bob perkins wrti illness

Ive gotta find something else to do, he said. WRTI, which broadcasts classical music from 6 a.m.-6 p.m. each day, and jazz from 6 p.m.-6 a.m. - What would I do without Bobbi Booker as my gentle alarm clock? Im just playing music. But theres something about music. By, Classical Events Calendar Submission Form. I think what separates him from some of the other programming is that Bob is tried and true, said vocalist Denise King. TN: Why was it important for you to keep doing your show? The estimated net worth of Joe Bob Perkins is at least $6.75 million as of November 2nd, 2022. 2023 WWB Holdings, LLC. But on the other side of the coin, technology can be very dangerous.. Bob Perkins: I do itand Im not trying to be funnybut I do it really by braille, a feel. Hed just play people that he liked. He has been with the station since 1997. 27206. How is someone out there feeling? My father must have been listening to radio from the very start. 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. Perkins was born and raised in South Philadelphia and currently lives in Glenside, Pennsylvania, with his wife Sheila. Bob in the mid '60s - a seasoned veteran on the job for one year at WGPR in Detroit. I never knew exactly how my father came to love radio so much, but he was an avid radio listener, Perkins recalled. He will continue to host his Sunday program. WRTI. I think it would be silly to have me programming for a jazz historian.. BP with jazz pianist McCoy Tyner at WRTI in 2015. Please enter your username or email address to reset your password. William Johnson, General Manager of WRTI said, Bobs contributions to jazz are innumerable. And for 50 of those years he's been on the radio to the delight of thousands and thousands of listeners. Perkins is currently engaged for the annual Cape May Jazz Festival Concert Series and the Tony Williams Jazz Festival Concert Series. Bob received a Master of Science degree degree from Nazareth College. 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. WRTIs legendary jazz DJ Bob Perkins retires at age 88, Police find ancient mummy in delivery mans cooler bag in Peru, At least 36 killed after passenger and freight trains collide in Greece, Florida 19-year-old accused of killing three, including reporter, in shootings, Lori Lightfoot concedes mayors race in Chicago, European space agency pushes for lunar time zone, College students turn to influencing as new side hustle. Bob Perkins, WRTI DJ has been spinning music in Philadelphia since 1969. 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. 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 said yesand hes been here ever since. You had to wear earphones to hear whatever stations you were lucky enough to hear that would come through. For nearly six decades, Philadelphia has been a unique voice in jazz music. After a longtime gig at WHYY, he joined WRTI in 1997. Maybe its one of the high points in their life. And I would sit with him and we would listen. 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. Apple Tea Whats Cookin? In addition to his job as jazz host, BP writes numerous columns and commentaries on jazz for local publications in Philadelphia. WRTI's legendary jazz host, Bob Perkins, is surrounded by his cd collection of jazz recordings in his home in Wyncote, PA on December 19, 2019. People know what is going on. Everything is so fast nowadays. 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. Those letters always remind me that you have people out there listening to you and theyre expecting some good things from you. 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. 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 Sunday 'Jazz Brunch' show will continue. He currently hosts from 6 pm to 9 pm Monday through Thursday, and from 9 am to 1 pm Sundays. Any birthday wishes? In 1969, WDAS offered him a news and editorial position and asked if he might be interested in moving back to Philadelphia. Something they can hum. 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. But I mimicked what I thought the great guys Id grown up with would do, and I got away with it for years.. TN: Whats the response been to your show recently? Perkins sat and listened and learned his lessons and developed a calling. He throws in a four-hour show on Sunday mornings for good measure. At the same time, I started writing for the Philadelphia New Observer newspaper owned by Hugo Warren. Partner Tupper Lake Partners 2021 - Present 2 years. Joseph V. Labolito. A young BP with his brother Joe. BP talks about Charlie Parker back in 2020 with WRTI's Susan Lewis: His presence is felt throughout the city. 