They don't think that it's accessible to younger people. When WHYY dropped its music programming to concentrate on news and information, Perkins moved uptown. Temple Now: How do you choose the music that you play? Thats the magic part about this thing called music. New Temple Press book celebrates Philadelphias Italian legacy, Hundreds of Temple community members gather to celebrate the life of Sergeant Christopher Fitzgerald with his family, Temples Lenfest Center increases job opportunities for the North Philadelphia community, Globally connected campus: A presidential visit to Temple Rome, Whats the best way for an athlete to build their brand? Bob Perkins on Trumpeter Red Rodney, an Overlooked Philly Great! 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. 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. He is genuine, a real original.. My gerontologist tells me, Keep moving.. At the end of this Black Music Month, Bob Perkins will be retiring at the ripe young age of 88. 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! Bob Perkins is a Dj at Wrti based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. My dad was my radio school, the 86-year-old remembered. He was known for his laid-back and mellow style. 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. He is a jazz program host and DJ for WRTI. You can never know. In September of 1969, I started working at WDAS as a newsman. People say, You ought to give it up, man, go retire somewhere. Why? Also known as "BP with the GM," (translation: "Bob Perkins with the Good Music"), Mr. Perkins has been in the broadcasting industry for more than five decades as an on-air host, and is now commonly referred to as a Philadelphia jazz radio legend. Perkins is currently engaged for the annual Cape May Jazz Festival Concert Series and the Tony Williams Jazz Festival Concert Series. Friday evenings at 10 PM, veteran WRTI jazz host J. Michael Harrison presents The Bridge, exploring the merging platforms of popular music and jazz. 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. Bob Perkins has been instrumental in establishing WRTI as one of the premier jazz stations in the country since 1997. Since I turned 65, he reports with a tone more of irony than self-pity, its been one thing after another. Meaning "Bob Perkins with the good music. Happy Birthday BP! 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. But his well-honed approach to the music would remain unaffected. But I mimicked what I thought the great guys Id grown up with would do, and I got away with it for years.. Joe Blocks parents were fans of WRTI and the pianist grew up listening to BP, becoming a fan himself. Like the theme song from the 1944 film Laura, played by saxophone legend Coleman Hawkins. 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 currently hosts from 6-9pm Monday through Thursday, and from . People call me and tell me, I didnt like jazz till you played it, Perkins told The Inquirer in 2016. TN: Why was it important for you to keep doing your show? Box 18869, Philadelphia, PA 19119 - Phone (215) 848-7864 - Fax (215) 848-7893 His fathers illness is what really led to radio becoming an important part of the Perkins household. Take a look at this photo album of Mr. Perkins through the years. Ive been in radio for quite some time. Im thrilled hell continue to host Sunday Jazz Brunch after he retires, because we all need some GM (good music) with our toast and jam!. He could pick up stations that no one else that I knew could get. We would listen to WAR in Detroit, which is 500 miles away. "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 I've helped keep jazz music alive in Philadelphia, and beyond.. I was weaned on radio. In mid-December, as he planned his return to the airwaves, Perkins was worried that some physical effects of his stroke a few fingers that werent obliging might compromise his technical performance in the control booth. William Johnson, General Manager of WRTI said, Bobs contributions to jazz are innumerable. A few Philadelphia artists were sprinkled into the evening, including Perkins longtime friend, saxophonist Bootsie Barnes, and vocalist Phyllis Chapell, who dedicated her latest album to BP. 1 photo. announced his retirement from weeknight shows in April, California residents do not sell my data request. He regularly serves as master of ceremonies for major annual and special concert events in the region, such as the previous and very popular Mellon Jazz Festival Concert Series. Electronics and technology are magnificent. 