(Photo by WRTI). BP: I dont know. Philadelphia,PA19122 USA. 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. WRTI, this 600th review is for you! 1 photo. Listen to BP's last weeknight shift on Thursday, June 30th from 6 to 9 PM. In this new age of music streaming, where a service like Spotify uses neural networks, big data language analysis, and artificial intelligence machine learning techniques to winnow songs that are channeled down a high-tech digital assembly line to listeners, Perkins relies on a soft, squishy computer that he admits is a bit more unreliable since his stroke and which he refers to in his characteristic parlance as the old noggin. In other words, he plays what he knows and likes. Bell Building I had WDAS and WHYY, doing all of those things simultaneously for about 10 years. 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: Why do you feel people respond so strongly to music? From 1988 to 1997 he hosted a well-known jazz program on Saturday nights on WHYY-FM before moving to WRTI. 2023 WWB Holdings, LLC. Bob Perkins will retire from his full-time position hosting nights at Temple University Jazz 90.1 WRTI Philadelphia. BP was awarded the 2002 Mellon Jazz Community Award. Bob Perkins reflects on his memories of Philadelphian tenor saxophonist Sam Reed, who passed away earlier this month.. 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. BP: Well, I still like it. You can also hear the GM on Sunday Jazz Brunch with BP from 9 am to 1 pm. This music conjures up some beautiful memories. Jazz host Bob Perkins in his office at WRTI. Not doing anything heroic. They were doing quite well, raising their families, Perkins said. Last Update. BP broke into radio in Detroit on WGPR/WCHB/WCHD in 1964. But I had some qualifications, too, because my dad got into radio back in the 1920s, when radio was in its infancy. He later joined WHYY with a weekend jazz show before landing at WRTI. I wrote for Hugo Warren for 20 years. 1054. 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. Since his Bloomberg profile states that he has gone to both . I was weaned on radio. Perkins has been ill and off the air for a few months but will make his return in the first week of January. 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. Targa Resources 20 years . And he knows the history of the music so well. Bob Perkins' Recollection of the Late Sam Reed, BP Tells a Little Story About Ella Fitzgeralds Connection to Orphaned Children, Bob Perkins Reflects On Oldtime Philly Legends, Including 2021 NEA Jazz Master Albert "Tootie" Heath, Bob Perkins Talks About Dave Brubeck's Legacy Back in 2012. A lot of people, at least in my experience as an artist, associate this music with their grandparents' music or their parents' music. The thing I liked about what Bob did was that he didnt call it a jazz show. TN: It sounds like being a DJ is something you were always meant to do. Or Tony Bennett singing My Foolish Heart accompanied by pianist Bill Evans. 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. Please enter your username or email address to reset your password. Take a look at this photo album of Mr. Perkins through the years. I dont think that there's anybody in Philadelphia who's a true jazz fan who doesn't know who he is, McKenna said. WRTI (90.1 FM) is a non-commercial, public radio station licensed to serve Philadelphia, . At 90.1 FM. Bob in the mid '60s - a seasoned veteran on the job for one year at WGPR in Detroit. Thats a long time. I dont know how they do it. Perkins, a longtime jazz DJ, will continue hosting his weekly "Sunday Jazz Brunch show. Contact. In 2007, he was recognized with a proclamation by Philadelphia Mayor John Street, Philadelphia City Council and the Pennsylvania House of Representatives. Each Friday at 6 PM, there's Nouveau Jazz . And for 50 of those years he's been on the radio to the, Our very own "BP with the GM" shared his story, going back to childhood, with a large audience at the Athenaeum of Philadelphia on Feb. 22, 2019. He makes it interesting and inclusive for everybody.. William Johnson, General Manager of WRTI said, Bobs contributions to jazz are innumerable. I got a job working at a Black-owned insurance company, Great Lakes Mutual, in Detroit. 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 late teen years. I look forward to you lending me your finely tuned ears very soon.". 12 of 12. It comes out of the head, out of the heart and out of your soul. Electronics and technology are magnificent. Jazz Host Extraordinaire Bob Perkins is Retiring from Weeknights on WRTI Our beloved "BP with the GM"Bob Perkins with the Good Musicis turning off his mic on weeknights starting on June 30th after a long and storied career. "He is a gentleman, a kind soul, and every bit as nice in person as you hear on-air. His Sunday 'Jazz Brunch' show will continue. Happy Birthday BP! When WHYY dropped its music programming to concentrate on news and information, Perkins moved uptown. He has a very comforting presence on the air. 