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. Believe it or not, I next ended up at Power 99. Melinda Whiting, Courtney Blue, Bobbi I. Booker, Susan Lewis and Maureen Malloy are familiar voices on WRTI. And for 50 of those years he's been on the radio to the delight of thousands and thousands of listeners. I think what separates him from some of the other programming is that Bob is tried and true, said vocalist Denise King. 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. Bob received a Master of Science degree degree from Nazareth College. 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. And you had to visualize this man who could make himself invisible. People say, You ought to give it up, man, go retire somewhere. Why? Thats our savior, man.. Bob Perkins has been a fixture on Philadelphias airwaves for 50 years. Perkins was also one of Pennsylvania's favorite night-time jazz listeners, in the Philadelphia area. But theres something about music. And to have that kind of confidence in a guy whos just sitting around playing music [laughs], thats pretty good. It comes out of the head, out of the heart and out of your soul. BP was awarded the 2002 Mellon Jazz Community Award. Perkins has been ill and off the air for a few months but will make his return in the first week of January. Wait two seconds and you'll hear about yet another award bestowed on "Ol' BP," as he calls himself. So when I came back I got these emails saying, Oh, were glad youre back. I save all my emails. In addition to his radio duties, Perkins has written jazz columns for multiple publications over the years and has hosted concerts at jazz clubs and festivals. Bob Perkins' first radio gig at WGPR-FM in Detroit, 1964. And people do forget. And the only way you can make it accurate is you have to be there, he said. Liked by Joe Bob Perkins. Please remove or replace such wording and instead of making proclamations about a subject's importance, use facts and attribution to demonstrate that importance. And it is. The radio station was owned by the Black Masons of Detroit. 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. BP's last WRTI weeknight shift is on Thursday, June 30th from 6 to 9 PM. "He is a gentleman, a kind soul, and every bit as nice in person as you hear on-air. Maureen Malloy, the director of jazz programming at WRTI, says there was an insane amount of listener response to Perkins unexplained absence. I know Ive been very blessed. Targa Resources 20 years . They just let me have my own way and they seem to like what I play. Jazz radio legend Bob Perkins, 88, will retire in June from his full-time role as a host at Philadelphia's WRTI-FM. Mr. Bob Perkins ("BP with the GM") WRTI jazz host extraordinaire turns 80 years old today. Ive been in radio for quite some time. 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. BP: Well, I still like it. Its a rallying cry. Apple Tea Whats Cookin? As of 1997, Perkins landed at WRTI-FM. Maybe were getting back to that today. All rights reserved. My gerontologist tells me, Keep moving.. This was in the mid-1920s., My father was kind of a genius in handling his radio, Perkins continued. They offered me a job and I accepted. 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. Bell Building I looked around, and I found a station that wanted a newsman. 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. 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. I also dont think radio announcers are as influential today as they used to be, Perkins added. Thats our savior, man.. Bob Perkins's Phone Number and Email. ABOVE PHOTO: The Legendary BP with the GM (Photo courtesy of WRTI-FM). Or when times are not tight and everythings loose? I was out for almost four months. But on the other side of the coin, technology can be very dangerous.. 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. Bob Perkins' Recollection of the Late Sam Reed, BP Tells a Little Story About Ella Fitzgeralds Connection to Orphaned Children, Bob Perkins Reflects On Oldtime Philly Legends, Including 2021 NEA Jazz Master Albert "Tootie" Heath, Bob Perkins Talks About Dave Brubeck's Legacy Back in 2012. 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. Music, said BP about the GM. Hed just play people that he liked. But he played the radio, that was his only salvation from the pain. 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.. Bob says that it was Joe who first introduced him to jazz. He has attended two White House Presidential news conferences - one of Gerald Ford's and one of Jimmy Carter's. And he knows the history of the music so well. I try to ameliorate that and take the rough edges off if I can, with the music. The late teen years. Jazz radio host and South. He credits his love for radio to his father who repaired radios as a hobby when he was young. A Philadelphia man has become an institution by keeping the sounds of Philly and American Jazz alive for decades. 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. Perkins recalled that his father, at the age of about 40, had such severe arthritis that he could barely walk. 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. Perkins has been ill and off the air for a few months but will make his return in the first week of January. Perkins stayed at that first station about a year and a half when another opportunity showed itself. Perkins, known to listeners as "BP . In 2016, he was awarded a bronze plaque on Philadelphia Music Alliance's Walk of Fame on the Avenue of the Arts. Listener-supported. 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. Over the years, he met the likes of President Jimmy Carter and touched the lives of everyday listeners and renowned musicians. 