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. My mom would let me stay up on the weekends and sometimes we would pick up stations in other states. And all the while, you weren't aware of ituntil that person moved away, and, During a recent interview, saxophone great Larry Mckenna was right on target when he shared that often in other cities, when people found out he was from, When a dynamic figure in any walk of life departs, writers and just plain folks, usually try to recall certain events about the departed in which they may, When I was a kid growing up in South Philly, there was an older fellow down the block who was trying to play an alto saxophone. He was too ill to work; he had rheumatoid arthritis. Bob Perkins: I do itand Im not trying to be funnybut I do it really by braille, a feel. His father built homemade antennas that could pick up broadcasts from hundreds of miles away and the two would sit and listen together. Five of the most outstanding jazz personalities had. Mr. Bob Perkins ("BP with the GM") WRTI jazz host extraordinaire turns 80 years old today. 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. At one time, you could hear him from 6-9 p.m. Monday through Thursday and. TN: When you had your stroke, did the way people reacted to you being off the air take you by surprise? I had a mild stroke. I got on the payroll, and Ive been there, ever since. He fell ill around 1940 with rheumatoid arthritis, and was forced to leave his job as an elevator operator. Some of Bob Perkins' major honors and awards for career accomplishments include: The Kal Rudman Milestones in Radio Award; The Mellon Jazz Community Service Award, 2002);[6] Inducted to the Philadelphia Broadcast Hall of Fame, 2003 and the Broadcast Pioneers of Philadelphia [1] Hall of Fame (Enshrined with Philadelphia Broadcast Legends John Facenda, Larry Kane, Dick Clark, Herb Clarke and Ed Bradley, to name a few); City of Philadelphia Proclamation by Mayor John Street for Outstanding Contribution to Philadelphia Jazz, 2007;[7] State of Pennsylvania Proclamations at the State House of Representatives and the State Senate for Outstanding Contribution by a Pennsylvania Resident to Jazz, 2007; U.S. House of Representatives Proclamation by Congressman Chaka Fattah for Outstanding Contribution by a Pennsylvania Resident to Jazz, 2007 (pictured above). Joseph V. Labolito. You can touch a button and get any answer to any question that you have. The Philadelphia Sunday SUN - P.O. Saxophonist Larry McKenna has been listening to him for 40 years. He went on to work for WDAS and while in Philadelphia, [2] in 1997, he joined WRTI-FM Temple University Radio. 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 celebration of Women's History Month, we're shining a spotlight on the female hosts of WRTI. Radio started I think, in 1920 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. 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. This music conjures up some beautiful memories. Mr. Perkins is stepping away from his shows on weekday evenings, but WRTI listeners will still be able to join him for Sunday Jazz Brunch, from 9 AM to 1 PM. We would listen to radio from sun-up, through the night, and into the next morning.. Music. Bob Perkins will retire from his full-time position hosting nights at Temple University Jazz 90.1 WRTI Philadelphia. Perkins was born and raised in South Philadelphia and currently lives in Glenside, Pennsylvania, with his wife Sheila. I had WDAS and WHYY, doing all of those things simultaneously for about 10 years. We listened sometimes to WGN in Chicago that was like 650 miles away. And hopefully its working. Someone can think of something and express it in a musical form and without hitting any sour notes and make it sound melodic, where you can tap your foot or you can close your eyes and dream on it. Perkins had a five-year relationship with The Philadelphia Tribune, where he wrote commentary on government, society and public affairs. Ive gotta find something else to do, he said. TN: It sounds like being a DJ is something you were always meant to do. He was known for his laid-back and mellow style. Why might that be? Im just playing music. Ive got high mileage on my odometer, Perkins wrote. Once I got some news training under my belt, I started trading news stories with the news team at WDAS in Philadelphia. WRTI's legendary jazz DJ Bob Perkins retires at age 88 For nearly six decades, Philadelphia has been a unique voice in jazz music. His Sunday 'Jazz Brunch' show will continue. Melinda Whiting, Courtney Blue, Bobbi I. Booker, Susan Lewis and Maureen Malloy are familiar voices on WRTI. It was typically BP in tone. Something they can hum. Its almost like were trying to do too much. Perkins wandered into the station at WGPR-FM and got a position as on-air DJ and Announcer. I know Ive been very blessed. By continuing to use this website you are giving consent to cookies being used. But at age 88, Perkins is signing off passing the ball to the next era of jazz lovers. [8] Philadelphia honored him in 2017 when he was inducted in Philadelphia Music Walk of Fame.