They were a great family of jazz artists. 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. Robert "Bob" Perkins (born December 6, 1933) is an American radio personality. 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. The mission of WRTI public radio is to broadcast the very best classical music and jazz recordings, and produce innovative, entertaining, and informative content that enriches the daily lives of our audience and the cultural life of Philadelphia and the tri-state region. Perkins will continue to host his Sunday show from 9am to 1pm. Beginning in June, he will end the weekday program and continue with the Sunday broadcast on90.1 FM. And I would sit with him and we would listen. Perkins had a five-year relationship with The Philadelphia Tribune, where he wrote commentary on government, society and public affairs. After a longtime gig at WHYY, he joined WRTI in 1997. I stayed over there about two years, but it really wasnt a good fit. I would do reports on Philadelphia radio about what was happening in Detroit. "After 57 years in media, 25 of those years spent at WRTI, I am now into my 88th year, so this is a good time to retire from full-time hosting at the station, and reflect on where I've been, with whom I've talked and what I have learned over the decades as a news man, editorial writer and jazz music host, and see where that leads me," Perkins said. Jazz radio host and South Philadelphia native Bob Perkins, a mainstay on Temple University's public WRTI-FM station, plans to significantly scale back his hours this summer. BP's last WRTI weeknight shift is on Thursday, June 30th from 6 to 9 PM. BP: No, I just put out the 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? TN: It sounds like being a DJ is something you were always meant to do. (Photo by WRTI). I went to a radio school through my father. I think it would be silly to have me programming for a jazz historian.. You dont know whos listening, how many people: could be one, could be 10,000. 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. Do you have any anecdotes about BP you'd like to share? On this show he would play a record by Dick Haymes or Doris Day or Rosemary Clooney. It was a small station. Domain Insight 2/27: The First Audacy Atlas Divestiture Will Go To. It seems like our attention spans are so divided in this new age of technology. WRTI, this 600th review is for you! My father must have been listening to radio from the very start. My gerontologist tells me, Keep moving.. WRTI's legendary jazz DJ Bob Perkins retires at age 88 For nearly six decades, Philadelphia has been a unique voice in jazz music. Thats the magic part about this thing called music. Radio was saturated into me like a sponge thats put in water, Perkins said. BP broke into radio in Detroit on WGPR/WCHB/WCHD in 1964. 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. 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. 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 grew up in South Philadelphia and fell in love with radio as a child. I was a war baby. Since his Bloomberg profile states that he has gone to both . 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. Contact. Bob Perkin's, a legendary DJ at the radio station WRTI,. Once Mom made transition, I decided to go for it, and so I packed my bags, and I was off to Detroit. [citation needed], Perkins started his radio career in Detroit over five years, from 1964 to 1969. I dont know how they do it. If I was lucky enough to get a radio gig in the boonies without any experience, Id be lucky, I was told. I dont know why music is so much more powerful than some other entity. His show will come to an end June 30, but he says this wont be the last his fans hear from him. ", BP going one on one with the audience shows a very strong kinship, said Craig, himself a 40-year veteran of local radio. WRTI (90.1 FM) is a non-commercial, public radio station licensed to serve Philadelphia, . Music has brought us through some very challenging times.. Not really fair to the jazz side, IMO, since most people sleep 8 hours of that half, but if you hook yourself up through the website, you can get streaming of whatever . TN: Whats the response been to your show recently? How does it connect with them in a way other things dont? Everything is so fast nowadays. His show appeals to me in that way. Eventually, they changed their format to Jazz and Classical music. Perkins was born on December 6, 1933. Thats our savior, man.. 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!". He has a very comforting presence on the air. 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. He could pick up stations that no one else that I knew could get. 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. We love your GM ("Good Music . About to host his talk show on WDAS in the mid '70s. My father just loved to have the radio on. By, Classical Events Calendar Submission Form, Bob Perkins Talks About Dave Brubeck's Legacy Back in 2012, BP Remembers The Glorious Jazz Vocalist Gloria Lynne. BP: It seems that way. William Johnson, General Manager of WRTI said, Bobs contributions to jazz are innumerable. [1] His radio career began in 1964 in Detroit, Michigan. 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. And the only way you can make it accurate is you have to be there, he said. Learn More about Joe Bob Perkins' net worth. 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.. At the same time, I started writing for the Philadelphia New Observer newspaper owned by Hugo Warren. I had WDAS and WHYY, doing all of those things simultaneously for about 10 years. July 1, 2022. 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. His fathers illness is what really led to radio becoming an important part of the Perkins household. 