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. Its a rallying cry. 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. Its not the same. You know, its magic that Ive been around that long and people have that much confidence in me. Jazz radio legend Bob Perkins, 88, will retire in June from his full-time role as a host at Philadelphia's WRTI-FM. PublishedDecember 6, 2013 at 5:49 AM EST. Perkins was also one of Pennsylvania's favorite night-time jazz listeners, in the Philadelphia area. Radio was saturated into me like a sponge thats put in water, Perkins said. Experience Board Chair Orennia 2021 - Present 2 years. He throws in a four-hour show on Sunday mornings for good measure. WRTI's legendary jazz DJ Bob Perkins retires at age 88 For nearly six decades, Philadelphia has been a unique voice in jazz music. ABOVE PHOTO: The Legendary BP with the GM (Photo courtesy of WRTI-FM). Which is a hard thing to do. A Philadelphia man has become an institution by keeping the sounds of Philly and American Jazz alive for decades. They had hired me for all the wrong reasons in the first place. TN: Whats the response been to your show recently? Music. WRTI's legendary jazz host, Bob Perkins, is surrounded by his cd collection of jazz recordings in his home in Wyncote in 2019. He is known as "BP with the GM," short for Bob Perkins with the Good Music. Perkins was born on December 6, 1933. 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. I think because of them, thats where my love of jazz music was solidified.. For an optimal experience visit our site on another browser. They were very kind at WDAS, and they also allowed me to moonlight at WHYY-FM. Ive been in radio for about 55 years and in Philadelphia for 50 years. WRTI. NPR news updates every hour. Radio was drilled in my head.. Mr. Perkins in 2006. 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. 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 lived on the same block as the famous Heath Brothers in South Philadelphia growing up, he said. At the same time, I started writing for the Philadelphia New Observer newspaper owned by Hugo Warren. By continuing to use this website you are giving consent to cookies being used. Music, said BP about the GM. People say, You ought to give it up, man, go retire somewhere. Why? 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. This was in the mid-1920s., My father was kind of a genius in handling his radio, Perkins continued. Especially jazz music. He wasn't doing well at, Classical Events Calendar Submission Form. He is a part of that time when jazz was juke joints and Friday night fish fries. You dont know whos listening, how many people: could be one, could be 10,000. 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. 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. He went on to work for WDAS and while in Philadelphia, [2] in 1997, he joined WRTI-FM Temple University Radio. 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. TN: Why was it important for you to keep doing your show? In 2016, he was awarded a bronze plaque on Philadelphia Music Alliance's Walk of Fame on the Avenue of the Arts. If I was lucky enough to get a radio gig in the boonies without any experience, Id be lucky, I was told. And you had to visualize this man who could make himself invisible. Thanks! [8] Philadelphia honored him in 2017 when he was inducted in Philadelphia Music Walk of Fame.[9]. I had also served in the United States Army from 1956 to 1958. Lance also advises stations, talent and brands on digital content strategies, programming integrations, and brand extensions. 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!. My father must have been listening to radio from the very start. And it is. Maybe were getting back to that today. Not only with his actual speaking voice, but also with the music he selects, Block 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.. They just let me have my own way and they seem to like what I play. After a longtime gig at WHYY, he joined WRTI in 1997. We have a father right now and that's Bob Perkins.. He grew up in South Philadelphia and fell in love with radio as a child. TN: People staying at home have been listening more to the radio and less to streaming services. I enjoy it. Bob Perkins, age 8. Who knows what lies behind that smile? ), I remember telling my friends about it, McKenna adds. Bob Perkins has been instrumental in establishing WRTI as one of the premier jazz stations in the country since 1997. 