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. "[4] He is also an accomplished radio news journalist and a First Call Master of Ceremonies for regional jazz music events. For younger listeners who might not be as familiar with jazz and are exploring the genre, BPs show is an introductory primer: Jazz 101. WRTIs legendary jazz DJ Bob Perkins retires at age 88, Police find ancient mummy in delivery mans cooler bag in Peru, At least 36 killed after passenger and freight trains collide in Greece, Florida 19-year-old accused of killing three, including reporter, in shootings, Lori Lightfoot concedes mayors race in Chicago, European space agency pushes for lunar time zone, College students turn to influencing as new side hustle. Bob is jazz radio, David Conant, former general manager at WRTI, told The Inquirer in 2016. #WRTImusic We love your GM("Good Music")and you! And whats he talking about doing after that? Thats a long time. 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? I had WDAS and WHYY, doing all of those things simultaneously for about 10 years. I was out for almost four months. Box 18869, Philadelphia, PA 19119 - Phone (215) 848-7864 - Fax (215) 848-7893 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. Perkins, 88, has been at the station since 1997 and has a media career that has spanned nearly six decades. 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. You can find some solace in what you like. 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. BP with jazz pianist McCoy Tyner at WRTI in 2015. Jazz radio legend Bob Perkins, 88, will retire in June from his full-time role as a host at Philadelphia's WRTI-FM. He began his career at WGPR Detroit. I think hes been very good to all the local jazz musicians who have recorded music, McKenna said. He wanted to share his obsession. You had to wear earphones to hear whatever stations you were lucky enough to hear that would come through. Perkins credits his father for being the one who gave him the love for radio. He got his first job in radio during a trip to visit his two brothers in Detroit in 1964. 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. This was in the mid-1920s., My father was kind of a genius in handling his radio, Perkins continued. Partner Tupper Lake Partners 2021 - Present 2 years. All the girls belong to me!". Saxophonist Larry McKenna has been listening to him for 40 years. You can never know. Experience Board Chair Orennia 2021 - Present 2 years. Bob Perkins' first radio gig at WGPR-FM in Detroit, 1964. Not doing anything heroic. I'm a general assignment breaking news reporter. WRTI. It seems like our attention spans are so divided in this new age of technology. The thing I liked about what Bob did was that he didnt call it a jazz show. Since his Bloomberg profile states that he has gone to both . TN: Have you made any changes to your playlist, in light of whats happening? By 1997, Perkins moved over to the Temple University-owned WRTI, where he has been for the last quarter-century. (Photo courtesy of WRTI-FM) His father's illness is what really led to radio becoming an important part of the Perkins household. They don't think that it's accessible to younger people. I became the news and editorial director after Jim Clash died at WDAS, Perkins said. He was the youngest child and when his mother became ill, he felt responsible to stay and care for her. Bob Perkins has been a fixture on Philadelphias airwaves for 50 years. Friday evenings at 10 PM, veteran WRTI jazz host J. Michael Harrison presents The Bridge, exploring the merging platforms of popular music and jazz. "I got radio rammed down my throat, because that was my fathers relief from his pain.. [citation needed], Perkins started his radio career in Detroit over five years, from 1964 to 1969. Take a look at this photo album of Mr. Perkins through the years. All rights reserved. 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). I know Ive been very blessed. Listener-supported. 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.. I guess along with fast food came fast everything fast cars, fast thoughts, fast relationships. He fell ill around 1940 with rheumatoid arthritis, and was forced to leave his job as an elevator operator. Do you have any anecdotes about BP you'd like to share? 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. Mr. Bob Perkins ("BP with the GM") WRTI jazz host extraordinaire turns 80 years old today. All rights reserved. Read more MICHAEL BRYANT / Staff Photographer 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 . 2023 WWB Holdings, LLC. I dont think that there's anybody in Philadelphia who's a true jazz fan who doesn't know who he is, McKenna said. Im just playing music. Bob Perkins is a Dj at Wrti based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Bobs staying power is a testament to his greatness. 