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!. WRTI's legendary jazz DJ Bob Perkins retires at age 88 For nearly six decades, Philadelphia has been a unique voice in jazz music. 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. TN: Why do you feel people respond so strongly to music? 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. TEMPLE UNIVERSITY Jazz-Classical WRTI/PHILADELPHIA evening host BOB PERKINS is stepping away from his weekday 6-9p (ET) show on JUNE 30th. He was known for his laid-back and mellow style. Those letters always remind me that you have people out there listening to you and theyre expecting some good things from you. Since his Bloomberg profile states that he has gone to both . My dad was my radio school, the 86-year-old remembered. Scroll down to see recent playlists. Saxophonist Larry McKenna has been listening to him for 40 years. After a longtime gig at WHYY, he joined WRTI in 1997. Bob has always taken that part of his life very seriously and gives credit where credit is due. Ive been in radio for about 55 years and in Philadelphia for 50 years. I never knew exactly how my father came to love radio so much, but he was an avid radio listener, Perkins recalled. His fathers illness is what really led to radio becoming an important part of the Perkins household. He has an encyclopedic knowledge of the music and the musicians, and has known many of the greats. BP: People, they never call me, seemingly. 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. I stayed over there about two years, but it really wasnt a good fit. People know what is going on. Talking all that jazz with WRTI legend Bob Perkins, Two Philly jazz masters celebrate their birthdays (and their best-friendship), California residents do not sell my data request. Five of the most outstanding jazz personalities had. 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. His show will come to an end June 30, but he says this wont be the last his fans hear from him. WRTI listeners will still be able to join him for Sunday Jazz Brunch, from 9 AM to 1 PM. Read More. 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.. They were a great family of jazz artists. 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. In September of 1969, I started working at WDAS as a newsman. The interview has been edited for brevity and clarity. He was inducted into the Broadcast Pioneers of Philadelphia Hall of Fame in 2003. 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. I did what I could, he told The Inquirer in 2020, because I didnt know a thing about writing editorials. How does it connect with them in a way other things dont? The music that appeals to BPs old noggin is what he calls the melodic stuff with no expiration date, most of it recorded decades ago. He is a gentleman, a kind soul, and every bit as nice in person as you hear on-air. I think its magic, the music I play. Perkins' jazz show has been broadcast Monday through Thursday from 6-9 p.m. and from 9 a.m.-1 p.m. on Sundays. (Photo by WRTI). 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 met saxophonist Sam Reed well before he became a legendary figure on the Philadelphia jazz scene. I had also served in the United States Army from 1956 to 1958. 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. Perkins was born and raised in South Philadelphia and currently lives in Glenside, Pennsylvania, with his wife Sheila. Joe Bob Perkins Director Former Executive Chairman, CEO, and Founding President of Targa Resources (NYSE:TRGP) since 2003 (took Targa Public) Held a variety of executive and business development roles with Reliant, Coral Energy, and Tejas Gas, and also worked for McKinsey and Company and Mesa Petroleum; Serves on the Targa Resources Board, is a . For 50 years he has been one of the great voices of Philadelphia radio, starting in 1969 with a nearly 20-year stint as a news and editorial reader for WDAS, known in those days as The Voice of the Black Community. On this show he would play a record by Dick Haymes or Doris Day or Rosemary Clooney. 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). The jazz hosts show offers a break from the stresses of COVID-19. Temple Now: How do you choose the music that you play? 1 photo. Not doing anything heroic. BP broke into the radio business in 1964 when he landed an on-air job in Detroit. He is one of the few DJs at WRTI, or any radio station in existence nowadays, allowed such a luxury. Listen to BP's last weeknight shift on Thursday, June 30th from 6 to 9 PM. He also hosts concerts at jazz clubs and at regional festivals. Maybe its one of the high points in their life.". If you, WRTIs Bob Perkins joined the 2016 Philadelphia Music Alliance Walk of Fame class on October 19th. Once I got some news training under my belt, I started trading news stories with the news team at WDAS in Philadelphia. Bob Perkins, age 8. Who knows what lies behind that smile? Am I going to capture their imagination today? In celebration of Women's History Month, we're shining a spotlight on the female hosts of WRTI. A mainstay of the jazz music and radio community, Perkins has been on-air at WRTI since 1997. 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. You can never know. Im just about 90% recovered and the letters that they sent, it was embarrassing to me because of the flattery that they gave me. Contact. Beginning in June, he will end the weekday program and continue with the Sunday broadcast on90.1 FM. His stories are not secondhand.. Bob's contributions to jazz are innumerable. 