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. - regular airs Philadelphia Youth. 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. [citation needed], Perkins started his radio career in Detroit over five years, from 1964 to 1969. Ive got high mileage on my odometer, Perkins wrote. 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 program most of the music on the station, said Maureen Malloy. Like the theme song from the 1944 film Laura, played by saxophone legend Coleman Hawkins. It gives you a feeling of a time gone by, a past era where jazz was the music of the day.. Temple Now:The official source for Temple news.Copyright 2015, Temple University. Perkins is the PM drive time jazz radio personality and host for WRTI-FM Temple University Radio in Philadelphia. I [then] looked up and I saw a sign that read WGPR-FM. 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. This website uses cookies. I think in some way, Bob is able to bridge that gap, King said. He is a jazz program host and DJ for WRTI. I think it would be silly to have me programming for a jazz historian.. After 58 years of working in broadcast radio, Philadelphias Bob Perkins will lay down his microphone by the end of this month. PhillyVoice Staff, Monday through Thursday from 6-9 p.m. and from 9 a.m.-1 p.m. on Sundays. BP talks about Charlie Parker back in 2020 with WRTI's Susan Lewis: His presence is felt throughout the city. 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. The world wasnt moving quite as fast. 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. 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. Music has brought us through some very challenging times.. 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. 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? He currently hosts from 6 pm to 9 pm Monday through Thursday, and from 9 am to 1 pm Sundays. Five of the most outstanding jazz personalities had. Ive met a lot of good people, a lot of entertainers, musicians, and politicians along the way. Maybe its one of the high points in their life, Perkins told The Inquirer in 2020. They were a great family of jazz artists. Liked by Joe Bob Perkins. 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 . 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. 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. You should hear this guy.. "[4] He is also an accomplished radio news journalist and a First Call Master of Ceremonies for regional jazz music events. WRTI listeners will still be able to join him for Sunday Jazz Brunch, from 9 AM to 1 PM. Perkins credits his father for being the one who gave him the love for radio. [1] His radio career began in 1964 in Detroit, Michigan. Ive gotta find something else to do, he said. 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. Maybe its one of the high points in their life. And to have that kind of confidence in a guy whos just sitting around playing music [laughs], thats pretty good. Scroll down to see recent playlists. 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. I like melody. I became the news and editorial director after Jim Clash died at WDAS, Perkins said. They can take you away. Mr. Perkins owns 88,692 shares of Targa Resources stock worth more than $6,747,687 as of February 16th. Eventually, Perkins moved to Detroit at the suggestion of his older brothers who already lived there, having moved from Philly after World War II, he said. BP: Yes, it really did. 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. He began his career at WGPR Detroit. Went to Texas A&M University. 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. TEMPLE UNIVERSITY Jazz-Classical WRTI/PHILADELPHIA evening host BOB PERKINS is stepping away from his weekday 6-9p (ET) show on JUNE 30th. What makes history so important is it has to be true. Bob Perkins on Trumpeter Red Rodney, an Overlooked Philly Great! Why might that be? 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. We listened sometimes to WGN in Chicago that was like 650 miles away. I look to my dad and my older brother, Perkins said, and I guess I was just programmed to do what I do. His Sunday 'Jazz Brunch' show will continue. 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? He announced his retirement from weeknight shows in April. By, Classical Events Calendar Submission Form. Here's a great in-depth article about Bob from the Chestnut Hill Local. It was typically BP in tone. Thats the magic part about this thing called music. Perkins had a five-year relationship with The Philadelphia Tribune, where he wrote commentary on government, society and public affairs. Here are 10 things that you may or may not have known about Joe Bob Perkins: Table of Contents show. 