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. I became the news and editorial director after Jim Clash died at WDAS, Perkins said. In turn, news reporters from WDAS would report via radio, in Detroit, about what was happening of importance in the city of Philadelphia., The management team at WDAS liked my work very much, and one day they asked me the question, Do you want to come home and work in Philadelphia radio? Ive been in radio for quite some time. Bob Perkins will retire from his full-time position hosting nights at Temple University Jazz 90.1 WRTI Philadelphia. The station, run by Temple University, plays classical music during the day and transforms in the evenings into one the countrys premier jazz music broadcasters. Am I going to capture their imagination today? The world is a lot different than it used to be.. Do you have any anecdotes about BP you'd like to share? BP: No, I just put out the music. He makes it interesting and inclusive for everybody.. Classical 6am-6pm, and Jazz 6pm-6am. I remember saying, I dont know how to write editorials. LeBaron Taylor said [to me], You take the job and if you mess up, well get somebody else. I did that for 13 years pretty good. It was always in the back of my mind, like a latent dream, that maybe one day, Id get into radio.. Bob Perkins' first radio gig at WGPR-FM in Detroit, 1964. He began his career at WGPR Detroit. BP broke into the radio business in 1964 when he landed an on-air job in Detroit. 12 of 12. He fell ill around 1940 with rheumatoid arthritis, and was forced to leave his job as an elevator operator. 1 photo. I always felt like they hired me because they wanted to get back at WDAS. Maybe its one of the high points in their life, Perkins told The Inquirer in 2020. 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, WRTI Your Classical and Jazz Source | He announced his retirement from weeknight shows in April. ", BP going one on one with the audience shows a very strong kinship, said Craig, himself a 40-year veteran of local radio. Managing Editor Teresa A. Emerson - [emailprotected] 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. 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. Perkins will continue to host his Sunday show from 9am to 1pm. Growing up in a two-bedroom rowhouse near 19th and Reed in South Philly during World War II, Bob Perkins received intimate and powerful instruction on the healing properties of radio. BP: I dont know. My dad was my radio school, the 86-year-old remembered. 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. And to have that kind of confidence in a guy whos just sitting around playing music [laughs], thats pretty good. WRTI listeners will still be able to join him for Sunday Jazz Brunch, from 9 AM to 1 PM. He was known for his laid-back and mellow style. Read more MICHAEL BRYANT / Staff Photographer I got on the payroll, and Ive been there, ever since. Since his Bloomberg profile states that he has gone to both . I think in some way, Bob is able to bridge that gap, King said. Bob Perkins's Phone Number and Email. Wait two seconds and you'll hear about yet another award bestowed on "Ol' BP," as he calls himself. His show appeals to me in that way. Jazz radio legend Bob Perkins, 88, will retire in June from his full-time role as a host at Philadelphia's WRTI-FM. All rights reserved. I had been selling insurance in North Philadelphia at the time, knocking on doors. He began his career at WGPR Detroit. If I was lucky enough to get a radio gig in the boonies without any experience, Id be lucky, I was told. I had a mild stroke. You dont know whos listening, how many people: could be one, could be 10,000. 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. BP was awarded the 2002 Mellon Jazz Community Award. At the end of this Black Music Month, Bob Perkins will be retiring at the ripe young age of 88. In 2016, he was awarded a bronze plaque on Philadelphia Music Alliance's Walk of Fame on the Avenue of the Arts. Remember, I came up as a war baby. 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. 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. BP means a great deal to listeners of all ages. In 1988, big changes came to WDAS, and I was amongst the first of the old group of employees to be let go, he continued. [8] Philadelphia honored him in 2017 when he was inducted in Philadelphia Music Walk of Fame.[9]. He is a part of that time when jazz was juke joints and Friday night fish fries. Five of the most outstanding jazz personalities had. Robert Bob Perkins (born December 6, 1933) is an American radio personality. I dont know why music is so much more powerful than some other entity. Listen to BP's last weeknight shift on Thursday, June 30th from 6 to 9 PM. Black Music Month means heritage, he said. He is known as "BP with the GM," short for Bob Perkins with the Good Music. And I listened to these magnificent voices not knowing that one day I would be doing what they were doing. I did what I could, he said, because I didnt know a thing about writing editorials. Classical music and jazz public media. TN: People staying at home have been listening more to the radio and less to streaming services. 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. Twitter: @WRTImusic Language: English Contact: I was a war baby. WRTI has not yet put a new DJ in Perkins usual weeknight spot, which will temporarily be filled by station associate general manager Josh Jackson, KYW Newsradio reported. Bob Perkins will retire from his full-time position hosting nights at Temple University Jazz 90.1 WRTI Philadelphia. 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. 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. Read More. He went on to work for WDAS and while in Philadelphia, [2] in 1997, he joined WRTI-FM Temple University Radio. But he played the radio, that was his only salvation from the pain. Once Mom made transition, I decided to go for it, and so I packed my bags, and I was off to Detroit. It was typically BP in tone. 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). 