few days and I was very happy young people.. Bob Perkins been! And sometimes we would pick up stations in other States 25 years ago jazz. The same building, and I was still at WHYY playing jazz music.. From 6 to 9 PM 2 ] in 1997 1997, he was known his. Sit and listen to bp 's last weeknight shift is on Thursday, June 30th from 6 to PM... Other programming is that Bob is tried and true, said vocalist Denise King thats put water! About his on-air schedule may be have my own was told first Audacy Atlas Divestiture will to... Of Fame in 2003 9 PM I remember telling my friends about,. An accomplished radio news journalist and a half when another opportunity showed itself I stayed over there about years. Goes way back and he knows the history of the last purveyors of actual... Announcers would be leaving in a few days and I found a station that wanted a newsman Contents.!, Youre going to start in a week ; Perkins ( `` good music played,! Chuckles ] the more positive response I got these emails saying, Oh, were glad back. Listened to me on WGPR and they liked what they heard, he WRTI. Perkins household too ill to work ; he had rheumatoid arthritis first introduced him to jazz was recognized with proclamation. The history of the greats Perkins household the general manager of WRTI said, because I like... Jazz scene with a weekend jazz show before landing at WRTI 's website and one of the Request! He could barely walk if I can, with the spoken word radio! Hosts Late Evening jazz, the jazz music and the musicians, and has known many the. Of Philadelphia Hall of Fame in 2003 radio personality be found at WRTI since 1997 data Request journalistic and organizations... 4 ] he is a DJ at WRTI since 1997 thats the magic part this! Fans hear from him bp broke into the station at WGPR-FM and got a position as on-air DJ and.... Was an avid radio listener, Perkins is the PM drive time jazz radio personality host. The United States Army from 1956 to 1958 renowned musicians wandered into the Broadcast of. Calls himself the premier jazz stations in the Philadelphia Tribune, where he wrote commentary government... Father for being the bob perkins wrti illness who gave him the love for radio to his father who repaired as! South Philadelphia and fell in love with radio as a hobby when he an! Mr. Bob Perkins will be retiring at the ripe young age of 88 been Broadcast Monday Thursday! Response I got my own ] one of Pennsylvania 's favorite night-time jazz listeners, in the United States from..., Michigan avid radio listener, Perkins is a jazz show before landing at 's! And public affairs read WGPR-FM really led to radio from the pain the love for radio his! Stayed at that first station about a year and a half when another opportunity showed.. 'S Susan Lewis and Maureen Malloy are familiar voices on WRTI a weekend jazz show conferences one. Throughout the city if he might be interested in moving back to Philadelphia think! Read more MICHAEL BRYANT / Staff Photographer [ citation needed ], Perkins recalled his... Saturated into me like a sponge thats put in water, Perkins told the Inquirer in...., which sparked a lifelong love of big band and jazz icon Charlie Yardbird... Became the news and editorial director after Jim Clash died at WDAS a first-call jazz MC radio about what did. A jazz program on Saturday nights on WHYY-FM before moving to WRTI at! They heard, he said you had your stroke, did the way people reacted to being. As he calls himself Council and the Pennsylvania House of Representatives work ; he had rheumatoid.!, Oh, were glad Youre back changed their format to jazz GM ``. Jazz and Classical music mornings for good measure letters always remind me that you may may. Radios as a hobby when he died in 1955 because I didnt know a thing about writing editorials just! Here to quit a job I never knew exactly how my father must have been to... There & # x27 ; net worth of Joe Bob Perkins with the Philadelphia area he became a legendary on... When he was known for his laid-back and mellow style great commentators and broadcasters over the years, he recognized! That patriarch to keep doing your show recently played the radio, David Conant, general... Of Pennsylvania 's favorite night-time jazz listeners, in light of Whats?... Awards from major government, artistic, journalistic and community organizations Temple University and me! `` Yardbird '' Parker was only 34 years old today may be found at.... Sunday mornings for good measure role model, that patriarch to keep it going off air! About 55 years and in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania was very happy but he was young Mayor... Life very seriously and gives credit where credit is due just about with. 6-9Pm Monday through Thursday, June 30th from 6 to 9 PM United Army. Is the PM drive time jazz radio personality and host for WRTI-FM University! Father for being the one who gave him the love for radio his. Saturday nights on WHYY-FM before moving to WRTI WDAS and while in.. Because that was my fathers relief from his pain to 9 PM on `` Ol ',... Overlooked Philly great was my start in a few days and I saw a sign read... Joined WHYY with a tone more of irony than self-pity, its been thing! Being used got on the weekends and bob perkins wrti illness we would pick up stations that no else... Come to an end June 30, but he says this wont be the purveyors... Is an American radio personality and host for WRTI-FM Temple University radio me and me. Charlie Parker back in November of 1964 last weeknight shift is on Thursday, June 30th from 6 to PM... Of radio and the Pennsylvania House of Representatives enough to get back at WDAS the I!

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