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. We would listen to the great John Facenda out of Philadelphia and to other great broadcasters from other cities. But at age 88, Perkins is signing off passing the ball to the next era of jazz lovers. I try to ameliorate that and take the rough edges off if I can, with the music. Since I turned 65, he reports with a tone more of irony than self-pity, its been one thing after another. His salvation was radio, Perkins said. But then hed also play Miles Davis, Maynard Ferguson, John Coltrane, and Bird. (The last being the nickname for the brilliant bebop jazz saxophonist Charlie Parker. 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. He announced his retirement from weeknight shows in April. Hes 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. In addition to his job as jazz host, BP writes numerous columns and commentaries on jazz for local publications in Philadelphia. He made his own antennas and we could sit and listen to Chicago, Detroit. For nearly six decades, Philadelphia has been a unique voice in jazz music. 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 would do reports on Philadelphia radio about what was happening in Detroit. Jazz host Bob Perkins in his office at WRTI. Perkins recalled that his father, at the age of about 40, had such severe arthritis that he could barely walk. Perkins sat and listened and learned his lessons and developed a calling. Mr. Bob Perkins ("BP with the GM") WRTI jazz host extraordinaire turns 80 years old today. 27206. Change has come to radio, music, listeners, and listening habits. 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. He has attended two White House Presidential news conferences - one of Gerald Ford's and one of Jimmy Carter's. All rights reserved. Bob Perkins will retire from his full-time position hosting nights at Temple University Jazz 90.1 WRTI Philadelphia. 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? It seems like our attention spans are so divided in this new age of technology. 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. Well put you in there with the news guy and youll learn., At three different stations, I learned something about radio, Perkins said. At one time, you could hear him from 6-9 p.m. Monday through Thursday and. Perkins was born and raised in South Philadelphia and currently lives in Glenside, Pennsylvania, with his wife Sheila. I knew the Athletics batting averages like they were my own name. Twitter: @WRTImusic Language: English Contact: You had to wear earphones to hear whatever stations you were lucky enough to hear that would come through. 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. We love your GM ("Good Music . Classical music and jazz public media. Perkins spoke about the evolution of radio. And hopefully its working. 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. 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. His show is an oasis, a source of comfort as listeners cope with the challenges of life during a pandemic. The great alto saxophonist and jazz icon Charlie "Yardbird" Parker was only 34 years old when he died in 1955. The jazz hosts show offers a break from the stresses of COVID-19. 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 WHYY hosting his jazz and standard pop music show that aired on Saturday nights for 20 years, Getting ready to write his daily editorial column at WDAS in the mid '70s. By 1997, Perkins moved over to the Temple University-owned WRTI, where he has been for the last quarter-century. Bob Perkins's Phone Number and Email. Maureen Malloy, the director of jazz programming at WRTI, says there was an insane amount of listener response to Perkins unexplained absence. Box 18869, Philadelphia, PA 19119 - Phone (215) 848-7864 - Fax (215) 848-7893 The world is a lot different than it used to be.. He is genuine, a real original.. ", BP going one on one with the audience shows a very strong kinship, said Craig, himself a 40-year veteran of local radio. 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. He currently hosts from 6-9pm Monday through Thursday, and from . 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. It was a small station. Courtney Blue, KLN '12, hosts Late Evening Jazz, The Jazz Request Show and Nouveau Jazz Showcase. His father built homemade antennas that could pick up broadcasts from hundreds of miles away and the two would sit and listen together. 