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. BP talks about Charlie Parker back in 2020 with WRTI's Susan Lewis: His presence is felt throughout the city. Something they can hum. Electronics and technology are magnificent. You can never know. I think hes been very good to all the local jazz musicians who have recorded music, McKenna said. But I didnt really visualize the response that I got. His older brother had introduced him to the music of Duke Ellington, which sparked a lifelong love of big band and jazz music. I leaned on them when I got into radio until I got my own sea legs and could navigate on my own.. This net worth approximation does not reflect any other investments that Mr. Perkins may own. You can touch a button and get any answer to any question that you have. PERKINS, 88, has been hosting at WRTI for 25. In addition to his job as jazz host, BP writes numerous columns and commentaries on jazz for local publications in Philadelphia. 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. The estimated net worth of Joe Bob Perkins is at least $6.75 million as of November 2nd, 2022. Im just about 90% recovered and the letters that they sent, it was embarrassing to me because of the flattery that they gave me. Five of the most outstanding jazz personalities had. Remember, I came up as a war baby. He was inducted into the Broadcast Pioneers of Philadelphia Hall of Fame in 2003. Perkins. 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. I got a job working at a Black-owned insurance company, Great Lakes Mutual, in Detroit. 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? Temple Now:The official source for Temple news.Copyright 2015, Temple University. Joe Blocks parents were fans of WRTI and the pianist grew up listening to BP, becoming a fan himself. I had also served in the United States Army from 1956 to 1958. Its a rallying cry. "[4] He is also an accomplished radio news journalist and a First Call Master of Ceremonies for regional jazz music events. But what are you going to do? He was the youngest child and when his mother became ill, he felt responsible to stay and care for her. PublishedDecember 6, 2013 at 5:49 AM EST. I got on the payroll, and Ive been there, ever since. Lets have fun; lets have a beer. I knew that people kind of liked my music. Bob Perkins is a Dj at Wrti based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It's kind of an honor when you are played on his program., For Lovett Hines, Artistic Director and Founder of the Music Education Program of the Philadelphia Clef Club of Jazz & Performing Arts, BP represents a sense of history. The thing I liked about what Bob did was that he didnt call it a jazz show. You had to wear earphones to hear whatever stations you were lucky enough to hear that would come through. 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. Any birthday wishes? Perkins was born and raised in South Philadelphia and currently lives in Glenside, Pennsylvania, with his wife Sheila. I try not to ad-lib and talk about what is going on. Joseph V. Labolito. Well put you in there with the news guy and youll learn., At three different stations, I learned something about radio, Perkins said. They can take you away. Saxophonist Larry McKenna has been listening to him for 40 years. Twitter: @WRTImusic Language: English Contact: My dad was my radio school, the 86-year-old remembered. TN: Why do you feel people respond so strongly to music? [3] One of his well-known sayings is "This is BP with the GM!". And you had to visualize this man who could make himself invisible. Maureen Malloy, the director of jazz programming at WRTI, says there was an insane amount of listener response to Perkins unexplained absence. Detroit was wide open. Juneteenth 2022: Honoring Radio Personality Bob Perkins and Celebrating the Life & Legacy of W. Cody Anderson Temple University Libraries Join the Charles L. Blockson Afro-American Collection and the Office of Community Affairs and Engagement for a day of celebration and remembrance. #WRTImusic After establishing himself on Detroit radio in news and jazz, Perkins returned to Philly in 1969 and became WDAS-FM's news/editorial director while hosting a jazz show at WHYY-FM. Music they danced and romanced to when they were young people.. 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. I had a mild stroke. Hear Bob on Sundays from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. for Sunday Jazz Brunch. This music conjures up some beautiful memories. 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. Or Tony Bennett singing My Foolish Heart accompanied by pianist Bill Evans. He began his career at WGPR Detroit. 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!. Information about his on-air schedule may be found at WRTI's website. A mainstay of the jazz music and radio community, Perkins has been on-air at WRTI since 1997. In 2016, he was awarded a bronze plaque on Philadelphia Music Alliance's Walk of Fame on the Avenue of the Arts. I enjoy it. And hopefully its working. "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.. TN: When you had your stroke, did the way people reacted to you being off the air take you by surprise? 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. announced his retirement from weeknight shows in April, California residents do not sell my data request. Liked by Joe Bob Perkins. After 58 years of working in broadcast radio, Philadelphias Bob Perkins will lay down his microphone by the end of this month. 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.. He got his first job in radio during a trip to visit his two brothers in Detroit in 1964. Radio started I think, in 1920 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Jazz host Bob Perkins in his office at WRTI. Thats a long time. I like melody. For younger listeners who might not be as familiar with jazz and are exploring the genre, BPs show is an introductory primer: Jazz 101. Temple Public Radio 90.1 FM is amazing! 