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. I think in some way, Bob is able to bridge that gap, King said. Melinda Whiting, Courtney Blue, Bobbi I. Booker, Susan Lewis and Maureen Malloy are familiar voices on WRTI. He was too ill to work; he had rheumatoid arthritis. In 2016, he was awarded a bronze plaque on Philadelphia Music Alliance's Walk of Fame on the Avenue of the Arts. At the end of this Black Music Month, Bob Perkins will be retiring at the ripe young age of 88. How does it connect with them in a way other things dont? His fathers illness is what really led to radio becoming an important part of the Perkins household. Bob Perkins has been instrumental in establishing WRTI as one of the premier jazz stations in the country since 1997. 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. TN: It sounds like being a DJ is something you were always meant to do. Perkins was honored with a bronze plaque in the Philadelphia Music Walk of Fame on the citys Avenue of the Arts in 2016 and was inducted into the Broadcast Pioneers of Philadelphia Hall of Fame in 2003, among other awards and accolades. 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. BP's last WRTI weeknight shift is on Thursday, June 30th from 6 to 9 PM. And Ive been a newsman, editorial writer, disc jockeyI guess just about everything with the spoken word in radio. Radio was drilled in my head.. For the last 25 years, hes become known for his warm, personable on-air style, extensive knowledge of jazz, and thoughtful, wide-ranging music mix. But what are you going to do? 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. Perkins is the PM drive time jazz radio personality and host for WRTI-FM Temple University Radio in Philadelphia. 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 . It comes out of the head, out of the heart and out of your soul. Here are 10 things that you may or may not have known about Joe Bob Perkins: Table of Contents show. 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. I next made a move over to WRTI, which is Temple Universitys radio station, as a volunteer DJ playing jazz music. Perkins career in radio has spanned nearly 60 years, with the South Philadelphia native having landed his first on-air gig at a small, Black-owned Detroit radio station in 1964. Temple Now:The official source for Temple news.Copyright 2015, Temple University. Apple Tea Whats Cookin? The Philadelphia Sunday SUN - P.O. 1 photo. (Photo courtesy of WRTI-FM) His father's illness is what really led to radio becoming an important part of the Perkins household. If you, WRTIs Bob Perkins joined the 2016 Philadelphia Music Alliance Walk of Fame class on October 19th. Maureen Malloy, the director of jazz programming at WRTI, says there was an insane amount of listener response to Perkins unexplained absence. People call me and tell me, I didnt like jazz till you played it, Perkins told The Inquirer in 2016. He credits his love for radio to his father who repaired radios as a hobby when he was young. 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. Hear Bob on Sundays from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. for Sunday Jazz Brunch. But I mimicked what I thought the great guys Id grown up with would do, and I got away with it for years.. I would do reports on Philadelphia radio about what was happening in Detroit. Am I going to capture their imagination today? 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. Im waiting for my doc to give me clearance to return to work so that I can keep putting out that good GM . That petered out, but I was still at WHYY playing jazz music and loving it. Scroll down to see recent playlists. I lived on the same block as the famous Heath Brothers in South Philadelphia growing up, he said. 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. He has attended two White House Presidential news conferences - one of Gerald Ford's and one of Jimmy Carter's. All rights reserved. The world is a lot different than it used to be.. Copyright 2022 RadioInsight / RadioBB Networks. His older brother had introduced him to the music of Duke Ellington, which sparked a lifelong love of big band and jazz music. But at age 88, Perkins is signing off passing the ball to the next era of jazz lovers. They had hired me for all the wrong reasons in the first place. Perkins wandered into the station at WGPR-FM and got a position as on-air DJ and Announcer. William Johnson, General Manager of WRTI said, Bobs contributions to jazz are innumerable. TN: Have you made any changes to your playlist, in light of whats happening? They offered me a job and I accepted. Domain Insight 2/27: The First Audacy Atlas Divestiture Will Go To. 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.. Perkins, a longtime jazz DJ, will continue hosting his weekly "Sunday Jazz Brunch show. And you had to visualize this man who could make himself invisible. The thing I liked about what Bob did was that he didnt call it a jazz show. IE 11 is not supported. Each Friday at 6 PM, there's Nouveau Jazz . After a longtime gig at WHYY, he joined WRTI in 1997. But he played the radio, that was his only salvation from the pain. Since I turned 65, he reports with a tone more of irony than self-pity, its been one thing after another. Hed just play people that he liked. Bell Building He makes it interesting and inclusive for everybody.. I looked around, and I found a station that wanted a newsman. By continuing to use this website you are giving consent to cookies being used. He was known for his laid-back and mellow style. 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. He wasn't doing well at, Classical Events Calendar Submission Form. You should hear this guy.. It takes a little bit of thought. Listen to BP's last weeknight shift on Thursday, June 30th from 6 to 9 PM. WRTI, this 600th review is for you! We had great announcers back then. 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. His show will come to an end June 30, but he says this wont be the last his fans hear from him. Wait two seconds and you'll hear about yet another award bestowed on "Ol' BP," as he calls himself. 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'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. This net worth approximation does not reflect any other investments that Mr. Perkins may own. Thats a long time. He went on to work for WDAS and while in Philadelphia, [2] in 1997, he joined WRTI-FM Temple University Radio. TN: When you had your stroke, did the way people reacted to you being off the air take you by surprise? 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. WRTI listeners will still be able to join him for Sunday Jazz Brunch, from 9 AM to 1 PM. BP broke into the radio business in 1964 when he landed an on-air job in Detroit. Bob Perkins will retire from his full-time position hosting nights at Temple University Jazz 90.1 WRTI Philadelphia. Also known as "BP with the GM," (translation: "Bob Perkins with the Good Music"), Mr. Perkins has been in the broadcasting industry for more than five decades as an on-air host, and is now commonly referred to as a Philadelphia jazz radio legend. Bob Perkin's, a legendary DJ at the radio station WRTI,. TN: Why was it important for you to keep doing your show? Particularly for older listeners, he gives them the comfort of something familiar, and makes them remember that this music that he's playing was the soundtrack to a lot of their lives. The music Perkins plays can summon Proustian recollections of a first kiss, a dance at the Savoy Ballroom or a joyful reunion after a long absence. After 58 years of working in broadcast radio, Philadelphias Bob Perkins will lay down his microphone by the end of this month. 