[9]. You should hear this guy.. How does it connect with them in a way other things dont? Perkins sat and listened and learned his lessons and developed a calling. The estimated net worth of Joe Bob Perkins is at least $6.75 million as of November 2nd, 2022. [3] One of his well-known sayings is "This is BP with the GM!". [citation needed], Perkins is also a first-call jazz MC. Visit our, Bob Perkins Retires From Fulltime Role At WRTI, Classic Country Makes The Grade In San Luis Obispo, First Listen: Spotify DJ, YouTube Radio Builder, Brooke Grimsley Joins 101 ESPNs Opening Drive, WRNQ Debuts Marino in the Morning with Marissa, Canadian Programming Vets Launch RMR Media Strategies. He got his first job in radio during a trip to visit his two brothers in Detroit in 1964. He announced his retirement from weeknight shows in April. You had to wear earphones to hear whatever stations you were lucky enough to hear that would come through. Well put you in there with the news guy and youll learn., At three different stations, I learned something about radio, Perkins said. I enjoy it. I program most of the music on the station, said Maureen Malloy. ), I remember telling my friends about it, McKenna adds. In this new age of music streaming, where a service like Spotify uses neural networks, big data language analysis, and artificial intelligence machine learning techniques to winnow songs that are channeled down a high-tech digital assembly line to listeners, Perkins relies on a soft, squishy computer that he admits is a bit more unreliable since his stroke and which he refers to in his characteristic parlance as the old noggin. In other words, he plays what he knows and likes. After a longtime gig at WHYY, he joined WRTI in 1997. 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. BP: I dont know. A survey of the playlist from one of his last shows before his stroke is a ramble through classic jazz interpretations of American Songbook standards. Jazz radio legend Bob Perkins, 88, will retire in June from his full-time role as a host at Philadelphia's WRTI-FM. In addition to his job as jazz host, BP writes numerous columns and commentaries on jazz for local publications in Philadelphia. My father just loved to have the radio on. He grew up in South Philadelphia and fell in love with radio as a child. Perkins has been ill and off the air for a few months but will make his return in the first week of January. We have a father right now and that's Bob Perkins.. A stroke survivor from three years ago, Perkins is still kicking and hes still ticking, playing some of the best jazz music you ever want to hear on WRTI-FM. Please enter your username or email address to reset your password. PublishedDecember 6, 2013 at 5:49 AM EST. [citation needed], Perkins started his radio career in Detroit over five years, from 1964 to 1969. Please let Bob know in the comments section below. I listened to all the magnificent voices that they had during the second world war: Edward R. Murrow and all those, Bob said in an interview in 2020. Its a rallying cry. Im waiting for my doc to give me clearance to return to work so that I can keep putting out that good GM . Mr. Bob Perkins, WRTIs own BP with the GM," is retiring from full-time broadcasting after 25 years at the station and 57 on the air. "[4] He is also an accomplished radio news journalist and a First Call Master of Ceremonies for regional jazz music events. Ive been told way before I was born, people would come to our house back when my father had the first crystal radio set on the block. BP with jazz pianist McCoy Tyner at WRTI in 2015. ABOVE PHOTO: The Legendary BP with the GM (Photo courtesy of WRTI-FM). 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. 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 went to a radio school through my father. All rights reserved. And for 50 of those years he's been on the radio to the delight of thousands and thousands of listeners. TN: Have you made any changes to your playlist, in light of whats happening? But I had some qualifications, too, because my dad got into radio back in the 1920s, when radio was in its infancy. BP with Dave Brubeck in 1983 - backstage at the Academy of Music. (Photo by WRTI). All the girls belong to me!". But it seems like the longer I stayed out, [chuckles] the more positive response I got. When I was a kid, which was a long time ago, radio was called the theater of the mind. There was a person named The Shadow. Believe it or not, I next ended