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. "People say, You ought to give it up, man, go retire somewhere. Why? Mr. Bob Perkins, WRTI's own "BP with the GM," is retiring from full-time broadcasting after 25 years at the station and 57 on the air. If you, WRTIs Bob Perkins joined the 2016 Philadelphia Music Alliance Walk of Fame class on October 19th. It comes out of the head, out of the heart and out of your soul. Bob received a Master of Science degree degree from Nazareth College. Bob Perkins's Phone Number and Email. He goes way back and he studied by listening to some of the great commentators and broadcasters over the years, he said. The jazz hosts show offers a break from the stresses of COVID-19. Take a look at this photo album of Mr. Perkins through the years. Bob Perkins on Trumpeter Red Rodney, an Overlooked Philly Great! What Bob does, it makes people feel like youre coming home, she said. Mr. Perkins owns 88,692 shares of Targa Resources stock worth more than $6,747,687 as of February 16th. You should hear this guy.. Perkins, a longtime jazz DJ, will continue hosting his weekly "Sunday Jazz Brunch show. BP means a great deal to listeners of all ages. His father built homemade antennas that could pick up broadcasts from hundreds of miles away and the two would sit and listen together. A lot of people, at least in my experience as an artist, associate this music with their grandparents' music or their parents' music. He announced his retirement from weeknight shows in April. A young BP with his brother Joe. 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. Music, said BP about the GM. We have a father right now and that's Bob Perkins.. People say, You ought to give it up, man, go retire somewhere. Why? Am I going to capture their imagination today? I wondered to myself, could I get hired for two jobs in one day?, I went upstairs in the building where the radio station was located and I met the general manager, Perkins continued. 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. People call me and tell me, I didnt like jazz till you played it, Perkins told The Inquirer in 2016. WRTI listeners will still be able to join him for Sunday Jazz Brunch, from 9 AM to 1 PM. At one time, you could hear him from 6-9 p.m. Monday through Thursday and. But I mimicked what I thought the great guys Id grown up with would do, and I got away with it for years., READ MORE: Talking all that jazz with WRTI legend Bob Perkins. And to have that kind of confidence in a guy whos just sitting around playing music [laughs], thats pretty good. Went to Texas A&M University. Discovery, curation, community, performance, preservation. 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. After a longtime gig at WHYY, he joined WRTI in 1997. He has attended two White House Presidential news conferences - one of Gerald Ford's and one of Jimmy Carter's. He is a jazz program host and DJ for WRTI. The host entered the Philadelphia radio world in 1967 with WDAM, where he served as a news and editorial director. I was weaned on radio. They just let me have my own way and they seem to like what I play. Classical music and jazz public media. Perkins credits his father for being the one who gave him the love for radio. But he played the radio, that was his only salvation from the pain. 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. It has to be accurate. Thanks! But I had some qualifications, too, because my dad got into radio back in the 1920s, when radio was in its infancy. Perkins was also one of Pennsylvania's favorite night-time jazz listeners, in the Philadelphia area. IE 11 is not supported. I met saxophonist Sam Reed well before he became a legendary figure on the Philadelphia jazz scene. I did what I could, he said, because I didnt know a thing about writing editorials. His selections are like a familiar hug from Jazz Land featuring your favorite standards and vocalists such as Sarah, Ella, and Nat, some Big Band legends including the Duke and the Count . Bob in the mid '60s - a seasoned veteran on the job for one year at WGPR in Detroit. Michael Tanenbaum The radio station was owned by the Black Masons of Detroit. He also wrote editorials and other articles for the former Philadelphia New Observer. He is a part of that time when jazz was juke joints and Friday night fish fries. 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! And it is. (Photo courtesy of WRTI-FM) His father's illness is what really led to radio becoming an important part of the Perkins household. Happy Birthday BP! BP with jazz pianist McCoy Tyner at WRTI in 2015. 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 rights reserved. 1101 W. Montgomery Avenue 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. But theres something about music. Ive been in radio for quite some time. Jazz radio legend Bob Perkins, 88, will retire in June from his full-time role as a host at Philadelphia's WRTI-FM. They had hired me for all the wrong reasons in the first place. "He is a gentleman, a kind soul, and every bit as nice in person as you hear on-air. He announced his retirement from weeknight shows in April. 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. Ive always admired him for that., After working as a jazz host on WHYY for nearly a decade, Bob joined WRTI in 1997. You had to sit around the radio and visualize. Which is a hard thing to do. Melinda Whiting, Courtney Blue, Bobbi I. Booker, Susan Lewis and Maureen Malloy are familiar voices on WRTI. I program most of the music on the station, said Maureen Malloy. TN: People staying at home have been listening more to the radio and less to streaming services. Meaning "Bob Perkins with the good music. It gives you a feeling of a time gone by, a past era where jazz was the music of the day.. What makes history so important is it has to be true. He has been with the station since 1997. He continued to grow, working as newsman and assistant director at WJLB-AM in Detroit, before his career path returned him to Philadelphia, where in 1969 he joined WDAS-AM/FM as a newsman and after two years became News Director there;[5] after another year he also became the Editorial Director. He made his own antennas and we could sit and listen to Chicago, Detroit. 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. I next made a move over to WRTI, which is Temple Universitys radio station, as a volunteer DJ playing jazz music. 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. 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. Maybe its one of the high points in their life.". 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. Jazz host Bob Perkins in his office at WRTI. 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