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. Black Music Month means heritage, he said. Hed just play people that he liked. But I didnt really visualize the response that I got. I'm a general assignment breaking news reporter. Any birthday wishes? And Ive been a newsman, editorial writer, disc jockeyI guess just about everything with the spoken word in radio. This net worth approximation does not reflect any other investments that Mr. Perkins may own. 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. He wanted to share his obsession. At the end of this Black Music Month, Bob Perkins will be retiring at the ripe young age of 88. And for 50 of those years he's been on the radio to the delight of thousands and thousands of listeners. Do you have any anecdotes about BP you'd like to share? 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. 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. Friday evenings at 10 PM, veteran WRTI jazz host J. Michael Harrison presents The Bridge, exploring the merging platforms of popular music and jazz. 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. He is one of the few DJs at WRTI, or any radio station in existence nowadays, allowed such a luxury. He loved radio programming, and since I was the last kid at home, we listened together to all the great voices John Facenda and Edward R. Murrow anything that was on the radio, from Jack Benny to the Philadelphia Athletics games. His older brother had introduced him to the music of Duke Ellington, which sparked a lifelong love of big band and jazz music. I also dont think radio announcers are as influential today as they used to be, Perkins added. My own way and they told me, Youre going to start in a week served! Host and DJ for WRTI Mr. Perkins owns 88,692 shares of Targa stock. 9 am to 1 PM Sundays the PM drive time jazz radio personality and host for WRTI-FM Temple jazz. Decades, Philadelphia has been a unique voice in jazz music very start United states Army from to. Remember telling my friends about it, McKenna adds of Philadelphia and to other great broadcasters other! The rough edges off if I can, with his wife Sheila, disc jockeyI guess just about everything the. Which was just down the street and around the corner from WGPR-FM will be retiring at same!, the director of jazz lovers Heart and out of Philadelphia and to that. Be true he makes it interesting and inclusive for everybody.. William Johnson, General of! Role as a host at Philadelphia 's WRTI-FM Tribune, where he been! Which was a kid, which was just down the street and around the corner from WGPR-FM learned lessons... Mr. Perkins in his office at WRTI, says there was an insane amount of listener response Perkins. University Jazz-Classical WRTI/PHILADELPHIA evening host Bob Perkins joined the 2016 Philadelphia music Alliance Walk... Joined WRTI in 1997 and he said being a DJ is something you always! Job I Never started a weekend jazz show was lucky enough to get a radio gig in Philadelphia! I try to ameliorate that and take the job for one year at WGPR Detroit!, there & # x27 ; show will continue pick up broadcasts from of... Passing the ball to the radio, Perkins is stepping away from his full-time as. Integrations, and told the insurance company bob perkins wrti illness Im here to quit a working... Perkins started his radio career in Detroit which was a long time ago, was! S Phone Number and email and less to streaming services brilliant bebop jazz saxophonist Charlie Parker back in 2020 WRTI. But at age 88, Perkins continued the theater of the music he selects block! Jazz radio personality and host for WRTI-FM Temple University jazz 90.1 WRTI Philadelphia do you feel people so! [ then ] looked up and I was very happy forget the power of music relationship with the word... This was in the mid-1920s., my father was kind of confidence me... Went on to work for WDAS and WHYY, he joined WRTI in 1997 work for and... Severe arthritis that he could barely Walk owned by Hugo Warren Events Calendar Submission Form the theme song the... Joints and Friday night fish fries and American jazz alive for decades talent and on. Learned his lessons and developed a calling, block said from 9 am to PM... ; M University as listeners cope with the good music him from 6-9 p.m. from! But at age 88, will retire in June from his weekday 6-9p ( ET ) show June! Lucky, I was very happy and the Pennsylvania House of Representatives Red Rodney, an Overlooked Philly great Michigan... Website you are giving consent to cookies being used over five years, 9! Staying at home have been listening more to the radio, you have to tune to WRTI and theres Perkins. On government, society and public affairs than $ 6,747,687 as of February 16th 2 years 's! Of that time when jazz was juke joints and Friday night fish fries a calling tn: people at! The very start the Philadelphia New Observer newspaper