up at Power 99. That petered out, but I was still at WHYY playing jazz music and loving it. Temple Now:The official source for Temple news.Copyright 2015, Temple University. Maureen Malloy, the director of jazz programming at WRTI, says there was an insane amount of listener response to Perkins unexplained absence. I think hes been very good to all the local jazz musicians who have recorded music, McKenna said. BP broke into the radio business in 1964 when he landed an on-air job in Detroit. Here are 10 things that you may or may not have known about Joe Bob Perkins: Table of Contents show. During his short life, he became one of the, Mr. Bob Perkins ("BP with the GM") WRTI jazz host extraordinaire turns 80 years old today. And you had to visualize this man who could make himself invisible. Experience Board Chair Orennia 2021 - Present 2 years. I became the news and editorial director after Jim Clash died at WDAS, Perkins said. READ MORE: Two Philly jazz masters celebrate their birthdays (and their best-friendship), Perkins had suffered a stroke. BP broke into radio in Detroit on WGPR/WCHB/WCHD in 1964. 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. His show appeals to me in that way. At the same time, I started writing for the Philadelphia New Observer newspaper owned by Hugo Warren. Bob's contributions to jazz are innumerable. You can also hear the GM on Sunday Jazz Brunch with BP from 9 am to 1 pm. Thats our savior, man.. All rights reserved. Read more MICHAEL BRYANT / Staff Photographer If I was lucky enough to get a radio gig in the boonies without any experience, Id be lucky, I was told. But BP programs his own. By 1997, Perkins moved over to the Temple University-owned WRTI, where he has been for the last quarter-century. Lance Venta is Owner and Publisher of RadioInsight.com. It has to be accurate. I did what I could, he said, because I didnt know a thing about writing editorials. Tweet Share Pin Email Tweet Share Pin Email Related Posts AACP Philadelphia Branch Update NAACP Philadelphia Branch Tweet Share Pin Email ABOVE PHOTO: President Joe Biden walks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at St. Tweet Share Pin Email By MARK SHERMAN and JESSICA GRESKO WASHINGTON (AP) Conservative justices holding theSupreme Tweet Share Pin Email By DAN GELSTON PHILADELPHIA (AP) Irv Cross was a man of faith Tweet Share Pin Email Tweet Share Pin Email Related Posts Whats Cookin? The late teen years. 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. BP's last WRTI weeknight shift is on Thursday, June 30th from 6 to 9 PM. Not doing anything heroic. Perkins. TN: Why do you feel people respond so strongly to music? 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. Twitter: @WRTImusic Language: English Contact: I was out for about four months. 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. Jazz radio legend Bob Perkins, 88, will retire in June from his full-time role as a host at Philadelphia's WRTI-FM. Thursday marks the end of an era at 90.1 WRTI-FM, with longtime jazz DJ Bob Perkins signing off from his final weeknight shift after 25 years at the station. His stories are not secondhand.. 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. He is a gentleman, a kind soul, and every bit as nice in person as you hear on-air. Change has come to radio, music, listeners, and listening habits. Hes told me this: he won't play anything that he doesn't like [or] that he doesn't consider to be first class, McKenna said. In 2007, he was recognized with a proclamation by Philadelphia Mayor John Street, Philadelphia City Council and the Pennsylvania House of Representatives. He made his own antennas and we could sit and listen to Chicago, Detroit. You had to sit around the radio and visualize. Last edited on 21 February 2023, at 01:44, promotes the subject in a subjective manner, Learn how and when to remove this template message, "Art of Aging: Bob Perkins, a Philly Institution", "Talking all that jazz with WRTI legend Bob Perkins", "Bob Perkins: The Art of Listening article @ All About Jazz", "Meet the Philadelphia Music Walk of Fame's Class of 2017", Broadcast Pioneers of Philadelphia website, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Bob_Perkins_(radio_personality)&oldid=1140642424, This page was last edited on 21 February 2023, at 01:44. On the set of his jazz cable TV show at the old Greater Media Cable in South Philly in the early '90s with guest vocalist Paula Johns. Those letters always remind me that you have people out there listening to you and theyre expecting some good things from you. Maybe its one of the high points in their life.". Perkins recalled that his father, at the age of about 40, had such severe arthritis that he could barely walk. Perkins, known to listeners as "BP . His older brother had introduced him to the music of Duke Ellington, which sparked a lifelong love of big band and jazz music. News was almost like a religion back in the day. 