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. He began his career at WGPR Detroit. I look to my dad and my older brother, Perkins said, and I guess I was just programmed to do what I do. You can also hear the GM on Sunday Jazz Brunch with BP from 9 am to 1 pm. BP: Yes, it really did. At 90.1 FM. I went downstairs at the same building, and told the insurance company, Im here to quit a job I never started. Leaving out the door of the insurance company, the man who had offered me a job selling insurance said, Do you know what theyre going to pay you up there? And whats he talking about doing after that? Maybe were getting back to that today. BP with Dave Brubeck in 1983 - backstage at the Academy of Music. ", BP going one on one with the audience shows a very strong kinship, said Craig, himself a 40-year veteran of local radio. Please enter your username or email address to reset your password. His show appeals to me in that way. And I would sit with him and we would listen. This website uses cookies. For nearly six decades, Philadelphia has been a unique voice in jazz music. Music, said BP about the GM. He grew up in South Philadelphia and fell in love with radio as a child. I think its magic, the music I play. Perkins is currently engaged for the annual Cape May Jazz Festival Concert Series and the Tony Williams Jazz Festival Concert Series. And for 50 of those years he's been on the radio to the delight of thousands and thousands of listeners. Take a look at this photo album of Mr. Perkins through the years. Bob has always taken that part of his life very seriously and gives credit where credit is due. Im just playing music. And people do forget. He began his career at WGPR Detroit. 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. So when I came back I got these emails saying, Oh, were glad youre back. I save all my emails. He announced his retirement from weeknight shows in April. But on the other side of the coin, technology can be very dangerous.. 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. We would listen to radio from sun-up, through the night, and into the next morning.. I went to a radio school through my father. BP: It seems that way. 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. Perkins was born on December 6, 1933. Lance also advises stations, talent and brands on digital content strategies, programming integrations, and brand extensions. Eventually, they changed their format to Jazz and Classical music. This music conjures up some beautiful memories. 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. 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. 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. I enjoy it. Bob received a Master of Science degree degree from Nazareth College. And hopefully its working. 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 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.. The general manager told me one of his announcers would be leaving in a few days and I could try out for his job. 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. TN: People staying at home have been listening more to the radio and less to streaming services. The great alto saxophonist and jazz icon Charlie "Yardbird" Parker was only 34 years old when he died in 1955. I did what I could, he told The Inquirer in 2020, because I didnt know a thing about writing editorials. It gives you a feeling of a time gone by, a past era where jazz was the music of the day.. Bob in the mid '60s - a seasoned veteran on the job for one year at WGPR in Detroit. Perkins stayed at that first station about a year and a half when another opportunity showed itself. Thats our savior, man.. 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. A survey of the playlist from one of his last shows before his stroke is a ramble through classic jazz interpretations of American Songbook standards. 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 remember telling my friends about it, McKenna adds. 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.. Michael Tanenbaum Do you have any anecdotes about BP you'd like to share? 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? 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 | Bob Perkins's Phone Number and Email. [1] His radio career began in 1964 in Detroit, Michigan. Perkins credits his father for being the one who gave him the love for radio. I dont know why music is so much more powerful than some other entity. 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. He will continue to host his Sunday program. A young BP with his brother Joe. For an optimal experience visit our site on another browser. "People say, You ought to give it up, man, go retire somewhere. Why? King agrees. 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. Courtney Blue, KLN '12, hosts Late Evening Jazz, The Jazz Request Show and Nouveau Jazz Showcase. 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. Perkins spoke about the evolution of radio. Radio started I think, in 1920 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The once well-known jazz, Have you ever discovered that a famous person once lived very close to you? And I listened to these magnificent voices not knowing that one day I would be doing what they were doing. PublishedDecember 6, 2013 at 5:49 AM EST. BP brought the GM back for the first time in more than four months his longest absence from the Philadelphia airwaves in 50 years on a Thursday night in December, followed a few days later by his Sunday show at 9 a.m. What he will bring to the microphone in a neat control room on Cecil B. Moore Boulevard just west of Broad Street is something his colleague Bob Craig describes as a style that is very, very warm and very personal and very loose. I did a good music program over there for twenty years. 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He was awarded a bronze plaque on Philadelphia music Alliance Walk of class...: Why was it important for you to keep doing your show Why it., and brand extensions years old when he landed an on-air job in Detroit close. Guys Id grown up with would do reports on Philadelphia radio about was! That gap, King said is something you were always meant to do hear! Radio in Philadelphia, [ 2 ] in 1997, he said a legendary DJ the... Jazz stations in the country since 1997 and we would listen on `` '! Gave him the love for radio Fame on the WRTI web page few days and I could try for! 'S and one of Jimmy Carter 's and thousands of listeners doing show. So when I was a kid, which is Temple Universitys radio station WRTI, which sparked a lifelong of. Perkins joined the 2016 Philadelphia music Alliance Walk of Fame on the Avenue of the Perkins household your,... In 1997 what they were doing me one of his announcers would be in. 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