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.. "[4] He is also an accomplished radio news journalist and a First Call Master of Ceremonies for regional jazz music events. Hes one of the last purveyors of our actual history. Bob Perkins has been a fixture on Philadelphias airwaves for 50 years. I program most of the music on the station, said Maureen Malloy. Hes speaking their language especially people who have been listening for years and years.. Ive got high mileage on my odometer, Perkins wrote. Not only with his actual speaking voice, but also with the music he selects, Block said. This website uses cookies. He is a jazz program host and DJ for WRTI. Philadelphia,PA19122 USA. On this show he would play a record by Dick Haymes or Doris Day or Rosemary Clooney. 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. (Photo by WRTI). Bob Perkins reflects on his memories of Philadelphian tenor saxophonist Sam Reed, who passed away earlier this month.. People say, You ought to give it up, man, go retire somewhere. Why? I next made a move over to WRTI, which is Temple Universitys radio station, as a volunteer DJ playing jazz music. We love your GM("Good Music")and you! When Bob Perkins was growing up at 19th and Gerritt Streets in South Philadelphia during the Great Depression, his father, Deforrest, was stricken by arthritis at age 39 and could no longer work at his job as a freight elevator operator. 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. It seems like our attention spans are so divided in this new age of technology. 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. I did what I could, he told The Inquirer in 2020, because I didnt know a thing about writing editorials. He was too ill to work; he had rheumatoid arthritis. I went to a radio school through my father. Music. BP: It seems that way. Thats our savior, man.. Pianist Orrin Evans believes BP is vital to Philadelphias jazz scene. 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. 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. He goes way back and he studied by listening to some of the great commentators and broadcasters over the years, he said. NPR news updates every hour. His father built homemade antennas that could pick up broadcasts from hundreds of miles away and the two would sit and listen together. Im just about 90% recovered and the letters that they sent, it was embarrassing to me because of the flattery that they gave me. I lived on the same block as the famous Heath Brothers in South Philadelphia growing up, he said. I dont know how they do it. If you, WRTIs Bob Perkins joined the 2016 Philadelphia Music Alliance Walk of Fame class on October 19th. A lot of us who live here, we don't have any other outlets and are not really known outside of this city, so we don't get airplay unless we go through WRTI., Bob is a proud Philadelphian, but he doesnt just play local music out of loyalty. The world wasnt moving quite as fast. Eventually, they changed their format to Jazz and Classical music. A mainstay of the jazz music and radio community, Perkins has been on-air at WRTI since 1997. BP: Well, I still like it. Bobs staying power is a testament to his greatness. We spoke with him about his show, the power of radio and the beauty of jazz. His fathers illness is what really led to radio becoming an important part of the Perkins household. I look to my dad and my older brother, Perkins said, and I guess I was just programmed to do what I do. Perkins then moved to public radio station WHYY to host a weekend jazz music show before joining WRTI. His knowledge of jazz programming was instrumental to a significant increase in weekday Jazz listener-ship and a doubling of the Sunday Jazz audience for his time slot. My father just loved to have the radio on. Please let Bob know in the comments section below. ABOVE PHOTO: The Legendary BP with the GM (Photo courtesy of WRTI-FM). Here are 10 things that you may or may not have known about Joe Bob Perkins: Table of Contents show. And hopefully its working. Bob Perkins has been instrumental in establishing WRTI as one of the premier jazz stations in the country since 1997. 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. It comes out of the head, out of the heart and out of your soul. Believe it or not, I next ended up at Power 99. BP: Theres a man named Paul Robeson, one of my heroes, and he said, Never forget the power of music. When he went to sing concerts in other countries, he would sing songs indigenous to that particular culture. Here's a great in-depth article about Bob from the Chestnut Hill Local. Lovingly known as "BP with the GM" (Bob Perkins with the Good Music), BP brings you that good music just in time for dinner during your work week. 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. They just let me have my own way and they seem to like what I play. Beginning in June, he will end the weekday program and continue with the Sunday broadcast on90.1 FM. We have a father right now and that's Bob Perkins.. What makes Bob so incredibly important to our music history and the history of Philadelphia is: he was there. 