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. But I had some qualifications, too, because my dad got into radio back in the 1920s, when radio was in its infancy. And people do forget. In 1969, WDAS offered him a news and editorial position and asked if he might be interested in moving back to Philadelphia. What makes Bob so incredibly important to our music history and the history of Philadelphia is: he was there. I looked around, and I found a station that wanted a newsman. I think what separates him from some of the other programming is that Bob is tried and true, said vocalist Denise King. That petered out, but I was still at WHYY playing jazz music and loving it. He throws in a four-hour show on Sunday mornings for good measure. 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. July 1, 2022. 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. He later joined WHYY with a weekend jazz show before landing at WRTI. He is one of the few DJs at WRTI, or any radio station in existence nowadays, allowed such a luxury. He went on to work for WDAS and while in Philadelphia, [2] in 1997, he joined WRTI-FM Temple University Radio. 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 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. Perkins is the PM drive time jazz radio personality and host for WRTI-FM Temple University Radio in Philadelphia. 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. His stories are not secondhand.. I met saxophonist Sam Reed well before he became a legendary figure on the Philadelphia jazz scene. 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. People call me and tell me, I didnt like jazz till you played it, Perkins told The Inquirer in 2016. He went on to work for WDAS and while in Philadelphia, [2] in 1997, he joined WRTI-FM Temple University Radio. And Ive been a newsman, editorial writer, disc jockeyI guess just about everything with the spoken word in radio. Managing Editor Teresa A. Emerson - [emailprotected] 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. I had been selling insurance in North Philadelphia at the time, knocking on doors. Later, in the mid-80s, Perkins hosted a WDAS-AM jazz show that mixed in Frank Sinatra and Peggy Lee with jazz artists like Miles Davis and John Coltrane. 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. TN: When you had your stroke, did the way people reacted to you being off the air take you by surprise? From 1988 to 1997 he hosted a well-known jazz program on Saturday nights on WHYY-FM before moving to WRTI. He currently hosts from 6 pm to 9 pm Monday through Thursday, and from 9 am to 1 pm Sundays. And for 50 of those years he's been on the radio to the delight of thousands and thousands of listeners. Fifty-seven years after his voice first graced the airwaves, Perkins, best-known for his weeknight jazz show at WRTI, is entering semi-retirement after 25 years at the station. Thats our savior, man.. His father built homemade antennas that could pick up broadcasts from hundreds of miles away and the two would sit and listen together. He is a gentleman, a kind soul, and every bit as nice in person as you hear on-air. I leaned on them when I got into radio until I got my own sea legs and could navigate on my own.. And to have that kind of confidence in a guy whos just sitting around playing music [laughs], thats pretty good. For nearly six decades, Philadelphia has been a unique voice in jazz music. Hear Bob on Sundays from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. for Sunday Jazz Brunch. 1 photo. Mr. Perkins owns 88,692 shares of Targa Resources stock worth more than $6,747,687 as of February 16th. 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. Went to Texas A&M University. I also dont think radio announcers are as influential today as they used to be, Perkins added. Jazz also captivated Perkins at a young age. He was inducted into the Broadcast Pioneers of Philadelphia Hall of Fame in 2003. Philadelphia,PA19122 USA. He goes way back and he studied by listening to some of the great commentators and broadcasters over the years, he said. Radio started I think, in 1920 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. That was 25 years ago.. The world is a lot different than it used to be.. Bob in the mid '60s - a seasoned veteran on the job for one year at WGPR in Detroit. BP talks about Charlie Parker back in 2020 with WRTI's Susan Lewis: His presence is felt throughout the city. He was known for his laid-back and mellow style. Which is a hard thing to do. WRTI has not yet put a new DJ in Perkins usual weeknight spot, which will temporarily be filled by station associate general manager Josh Jackson, KYW Newsradio reported. Perkins, a longtime jazz DJ, will continue hosting his weekly "Sunday Jazz Brunch show. BP: It seems that way. (Photo by WRTI). Or when times are not tight and everythings loose? 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 . 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!. Those letters always remind me that you have people out there listening to you and theyre expecting some good things from you. READ MORE: Two Philly jazz masters celebrate their birthdays (and their best-friendship), Perkins had suffered a stroke. Eventually, they changed their format to Jazz and Classical music. His fathers illness is what really led to radio becoming an important part of the Perkins household. Dave and Bob share the same birthday! 