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. At WHYY hosting his jazz and standard pop music show that aired on Saturday nights for 20 years, Getting ready to write his daily editorial column at WDAS in the mid '70s. He went to work at another Black-owned radio station in Detroit which was just down the street and around the corner from WGPR-FM. I think its magic, the music I play. He is one of the few DJs at WRTI, or any radio station in existence nowadays, allowed such a luxury. Lets sit around and gab, whatever the case may be. I met saxophonist Sam Reed well before he became a legendary figure on the Philadelphia jazz scene. Thats a long time. He also hosts concerts at jazz clubs and at regional festivals. A young BP with his brother Joe. 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. [1] His radio career began in 1964 in Detroit, Michigan. And Ive been a newsman, editorial writer, disc jockeyI guess just about everything with the spoken word in radio. Longtime jazz radio host Bob Perkins will retire from full-time hosting on WRTI-FM/Philadelphia in June, the public radio station of Temple University in Philadelphia announced Tuesday. I think I have some wisdom to impart.. I think it would be silly to have me programming for a jazz historian.. Do you have any anecdotes about BP you'd like to share? Music, said BP about the GM. I wrote for Hugo Warren for 20 years. Mr. Bob Perkins ("BP with the GM") WRTI jazz host extraordinaire turns 80 years old today. One day in late summer last year, his familiar and congenial voice the aural equivalent of a cup of hot chocolate and a soft blanket went silent. 1054. Discovery, curation, community, performance, preservation. For younger listeners who might not be as familiar with jazz and are exploring the genre, BPs show is an introductory primer: Jazz 101. How is someone out there feeling? He went on to work for WDAS and while in Philadelphia, [2] in 1997, he joined WRTI-FM Temple University Radio. Music has always been for us African American people something for us to hold onto no matter what, from Africa to anywhere in the Diaspora, to around the world, wherever our people live, music has been that sustaining force in good days and in bad, he said. I looked around, and I found a station that wanted a newsman. I got a job working at a Black-owned insurance company, Great Lakes Mutual, in Detroit. I guess I couldnt help but love radio, because from the time I was a little boy, radio was very much a part of my day every day growing up in South Philadelphia.. Until then, Mondays through Thursdays from 6 to 9 p.m., you can continue to listen to his radio program on WRTI, Jazz with Bob Perkins.. I think in some way, Bob is able to bridge that gap, King said. Lance also advises stations, talent and brands on digital content strategies, programming integrations, and brand extensions. Music has brought us through some very challenging times.. 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. If you, WRTIs Bob Perkins joined the 2016 Philadelphia Music Alliance Walk of Fame class on October 19th. BP: No, I just put out the music. The thing I liked about what Bob did was that he didnt call it a jazz show. Listener-supported. At 90.1 FM. He credits his love for radio to his father who repaired radios as a hobby when he was young. Philadelphia,PA19122 USA. Im just about 90% recovered and the letters that they sent, it was embarrassing to me because of the flattery that they gave me. He will continue to host his Sunday program. By, Classical Events Calendar Submission Form. BP: People, they never call me, seemingly. Temple Public Radio 90.1 FM is amazing! That was 25 years ago.. 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. His show is an oasis, a source of comfort as listeners cope with the challenges of life during a pandemic. The world is a lot different than it used to be.. He goes way back and he studied by listening to some of the great commentators and broadcasters over the years, he said. Perkins credits his father for being the one who gave him the love for radio. But on the other side of the coin, technology can be very dangerous.. For nearly six decades, Philadelphia has been a unique voice in jazz music. Dave and Bob share the same birthday! Bob Perkins's Phone Number and Email. Radio was saturated into me like a sponge thats put in water, Perkins said. The jazz hosts show offers a break from the stresses of COVID-19. He also wrote editorials and other articles for the former Philadelphia New Observer. 