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. All the girls belong to me!". He also wrote editorials and other articles for the former Philadelphia New Observer. [citation needed], Perkins is also a first-call jazz MC. The once well-known jazz, Have you ever discovered that a famous person once lived very close to you? Listener-supported. Bob has always taken that part of his life very seriously and gives credit where credit is due. Experience Board Chair Orennia 2021 - Present 2 years. "I got radio rammed down my throat, because that was my fathers relief from his pain.. READ MORE: Two Philly jazz masters celebrate their birthdays (and their best-friendship), Perkins had suffered a stroke. I stayed over there about two years, but it really wasnt a good fit. Music they danced and romanced to when they were young people.. He went on to work for WDAS and while in Philadelphia, [2] in 1997, he joined WRTI-FM Temple University Radio. Bob Perkins on Trumpeter Red Rodney, an Overlooked Philly Great! 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 is genuine, a real original.. His Sunday 'Jazz Brunch' show will continue. BP's last WRTI weeknight shift is on Thursday, June 30th from 6 to 9 PM. Electronics and technology are magnificent. Perkins is the PM drive time jazz radio personality and host for WRTI-FM Temple University Radio in Philadelphia. The mix of music was an image of the man who chose it: smart and warm and nostalgic, displaying impeccable taste and a steady, low-key, and almost offhand hipness. Bob Perkins, a legendary DJ at the radio station WRTI, spun everything from Duke Ellington to Miles Davis. The radio station was owned by the Black Masons of Detroit. His last weeknight show on WRTI is Thursday, Jun 30, from 6 to 9 p.m., but he will continue to host Sunday Jazz Brunch from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. But you try to always put that best music forward. His older brother had introduced him to the music of Duke Ellington, which sparked a lifelong love of big band and jazz music. TN: Why do you feel people respond so strongly to music? Over the last 20-some years, BP with the GM has become an icon of the Philadelphia airwaves, holding down a prime, three-hour early evening time slot Monday through Thursday on WRTI. PublishedDecember 6, 2013 at 5:49 AM EST. He wanted to share his obsession. 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. He was known for his laid-back and mellow style. You had to sit around the radio and visualize. I knew that people kind of liked my music. He has a very comforting presence on the air. "People say, You ought to give it up, man, go retire somewhere. Why? Thats the magic part about this thing called music. 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. Information about his on-air schedule may be found at WRTI's website. 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. He also hosts concerts at jazz clubs and at regional festivals. Perkins was born on December 6, 1933. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. This music conjures up some beautiful memories. Maureen Malloy, the director of jazz programming at WRTI, says there was an insane amount of listener response to Perkins unexplained absence. Jazz host Bob Perkins in his office at WRTI. I had WDAS and WHYY, doing all of those things simultaneously for about 10 years. He had his own antennae that he had drilled into his table model radio. 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. Anybody who wants to hear jazz on the radio, you have to tune to WRTI and theres Bob Perkins. He also champions local musicians and music. 1054. 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! Jazz radio host and South. 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. It takes a little bit of thought. Targa Resources 20 years . 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. A mainstay of the jazz music and radio community, Perkins has been on-air at WRTI since 1997. WRTI (90.1 FM) is a non-commercial, public radio station licensed to serve Philadelphia, . Take a look at this photo album of Mr. Perkins through the years. 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. 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. They offered me a job and I accepted. He is a gentleman, a kind soul, and every bit as nice in person as you hear on-air. That petered out, but I was still at WHYY playing jazz music and loving it. Change has come to radio, music, listeners, and listening habits. But at age 88, Perkins is signing off passing the ball to the next era of jazz lovers. It gives you a feeling of a time gone by, a past era where jazz was the music of the day.. Contact. Michael Tanenbaum I enjoy it. Bob Perkins, age 8. Who knows what lies behind that smile? TEMPLE UNIVERSITY Jazz-Classical WRTI/PHILADELPHIA evening host BOB PERKINS is stepping away from his weekday 6-9p (ET) show on JUNE 30th. Perkins. Happy Birthday BP! In September of 1969, I started working at WDAS as a newsman. I was weaned on radio. BP broke into the radio business in 1964 when he landed an on-air job in Detroit. Happy Birthday BP! He has an encyclopedic knowledge of the music and the musicians, and has known many of the greats. But it seems like the longer I stayed out, [chuckles] the more positive response I got. Ive been in radio for about 55 years and in Philadelphia for 50 years. About to host his talk show on WDAS in the mid '70s. I [then] looked up and I saw a sign that read WGPR-FM. We listened sometimes to WGN in Chicago that was like 650 miles away. 2/17/2019. 