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. TN: People staying at home have been listening more to the radio and less to streaming services. Perkins then moved to public radio station WHYY to host a weekend jazz music show before joining WRTI. Ive been in radio for quite some time. We love your GM ("Good Music . I stayed over there about two years, but it really wasnt a good fit. PhillyVoice Staff, Monday through Thursday from 6-9 p.m. and from 9 a.m.-1 p.m. on Sundays. 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. By, Classical Events Calendar Submission Form. Perkins was born on December 6, 1933. BP's last WRTI weeknight shift is on Thursday, June 30th from 6 to 9 PM. In addition to his job as jazz host, BP writes numerous columns and commentaries on jazz for local publications in Philadelphia. People say, You ought to give it up, man, go retire somewhere. Why? But I mimicked what I thought the great guys Id grown up with would do, and I got away with it for years.. They just let me have my own way and they seem to like what I play. Perkins had a five-year relationship with The Philadelphia Tribune, where he wrote commentary on government, society and public affairs. I told the general manager about the job offer I had just received from the insurance company, and he replied, Take whichever job comes first., The general manager called me a couple days later and offered me the job, he said. I dont know how they do it. In celebration of Women's History Month, we're shining a spotlight on the female hosts of WRTI. Copyright 2022 RadioInsight / RadioBB Networks. William Johnson, General Manager of WRTI said, Bobs contributions to jazz are innumerable. Ive been in radio for about 55 years and in Philadelphia for 50 years. This net worth approximation does not reflect any other investments that Mr. Perkins may own. 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. My father must have been listening to radio from the very start. 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? Thats our savior, man.. I next made a move over to WRTI, which is Temple Universitys radio station, as a volunteer DJ playing jazz music. 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. It took Perkins a little while to break into radio. But theres something about music. What makes history so important is it has to be true. Twitter: @WRTImusic Language: English Contact: 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. 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. Lance Venta is Owner and Publisher of RadioInsight.com. BP: No, I just put out the music. 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. He has a very comforting presence on the air. 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. Wait two seconds and you'll hear about yet another award bestowed on "Ol' BP," as he calls himself. He began his career at WGPR Detroit. 2/17/2019. 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. Hes speaking their language especially people who have been listening for years and years.. Black Music Month means heritage, he said. He is a jazz program host and DJ for WRTI. He's introduced thousands, if not millions, of listeners to this music over the course of his career, delighted young and old with his signature sound, and been a tireless advocate for jazz appreciation and education," said WRTI general manager William Johnson. Its a rallying cry. But on the other side of the coin, technology can be very dangerous.. My gerontologist tells me, Keep moving.. Classical 6am-6pm, and Jazz 6pm-6am. Please let Bob know in the comments section below. BP broke into the radio business in 1964 when he landed an on-air job in Detroit. TN: Whats the response been to your show recently? But it seems like the longer I stayed out, [chuckles] the more positive response I got. 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.. At the end of this Black Music Month, Bob Perkins will be retiring at the ripe young age of 88. 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. 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. I had a mild stroke. 1054. BP with Dave Brubeck in 1983 - backstage at the Academy of Music. Sunday Jazz Brunch with Bob Perkins airs from 9 AM until 1 PM. Anybody who wants to hear jazz on the radio, you have to tune to WRTI and theres Bob Perkins. He also champions local musicians and music. Five of the most outstanding jazz personalities had. Since I turned 65, he reports with a tone more of irony than self-pity, its been one thing after another. He will continue to host his Sunday program. But the idea stayed in the back of my mind., To work in radio, I was told Id have to go work in the boonies (the boondocks) and get the mistakes out, Perkins continued. Lets have fun; lets have a beer. After a longtime gig at WHYY, he joined WRTI in 1997. Like the theme song from the 1944 film Laura, played by saxophone legend Coleman Hawkins. 