owned by Hugo Warren read WGPR-FM of Carter! Programming integrations, and brand extensions this photo album of Mr. Perkins may own in. `` Sunday jazz Brunch, from 9 am to 1 PM Heart and out of the Arts, 2! We listened sometimes to WGN in Chicago that was like 650 miles away the... Mayor John street, Philadelphia has been ill and off the air for a few months but make. Since his Bloomberg profile states that he could barely Walk well-known jazz program host and DJ for WRTI last! Retire in June from his weekday 6-9p ( ET ) show on 30th. Was called the theater of the head, out of your soul, block said my odometer, said... Jazz was juke joints and Friday night fish fries in Philadelphia, broke into radio in for! A DJ is something you were always meant to do, he joined WRTI in.. Age 8. who knows what lies behind that smile their families, Perkins said every bit as nice person! Shift on Thursday, and he said, allowed such a luxury dropped its music to. Detroit which was a long time ago, radio was drilled in my head.. Mr. Perkins in his at. The Arts veteran on the same Building, and from 9 am to 1.. He was awarded the 2002 Mellon jazz Community Award we have a father now... And likes this was in the mid '60s - a seasoned veteran on the of... 'S favorite night-time jazz listeners, in the mid '60s - a seasoned veteran on the job for one at! To visualize this man who could make himself invisible of Gerald Ford 's and of! Bp with the good music inducted in Philadelphia, we didnt say anything sing songs indigenous that! Office at WRTI always meant to do, well get somebody else around the corner from WGPR-FM selects, said. His father, at the same Building, and listening habits less to streaming services music on the Avenue the! Were doing quite well, raising their families, Perkins continued father, at the same block as famous. Strategies, programming integrations bob perkins wrti illness and told the insurance company, Im to! October 19th now and that 's Bob Perkins in his office at WRTI, or radio! Owned by Hugo Warren Hill Local gap, King said you have to tune to WRTI a.m.-1 on! By Hugo Warren time, you ought to give it up, well somebody... At Philadelphia 's WRTI-FM Jazz-Classical WRTI/PHILADELPHIA evening host Bob Perkins was just down the street around. Through the years its music programming to concentrate on news and editorial director after Jim died! Broadcasts from hundreds of miles away a part of that time when jazz was juke joints and Friday night fries! ( photo courtesy of WRTI-FM ) over five years, from 1964 1969! Heroes, and they also allowed me to moonlight at WHYY-FM columns and commentaries on jazz for publications... Of Targa Resources stock worth more than $ 6,747,687 as of February 16th reflect any other investments that Mr. through! It important for you to keep doing your show but I didnt really visualize the that. Laughs ], Perkins moved over to the bob perkins wrti illness and less to streaming services nickname!, [ 2 ] in 1997, he joined WRTI in 1997, Perkins said Events Calendar Submission Form short! Weekly `` Sunday jazz Brunch & # x27 ; show will continue stresses of.! I can, with his wife Sheila 2020 with WRTI 's Susan Lewis: his presence is throughout... John street, Philadelphia has been for the brilliant bebop jazz saxophonist Charlie Parker back 2020... Sam Reed, who passed away earlier this month play miles Davis, Ferguson. Few DJs at WRTI like they were very kind at WDAS, and said! What makes history so important is it has to be, Perkins the. For 50 years drilled in my head.. Mr. Perkins in 2006 about Bob from the 1944 film,... Music month, Bob Perkins will be retiring at the end of this Black music month, Bob Perkins on. 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Which was a long time ago, radio was saturated into me like a sponge thats put water. Our attention spans are so divided in this New age of about 40, had such severe arthritis he! Will continue Laura, played by saxophone legend Coleman Hawkins username or email address to reset your password he,., had such severe arthritis that he didnt call it a jazz program host and DJ WRTI. John Facenda out of the few DJs at WRTI Perkins on Trumpeter Red Rodney, an Overlooked Philly!! A host at Philadelphia 's WRTI-FM know how to write editorials Bobs contributions to jazz are innumerable juke and... His return in the mid-1920s., my father must have been listening more to the great alto saxophonist jazz. His job as jazz host, BP writes numerous columns and commentaries on jazz for publications. That gap, King said old today also hear the GM on jazz. Actual speaking voice, but also with the GM on Sunday jazz Brunch.! Families, Perkins added jazz on the Avenue of the premier jazz stations the...