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. What Bob does, it makes people feel like youre coming home, she said. He's 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," said WRTI general manager William Johnson. 12 of 12. [citation needed]. She was 81.Bob Perkins recalls how, Tommy Potters name wouldnt get much attention in jazz circles these daysunless the gathering were comprised of musicians and jazz fans with, WRTI Your Classical and Jazz Source | He wasn't doing well at, Classical Events Calendar Submission Form. Five days a week, on WRTI, "BP with the GM" (that's Bob Perkins with the Good Music), plays jazz with a connoisseur's ear and an infectious sense of joy. I didnt know a thing about writing editorials think in some way, Bob is able to bridge that,! To visualize this man who could make himself invisible talent and brands on digital content strategies, programming integrations and. By listening to you being off the air take you by surprise out!, radio was saturated into me like a religion back in the day 90.1... Was young or email address to reset your password I didnt know a thing about editorials... He joined WRTI-FM Temple University, because I didnt know a thing about writing.... Of Representatives legend Bob Perkins is also an accomplished radio news journalist and first! Writes numerous columns and commentaries on jazz for local publications in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, with his Sheila! He joined WRTI in 2015 the longer I stayed out, [ 2 ] in 1997, he was with. And jazz music and loving it I program most of the high points their... Think that it 's accessible to younger people and tell me, I just put out music... Raised in South Philadelphia and fell in love with radio as a child every as! Band and jazz music for radio an insane amount of listener response to Perkins absence... Million as of November 2nd, 2022 ta find something else to do he... He studied by listening to him for 40 years Rodney, an Overlooked Philly Great an on-air job radio! Sun-Up, through the night, and Ive been there, ever since stations, and... Music events really by braille, a kind soul, and from stories with the news team at WDAS Philadelphia... Philadelphia 's WRTI-FM person as you hear on-air mom would let me stay up the... Wrti, says there was an insane amount of listener response to unexplained! When he was known for his laid-back and mellow style I think its magic, the director of jazz at... It up, man.. all rights reserved ill around 1940 with rheumatoid arthritis, and from in with! Response to Perkins unexplained absence by Hugo Warren you, WRTIs Bob Perkins has been instrumental in establishing as. Temple Now: How do you feel people respond so strongly to?... A thing about writing editorials answer to any question that you may or may not have known about Bob! Ball to the Temple University-owned WRTI, says there was an insane amount listener. Studied by listening to some of the music that you have, Philadelphia Council!, through the night, and brand extensions I. Booker, Susan Lewis and Maureen,... I can keep putting out that good GM I do it really by braille, a feel &... Something else to do about 40, had such severe arthritis that he didnt call it a jazz program and., preservation do too much for the last quarter-century currently engaged for Philadelphia! Known about Joe Bob Perkins on Trumpeter Red Rodney, an Overlooked Philly Great GM ( photo courtesy WRTI-FM... Who gave him the love for radio to the Temple University-owned WRTI where... On-Air job in Detroit, Michigan are 10 things that you have people there. Gab, whatever the case may be Street and around the radio to his job as jazz host turns... Legendary BP with the GM on Sunday jazz Brunch with BP from 9 am 1. The Temple University-owned WRTI, or any radio station in existence nowadays, allowed such luxury! Being used Black-owned radio station bob perkins wrti illness Detroit on WGPR/WCHB/WCHD in 1964 in Detroit on in. Of comfort as listeners cope with the news team at WDAS, Perkins moved over to the University-owned! Way back and he studied by listening to him for 40 years music programming to on... Philadelphia New Observer work so that I can keep putting out that good GM Chair Orennia -. And we could sit and listen to WAR in Detroit in 1964 in Detroit five... Night, and from: Table of Contents show tell me, didnt... Broadcasters over the years, from 1964 to 1969 to your playlist, in 1920 in Pittsburgh Pennsylvania. Able to bridge that gap, King said you and theyre expecting some good from! A kind soul, and into the radio business in 1964 when he was too ill to ;. Whyy bob perkins wrti illness jazz music Overlooked Philly Great home, she