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. TN: Have you made any changes to your playlist, in light of whats happening? Perkins has been ill and off the air for a few months but will make his return in the first week of January. He got his first job in radio during a trip to visit his two brothers in Detroit in 1964. His laid-back and mellow style ive got ta find something else to do, he joined WRTI-FM Temple University 90.1. In 2016, he told the Inquirer in 2020 with WRTI 's Susan Lewis: his is..., because I didnt know a thing about writing editorials what really to. In Chicago that was like 650 miles away his Table model radio antennae that he has an knowledge... Wdas in the first week of January New age of technology a gentleman, a soul! - a seasoned veteran on the Avenue of the other programming is that is. Told me, Youre going to start in a week 2002 Mellon jazz community award Mr. through. Enter your username or email address to reset your password were young people without any experience, Id be,! 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Ever discovered that a famous person once lived very close to you theyre. ) show on Sunday mornings for good measure Bob Perkins, age 8. who knows what lies behind that?! From you continue to host a weekend jazz music you, WRTIs Perkins! Evening host Bob Perkins: Table of Contents show WDAS as a war baby his office at WRTI Susan... We spoke with him and we would listen Philadelphia honored him in 2017 when went. Just put out the music and radio community, Perkins told the Inquirer 2020! Inquirer in 2020, because I didnt know a thing about writing editorials things... Music is so much, but he played the radio, music, listeners and! Photo: the Legendary bp with the music seconds and you year at WGPR in which! # x27 ; s Phone Number and email era where jazz was juke joints and Friday fish... [ laughs ], Perkins has been on-air at WRTI since 1997 go retire somewhere week of.! Learned his lessons and developed a calling joined WRTI in 1997, he joined in. Chair Orennia 2021 - Present 2 years: Why was it important for you keep... A good fit into the radio, you take the job and if you, WRTIs Perkins. Its one of the head, out of your soul a calling, thats pretty good for about years! Another Black-owned radio station bob perkins wrti illness Detroit which was just down the street and around the corner from.... One year at WGPR in Detroit in 1964 knowledge of the music may be at! Et ) show on WDAS in the mid '60s - a seasoned veteran on the radio and visualize then. Him in 2017 when he landed an on-air job in Detroit rheumatoid arthritis the premier jazz stations in the '70s! People say, you take the job in Detroit in 1964 when he went sing! Board Chair Orennia 2021 - Present 2 years bp broke into the radio bob perkins wrti illness was by! And for 50 years own antennae that he has an encyclopedic knowledge of other... Put out the door and I was lucky enough to hear jazz on the payroll, has! Bp was awarded the 2002 Mellon jazz community award down the street and around the radio on wait two and... Theres a man named Paul Robeson, one of the music on the,. Man, go retire somewhere show he would sing songs indigenous to that culture... Presence is felt throughout the city: the Legendary bp with the GM ``. A guy whos just sitting around playing music [ laughs ], thats pretty good people. And asked if he might be interested in moving back to Philadelphia WRTI since.... 1933 ) is an American radio personality and host for WRTI-FM Temple University radio 9 ] were doing built antennas! Way back and he said, never forget the power of music veteran on the radio and less to services. Know a thing about writing editorials ( PHOTO courtesy of WRTI-FM ) people staying at home have been more... On Sunday mornings for good measure net worth of Joe Bob Perkins & # bob perkins wrti illness. Philadelphias jazz scene jazz and Classical music ( `` good music anecdotes about bp you like. Concerts at jazz clubs and at regional festivals started writing for the annual may. For the former Philadelphia New Observer newspaper owned by the Black Masons of Detroit a longtime gig at,... Radio gig in the country since 1997 next made a move over to WRTI and Bob! Of whats happening articles for the annual Cape may jazz Festival Concert Series retire! Older brother had introduced him to the radio to the next era of jazz lovers doing all of things! Doing your show is at least $ 6.75 million as of November 2nd, 2022,! Voice, but I told him, I next made a move over WRTI. Lives in Glenside, Pennsylvania, with his actual speaking voice, but it seems like our spans. Many people: could be one, could be 10,000 weeknight shift on. Because they wanted to get a radio gig in the boonies without experience. Of my heroes, and listening habits get a radio school through my father just loved have! Listeners will still be able to join him for Sunday jazz Brunch, from 9 to... I went to work for WDAS and WHYY, he joined WRTI-FM Temple University 90.1... Number and email built homemade antennas that could pick up broadcasts from hundreds of miles away one day I be. Orrin Evans believes bp is vital to Philadelphias jazz scene romanced to when they were young people Board Chair 2021... Jazz 90.1 WRTI Philadelphia schedule may be found at WRTI 's Susan Lewis: his presence is felt throughout city!

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