Bob Perkins at home at WRTI-FM studios. Take a look at this photo album of Mr. Perkins through the years. ", BP going one on one with the audience shows a very strong kinship, said Craig, himself a 40-year veteran of local radio. What makes Bob so incredibly important to our music history and the history of Philadelphia is: he was there. 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. Am I going to capture their imagination today? Thats our savior, man.. He also hosts concerts at jazz clubs and at regional festivals. He was known for his laid-back and mellow style. Lets have fun; lets have a beer. Joseph V. Labolito. BP broke into the radio business in 1964 when he landed an on-air job in Detroit. The general manager told me one of his announcers would be leaving in a few days and I could try out for his job. Each Friday at 6 PM, there's Nouveau Jazz . 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 | I got a job working at a Black-owned insurance company, Great Lakes Mutual, in Detroit. You can also hear the GM on Sunday Jazz Brunch with BP from 9 am to 1 pm. And Ive been a newsman, editorial writer, disc jockeyI guess just about everything with the spoken word in radio. I dont know why music is so much more powerful than some other entity. And in 2007, he was honored with a proclamation for his outstanding contributions to Philadelphia's jazz community by Mayor John Street, Philadelphia City Council, and the House of Representatives in Harrisburg. His Sunday 'Jazz Brunch' show will continue. 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. He has an encyclopedic knowledge of the music and the musicians, and has known many of the greats. Bob Perkins has been instrumental in establishing WRTI as one of the premier jazz stations in the country since 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. 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!. Bob says that it was Joe who first introduced him to jazz. He is a part of that time when jazz was juke joints and Friday night fish fries. I think its magic, the music I play. 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). It takes a little bit of thought. I had a mild stroke. It gives you a feeling of a time gone by, a past era where jazz was the music of the day.. 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. 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. Please remove or replace such wording and instead of making proclamations about a subject's importance, use facts and attribution to demonstrate that importance. TN: It sounds like being a DJ is something you were always meant to do. Or when times are not tight and everythings loose? Bob Perkins said of his retirement, 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 Ive been, with whom Ive 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. 12 of 12. (Photo courtesy of WRTI-FM) His father's illness is what really led to radio becoming an important part of the Perkins household. Have Your Say - WRTI's Bob Perkins 97 views Aug 17, 2020 4 Dislike Share Save MLTV - Main Line Network 2.72K subscribers Hosts Anne Minicozzi and Diana Robertson welcome radio personality. 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. Perkins, a longtime jazz DJ, will continue hosting his weekly "Sunday Jazz Brunch show. WRTI, this 600th review is for you! They were doing quite well, raising their families, Perkins said. 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. 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. Maureen Malloy, the director of jazz programming at WRTI, says there was an insane amount of listener response to Perkins unexplained absence. 2023 WWB Holdings, LLC. What makes history so important is it has to be true. We have a father right now and that's Bob Perkins.. Sunday Jazz Brunch with Bob Perkins airs from 9 AM until 1 PM. "He is a gentleman, a kind soul, and every bit as nice in person as you hear on-air. 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. We spoke with him about his show, the power of radio and the beauty of jazz. 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. The estimated net worth of Joe Bob Perkins is at least $6.75 million as of November 2nd, 2022. 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. 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. 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.. For nearly six decades, Philadelphia has been a unique voice in jazz music. About to host his talk show on WDAS in the mid '70s. After a longtime gig at WHYY, he joined WRTI in 1997. "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.. 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 late teen years. They were very kind at WDAS, and they also allowed me to moonlight at WHYY-FM. 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. Maybe were getting back to that today. But I had some qualifications, too, because my dad got into radio back in the 1920s, when radio was in its infancy. 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 . PublishedDecember 6, 2013 at 5:49 AM EST. Perkins, known to listeners as "BP . Bob Perkins has been a fixture on Philadelphia's airwaves for 50 years. You can touch a button and get any answer to any question that you have. I think it would be silly to have me programming for a jazz historian.. In 1969, WDAS offered him a news and editorial position and asked if he might be interested in moving back to Philadelphia. I think in some way, Bob is able to bridge that gap, King said. But I didnt really visualize the response that I got. In addition to his job as jazz host, BP writes numerous columns and commentaries on jazz for local publications in Philadelphia. Friday evenings at 10 PM, veteran WRTI jazz host J. Michael Harrison presents The Bridge, exploring the merging platforms of popular music and jazz. They don't think that it's accessible to younger people. Domain Insight 2/27: The First Audacy Atlas Divestiture Will Go To. I knew that people kind of liked my music. [citation needed], Perkins started his radio career in Detroit over five years, from 1964 to 1969. I never knew exactly how my father came to love radio so much, but he was an avid radio listener, Perkins recalled. 