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. Here's a great in-depth article about Bob from the Chestnut Hill Local. He is a jazz program host and DJ for WRTI. Joe Blocks parents were fans of WRTI and the pianist grew up listening to BP, becoming a fan himself. Bob Perkin's, a legendary DJ at the radio station WRTI,. In 2016, he was awarded a bronze plaque on Philadelphia Music Alliance's Walk of Fame on the Avenue of the Arts. I dont think that there's anybody in Philadelphia who's a true jazz fan who doesn't know who he is, McKenna said. The general manager told me one of his announcers would be leaving in a few days and I could try out for his job. 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. You can find some solace in what you like. At the same time, I started writing for the Philadelphia New Observer newspaper owned by Hugo Warren. All the girls belong to me!". "[4] He is also an accomplished radio news journalist and a First Call Master of Ceremonies for regional jazz music events. All rights reserved. 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.. 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. Went to Texas A&M University. His Sunday 'Jazz Brunch' show will continue. 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. Robert "Bob" Perkins (born December 6, 1933) is an American radio personality. But you try to always put that best music forward. 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. 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. 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. Maybe its one of the high points in their life. Perkins credits his father for being the one who gave him the love for radio. July 1, 2022. 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. He is a jazz program host and DJ for WRTI. Pianist Orrin Evans believes BP is vital to Philadelphias jazz scene. He said yesand hes been here ever since. I guess along with fast food came fast everything fast cars, fast thoughts, fast relationships. Ive gotta find something else to do, he said. WRTI (90.1 FM) is a non-commercial, public radio station licensed to serve Philadelphia, . But I mimicked what I thought the great guys Id grown up with would do, and I got away with it for years.. Michael Tanenbaum Change has come to radio, music, listeners, and listening habits. 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. I think I have some wisdom to impart.. I had a mild stroke. 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He made his own antennas and we could sit and listen to Chicago, Detroit. TN: Why was it important for you to keep doing your show? I would do reports on Philadelphia radio about what was happening in Detroit. In 2007, he was recognized with a proclamation by Philadelphia Mayor John Street, Philadelphia City Council and the Pennsylvania House of Representatives. Twitter: @WRTImusic Language: English Contact: 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. BP with jazz pianist McCoy Tyner at WRTI in 2015. Ive always admired him for that., After working as a jazz host on WHYY for nearly a decade, Bob joined WRTI in 1997. BP: It seems that way. 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. Maybe its one of the high points in their life, Perkins told The Inquirer in 2020. Why might that be? BP broke into the radio business in 1964 when he landed an on-air job in Detroit. TN: People staying at home have been listening more to the radio and less to streaming services. News was almost like a religion back in the day. 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. The estimated net worth of Joe Bob Perkins is at least $6.75 million as of November 2nd, 2022. BP means a great deal to listeners of all ages. His older brother had introduced him to the music of Duke Ellington, which sparked a lifelong love of big band and jazz music. The host entered the Philadelphia radio world in 1967 with WDAM, where he served as a news and editorial director. We werent sure at first when hed be back, so we didnt say anything. Finally, in mid-November, a post went up on the WRTI web page. Please enter your username or email address to reset your password. 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. He is genuine, a real original.. 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. 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. NPR news updates every hour. Here are 10 things that you may or may not have known about Joe Bob Perkins: Table of Contents show. People call me and tell me, I didnt like jazz till you played it, Perkins told The Inquirer in 2016. [1] His radio career began in 1964 in Detroit, Michigan. He got his first job in radio during a trip to visit his two brothers in Detroit in 1964. I'm thrilled he'll continue to host Sunday Jazz Brunch after he retires, because we all need some GM (good music) with our toast and jam!". Lets have fun; lets have a beer. What makes Bob so incredibly important to our music history and the history of Philadelphia is: he was there. 2023 WWB Holdings, LLC. Joseph V. Labolito. 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. 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. Why It's So Hard for WRTI's Bob Perkins To Pick Just One Favorite Charlie Parker Tune, A Photo Album of Bob Perkins Through The Years, Listen to WRTI Jazz Host Bob Perkins Tell His Life Story In Radio, A Bronze Plaque for WRTI's Bob Perkins on Broad Street Walk of Fame, Jazz Host Extraordinaire Bob Perkins is Retiring from Weeknights on WRTI, Bob Perkins Talks About Dave Brubeck's Legacy Back in 2012. Musicians, and every bit as nice in person as you hear.! The 2016 Philadelphia music Alliance 's Walk of Fame in 2003 from WGPR-FM off if I,. His announcers would be leaving in a guy whos just sitting around playing music [ laughs,... That Bob is tried and true, said vocalist Denise King at the age of 40... Wrtis Bob Perkins & # x27 ; jazz Brunch, from 9 AM 1. 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