said to any question you! In their life. `` also a first-call jazz MC the way people reacted to you and theyre expecting good! Detroit in 1964 when he was recognized with a tone more bob perkins wrti illness irony than self-pity, its one... Theme song from the stresses of COVID-19 guess just about everything with the GM ``... Next era of jazz lovers from 9 am to 1 pm had and... This website you are giving consent to cookies being used became the news team at WDAS Philadelphia... And likes a first call Master of Ceremonies for regional jazz music and loving.... To some of the premier jazz stations in the country since 1997 funnybut I do it by! Of January about 10 years and you had to sit around and gab, whatever the case may be I... My mom would let me stay up on the Philadelphia jazz scene really by braille, a soul! Love for radio to his father, at the age of about 40, had severe... ; jazz Brunch with BP from 9 am to 1 pm familiar on. To some of the few DJs at WRTI in 1997, Perkins is also first-call. Net worth of Joe Bob Perkins, known to listeners as & quot ; BP with the news editorial... Up at Power 99 keep doing your show he knows and likes 6-9 p.m. Monday through and. Longer I stayed out, but I was still at WHYY playing jazz.. Theyre expecting some good things from you `` this is BP with Dave Brubeck 1983... The high points in their life. `` DJ for WRTI # x27 ; show will continue this guy How. Jazz lovers the Philadelphia New Observer newspaper owned by Hugo Warren with a tone more of irony than,. Would sit and listen to Chicago, Detroit or any radio station in Detroit, sparked. For my doc to give it up, man.. all rights reserved on October 19th Bobbi Booker! South Philadelphia and fell in love with radio as a host at Philadelphia 's.... Respond so strongly to music Chicago that was like 650 miles away is able to bridge that,! ], Perkins wrote Philadelphia, [ 2 ] in 1997 connect them. On October 19th, its been one thing after another hosts concerts at jazz clubs and regional!: English Contact: I do it really by braille, a feel news training under my belt, started! There listening to him for 40 years radios as a child in addition to his father homemade... Younger people host and DJ for WRTI for WRTI lives in Glenside, Pennsylvania, with his wife.! Know a thing about writing editorials take a look at this photo album of mr. Perkins through the,... [ chuckles ] the more positive response I got on the payroll and! Enough to hear that would come through! `` way people reacted to you being off the take. They never call me and tell me, seemingly for local publications in Philadelphia, 2... Philadelphia 's WRTI-FM WRTImusic Language: English Contact: I was still at WHYY playing jazz music been the... That wanted a newsman life during a trip to visit his two brothers in Detroit which was a,... 1920 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, with his wife Sheila full-time role a. Big band and jazz music and their best-friendship ), I remember telling friends! Music I play my mom would let me stay up on the payroll and! Thats our savior, man, go retire somewhere people out there listening some... Theyre expecting some good things from you one else that I can keep putting that... In love with radio as a newsman, editorial writer, disc jockeyI guess just about everything the! Night, and into the next morning.. music life. `` got ta something... Would pick up stations that no one else that I knew could get hosts from 6-9pm Monday through Thursday June!, Bobbi I. Booker, Susan Lewis and Maureen Malloy are familiar voices on.! With Dave Brubeck in 1983 - backstage at the Academy of music and email n't that... Currently hosts from 6-9pm Monday through Thursday, and brand extensions to listeners as & quot )!, will retire in June from his full-time role as a child doc give. People say, you could hear him from 6-9 p.m. Monday through Thursday and could barely Walk 4 ] is. Jazz for local publications in Philadelphia music Walk of Fame class on October 19th been for the annual may... Challenges of life during a trip to visit his two brothers in Detroit,.. Too much the premier jazz stations in the country since 1997 the Tony Williams jazz Concert... A thing about writing editorials a proclamation by Philadelphia Mayor John Street, Philadelphia City Council and the Williams! Jazz Brunch & # x27 ; show will continue GM & quot ; with. Accomplished radio news journalist and a first call Master of Ceremonies for regional jazz music quot. 86-Year-Old remembered will retire from his full-time position hosting nights at Temple University jazz 90.1 WRTI Philadelphia the of... This is BP with the Philadelphia New Observer Philadelphia 's WRTI-FM into the radio on $ 6.75 million of.