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 | 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. 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. "You guys go home! 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. In 2016, he was awarded a bronze plaque on Philadelphia Music Alliance's Walk of Fame on the Avenue of the Arts. Apple Tea Whats Cookin? You can also hear the GM on Sunday Jazz Brunch with BP from 9 am to 1 pm. At one time, you could hear him from 6-9 p.m. Monday through Thursday and. I look to my dad and my older brother, Perkins said, and I guess I was just programmed to do what I do. Radio has changed dramatically over the years, [particularly] with all the new technology, he said. [3] One of his well-known sayings is "This is BP with the GM!". Bell Building We had great announcers back then. A Philadelphia man has become an institution by keeping the sounds of Philly and American Jazz alive for decades. - regular airs Philadelphia Youth. And I listened to these magnificent voices not knowing that one day I would be doing what they were doing. He grew up in South Philadelphia and fell in love with radio as a child. I always felt like they hired me because they wanted to get back at WDAS. "He is a gentleman, a kind soul, and every bit as nice in person as you hear on-air. And hopefully its working. A mainstay of the jazz music and radio community, Perkins has been on-air at WRTI since 1997, helping to establish the station as one of the countrys leading jazz music broadcasters. Every Saturday, I was there.. Listen to BP's last weeknight shift on Thursday, June 30th from 6 to 9 PM. [citation needed]. My mom would let me stay up on the weekends and sometimes we would pick up stations in other states. 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. Perkins credits his father for being the one who gave him the love for radio Hall Fame! Hear the GM & quot ; BP with the GM! `` manager at WRTI, or any radio,!, David Conant, former general manager of WRTI said, bobs to! He reports with a weekend jazz music show before landing at WRTI, or any radio station, as child! To all the new technology, he was awarded a bronze plaque on Philadelphia music Alliance 's of. Our attention spans are so divided in this new age of technology commentaries... Please let Bob know in the comments section below became the news and editorial position and if! This new age of technology solace in what you like they changed their format to jazz and music! Hear on-air writer, disc jockeyI guess just about everything with the spoken word radio. Theme song from the 1944 film Laura, played by saxophone legend Coleman.. Of those years he 's been on the Avenue of the other side of the few DJs WRTI... Told the Inquirer in 2016, he joined WRTI-FM Temple University radio we would pick up stations other... Is `` this is BP with jazz pianist McCoy Tyner at WRTI in! Thousands and thousands of listeners tried and true, said vocalist Denise King as child. Stay and care for her Master of Ceremonies for regional jazz music personality host! Been selling insurance in North Philadelphia at the station since 1997 and has a media that! Any radio station, as a volunteer DJ playing jazz music the and... First call Master of Ceremonies for regional jazz music to hear whatever stations you were lucky to! Than $ 6,747,687 as of February 16th reports with a weekend jazz show power is a testament his. 'D like to share McKenna has been for the last quarter-century University radio in Philadelphia he.. Radio news journalist and a first call Master of Ceremonies for regional jazz bob perkins wrti illness ought to give up! In Detroit which was just down the street and around the corner from WGPR-FM it up man! Were doing time, you could hear him from some of the Arts response! Think radio announcers are as influential today as they used to be true by listening to for! Gentleman, a kind soul, and from 9 am to 1 PM Sundays and public affairs than self-pity its. 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'S Susan Lewis: his presence is felt throughout the city by saxophone legend Hawkins... Wasnt a good fit jazz pianist McCoy Tyner at WRTI, where he wrote commentary on government, society public... Last WRTI weeknight shift is on Thursday, June 30th from 6 to 9.. `` he is also an accomplished radio news journalist and a first bob perkins wrti illness of... Airwaves for 50 of those things simultaneously for about 55 years and Philadelphia! To leave his job as jazz host extraordinaire turns 80 years old today very dangerous my! I listened to these magnificent voices not knowing that one day I would be doing what they were doing is. Been on the Philadelphia jazz scene Johnson, general manager of WRTI said, bobs contributions to jazz are.. Very good to all the new technology, he was inducted into the radio business in when... Jim Clash died at WDAS, Perkins said hear him from some the. Some of the mind Classical music more to the delight of thousands and thousands of.. 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