1. I was out for about four months. A Philadelphia man has become an institution by keeping the sounds of Philly and American Jazz alive for decades. Bob Perkins, WRTI DJ has been spinning music in Philadelphia since 1969. Perkins stayed at that first station about a year and a half when another opportunity showed itself. As of 1997, Perkins landed at WRTI-FM. 1 photo. ), I remember telling my friends about it, McKenna adds. He was the youngest child and when his mother became ill, he felt responsible to stay and care for her. The once well-known jazz, Have you ever discovered that a famous person once lived very close to you? Its not the same. You know, its magic that Ive been around that long and people have that much confidence in me. Ive been in radio for quite some time. My mom would let me stay up on the weekends and sometimes we would pick up stations in other states. But theres something about music. I enjoy it. You can find some solace in what you like. The great alto saxophonist and jazz icon Charlie "Yardbird" Parker was only 34 years old when he died in 1955. Perkins then moved to public radio station WHYY to host a weekend jazz music show before joining WRTI. Listener-supported. 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. Bob Perkins on Trumpeter Red Rodney, an Overlooked Philly Great! Went to Texas A&M University. And people do forget. Last Update. Not doing anything heroic. Ive been in radio for about 55 years and in Philadelphia for 50 years. Bobs staying power is a testament to his greatness. This was in the mid-1920s., My father was kind of a genius in handling his radio, Perkins continued. This music conjures up some beautiful memories. The radio station was owned by the Black Masons of Detroit. 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. I think what separates him from some of the other programming is that Bob is tried and true, said vocalist Denise King. And hopefully its working. Believe it or not, I next ended up at Power 99. His show appeals to me in that way. 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. Perkins is currently engaged for the annual Cape May Jazz Festival Concert Series and the Tony Williams Jazz Festival Concert Series. I would do reports on Philadelphia radio about what was happening in Detroit. In 2016, he was awarded a bronze plaque on Philadelphia Music Alliance's Walk of Fame on the Avenue of the Arts. Targa Resources 20 years . He announced his retirement from weeknight shows in April. Happy Birthday BP! Change has come to radio, music, listeners, and listening habits. Eventually, they changed their format to Jazz and Classical music. He wanted to share his obsession. He had his own antennae that he had drilled into his table model radio. Some of the management of that station listened to me on WGPR and they liked what they heard, he said. Bell Building WRTI's legendary jazz DJ Bob Perkins retires at age 88 For nearly six decades, Philadelphia has been a unique voice in jazz music. What Bob does, it makes people feel like youre coming home, she said. Its a rallying cry. A mainstay of the jazz music and radio community, Perkins has been on-air at WRTI since 1997. Perkins was also one of Pennsylvania's favorite night-time jazz listeners, in the Philadelphia area. 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. 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. Philadelphia,PA19122 USA. Hes speaking their language especially people who have been listening for years and years.. 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. 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. 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 has attended two White House Presidential news conferences - one of Gerald Ford's and one of Jimmy Carter's. He later joined WHYY with a weekend jazz show before landing at WRTI. He made his own antennas and we could sit and listen to Chicago, Detroit. Perkins was born on December 6, 1933. "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. Music has brought us through some very challenging times.. Lance also advises stations, talent and brands on digital content strategies, programming integrations, and brand extensions. NPR news updates every hour. Perkins wandered into the station at WGPR-FM and got a position as on-air DJ and Announcer. Temple Public Radio 90.1 FM is amazing! announced his retirement from weeknight shows in April, California residents do not sell my data request. Perkins has been ill and off the air for a few months but will make his return in the first week of January. It was always in the back of my mind, like a latent dream, that maybe one day, Id get into radio.. BP broke into the radio business in 1964 when he landed an on-air job in Detroit. He is a jazz program host and DJ for WRTI. Five of the most outstanding jazz personalities had. Twitter: @WRTImusic Language: English Contact: I like melody. BP's last WRTI weeknight shift is on Thursday, June 30th from 6 to 9 PM. 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. 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. But what are you going to do? I think because of them, thats where my love of jazz music was solidified.. 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. READ MORE: Two Philly jazz masters celebrate their birthdays (and their best-friendship), Perkins had suffered a stroke. BP with Dave Brubeck in 1983 - backstage at the Academy of Music. His show will come to an end June 30, but he says this wont be the last his fans hear from him. 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. In September of 1969, I started working at WDAS as a newsman. 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. WRTI's legendary jazz host, Bob Perkins, is surrounded by his cd collection of jazz recordings in his home in Wyncote in 2019. TEMPLE UNIVERSITY Jazz-Classical WRTI/PHILADELPHIA evening host BOB PERKINS is stepping away from his weekday 6-9p (ET) show on JUNE 30th. Perkins' jazz show has been broadcast Monday through Thursday from 6-9 p.m. and from 9 a.m.-1 p.m. on Sundays. King agrees. PhillyVoice Staff, Monday through Thursday from 6-9 p.m. and from 9 a.m.-1 p.m. on Sundays. 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!". 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. Lets sit around and gab, whatever the case may be. His show is an oasis, a source of comfort as listeners cope with the challenges of life during a pandemic. For younger listeners who might not be as familiar with jazz and are exploring the genre, BPs show is an introductory primer: Jazz 101. 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. Perkins spoke about the evolution of radio. He grew up in South Philadelphia and fell in love with radio as a child. 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? Once Mom made transition, I decided to go for it, and so I packed my bags, and I was off to Detroit. His fathers illness is what really led to radio becoming an important part of the Perkins household. That was 25 years ago.. 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. Bob's contributions to jazz are innumerable. Courtney Blue, KLN '12, hosts Late Evening Jazz, The Jazz Request Show and Nouveau Jazz Showcase. A lot of people, at least in my experience as an artist, associate this music with their grandparents' music or their parents' music. I know Ive been very blessed. A mainstay of the jazz music and radio community, Perkins has been on-air at WRTI 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. 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.. Im just about 90% recovered and the letters that they sent, it was embarrassing to me because of the flattery that they gave me. 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. News was almost like a religion back in the day. 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. 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. 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. But you try to always put that best music forward. His stories are not secondhand.. 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. But I mimicked what I thought the great guys Id grown up with would do, and I got away with it for years.. Discovery, curation, community, performance, preservation. I think hes been very good to all the local jazz musicians who have recorded music, McKenna said. Please let Bob know in the comments section below. 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[1] His radio career began in 1964 in Detroit, Michigan. 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. In addition to his job as WRTI jazz host, Perkins has written numerous columns and commentaries on jazz, and has hosted a multitude of concerts at jazz clubs and festivals. He is one of the few DJs at WRTI, or any radio station in existence nowadays, allowed such a luxury. 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. Any birthday wishes? By 1997, Perkins moved over to the Temple University-owned WRTI, where he has been for the last quarter-century. His father built homemade antennas that could pick up broadcasts from hundreds of miles away and the two would sit and listen together. Bob Perkins's Phone Number and Email. Radio was saturated into me like a sponge thats put in water, Perkins said. Dave and Bob share the same birthday! And it is. BP means a great deal to listeners of all ages. His salvation was radio, Perkins said. TN: Whats the response been to your show recently? You dont know whos listening, how many people: could be one, could be 10,000. 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. 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. Maybe its one of the high points in their life.". "[4] He is also an accomplished radio news journalist and a First Call Master of Ceremonies for regional jazz music events. [8] Philadelphia honored him in 2017 when he was inducted in Philadelphia Music Walk of Fame.[9]. I stayed there for about a year and a half, but I was hungry to do news in radio, so I needed to move on. 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. Perkins, 88, has been at the station since 1997 and has a media career that has spanned nearly six decades. And I do it by feel what should follow this piece of music and is my next piece of music as good or better than the previous piece of music that I played? BP: People, they never call me, seemingly. 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.. Everything is so fast nowadays. Not only with his actual speaking voice, but also with the music he selects, Block said. Black Music Month means heritage, he said. Mr. Bob Perkins ("BP with the GM") WRTI jazz host extraordinaire turns 80 years old today. Which is a hard thing to do. He is a gentleman, a kind soul, and every bit as nice in person as you hear on-air. If you, WRTIs Bob Perkins joined the 2016 Philadelphia Music Alliance Walk of Fame class on October 19th. 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. 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. 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. But he played the radio, that was his only salvation from the pain. His older brother had introduced him to the music of Duke Ellington, which sparked a lifelong love of big band and jazz music. 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Really visualize the response that I got away with it for years Trumpeter Red Rodney, an Overlooked great... A longtime gig at WGPR-FM and got a position as on-air DJ and.. On Sunday jazz Brunch show on Philadelphia music Walk of Fame. [ 9.... A child the GM on Sunday jazz Brunch show love with radio as a newsman, editorial writer, jockeyI. Testament to his job as jazz host, bp writes numerous columns and commentaries on for...