Perkins is the PM drive time jazz radio personality and host for WRTI-FM Temple University Radio in Philadelphia. ", BP going one on one with the audience shows a very strong kinship, said Craig, himself a 40-year veteran of local radio. 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. Classical music and jazz public media. Melinda Whiting, Courtney Blue, Bobbi I. Booker, Susan Lewis and Maureen Malloy are familiar voices on WRTI. "[4] He is also an accomplished radio news journalist and a First Call Master of Ceremonies for regional jazz music events. Jazz also captivated Perkins at a young age. 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. Robert Bob Perkins (born December 6, 1933) is an American radio personality. Bob Perkins on Trumpeter Red Rodney, an Overlooked Philly Great! I had WDAS and WHYY, doing all of those things simultaneously for about 10 years. 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.. 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. They were doing quite well, raising their families, Perkins said. 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. Bob Perkins is a Dj at Wrti based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. 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. WRTI's legendary jazz DJ Bob Perkins retires at age 88 For nearly six decades, Philadelphia has been a unique voice in jazz music. And he knows the history of the music so well. [1] His radio career began in 1964 in Detroit, Michigan. In celebration of Women's History Month, we're shining a spotlight on the female hosts of WRTI. But I didnt really visualize the response that I got. I think its magic, the music I play. Perkins spoke about the evolution of radio. WRTI's legendary jazz host, Bob Perkins, is surrounded by his cd collection of jazz recordings in his home in Wyncote in 2019. Electronics and technology are magnificent. 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.. I also dont think radio announcers are as influential today as they used to be, Perkins added. I said yes, he said. Twitter: @WRTImusic Language: English Contact: [8] Philadelphia honored him in 2017 when he was inducted in Philadelphia Music Walk of Fame.[9]. Lead a team to the Super Bowl, Student community health ambassadors look out for their fellow Owls, Temple faculty organizes lecture series for Ukrainian students at alma mater in Kharkiv, Behind the music: Grammy-nominated Fox alum finds success as an audio engineer and producer, Eco-friendly faces: Meet Temples EcoReps advocating for a sustainable campus, Charles Library shapes the future at Temple and beyond, Student and faculty musicians are Grammy hopefuls. "He is a gentleman, a kind soul, and every bit as nice in person as you hear on-air. 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. Read More. He went on to work for WDAS and while in Philadelphia, [2] in 1997, he joined WRTI-FM Temple University Radio. And to have that kind of confidence in a guy whos just sitting around playing music [laughs], thats pretty good. He is a jazz program host and DJ for WRTI. 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. 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. BP: It seems that way. Classical 6am-6pm, and Jazz 6pm-6am. I think because of them, thats where my love of jazz music was solidified.. Listen to BP's last weeknight shift on Thursday, June 30th from 6 to 9 PM. 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. I look forward to you lending me your finely tuned ears very soon.". But on the other side of the coin, technology can be very dangerous.. Scroll down to see recent playlists. 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. Contact. Please let Bob know in the comments section below. 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. A lot of people, at least in my experience as an artist, associate this music with their grandparents' music or their parents' music. Beginning in June, he will end the weekday program and continue with the Sunday broadcast on90.1 FM. I became the news and editorial director after Jim Clash died at WDAS, Perkins said. Jazz radio legend Bob Perkins, 88, will retire in June from his full-time role as a host at Philadelphia's WRTI-FM. My gerontologist tells me, Keep moving.. 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. Bob Perkins's Phone Number and Email. Bob Perkins: I do itand Im not trying to be funnybut I do it really by braille, a feel. Domain Insight 2/27: The First Audacy Atlas Divestiture Will Go To. 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. Perkins then moved to public radio station WHYY to host a weekend jazz music show before joining WRTI. Once I got some news training under my belt, I started trading news stories with the news team at WDAS in Philadelphia. Bob Perkins' first radio gig at WGPR-FM in Detroit, 1964. Im waiting for my doc to give me clearance to return to work so that I can keep putting out that good GM . 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 continuing to use this website you are giving consent to cookies being used. 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. At the end of this Black Music Month, Bob Perkins will be retiring at the ripe young age of 88. ), I remember telling my friends about it, McKenna adds. But it seems like the longer I stayed out, [chuckles] the more positive response I got. Take a look at this photo album of Mr. Perkins through the years. I went to a radio school through my father. 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. I knew the Athletics batting averages like they were my own name. I know Ive been very blessed. BP means a great deal to listeners of all ages. Last edited on 21 February 2023, at 01:44, promotes the subject in a subjective manner, Learn how and when to remove this template message, "Art of Aging: Bob Perkins, a Philly Institution", "Talking all that jazz with WRTI legend Bob Perkins", "Bob Perkins: The Art of Listening article @ All About Jazz", "Meet the Philadelphia Music Walk of Fame's Class of 2017", Broadcast Pioneers of Philadelphia website, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Bob_Perkins_(radio_personality)&oldid=1140642424, This page was last edited on 21 February 2023, at 01:44. 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.. Hes speaking their language especially people who have been listening for years and years.. They offered me a job and I accepted. BP's last WRTI weeknight shift is on Thursday, June 30th from 6 to 9 PM. People know what is going on. And I would sit with him and we would listen. Ive always admired him for that., After working as a jazz host on WHYY for nearly a decade, Bob joined WRTI in 1997. TN: People staying at home have been listening more to the radio and less to streaming services. TN: Why do you feel people respond so strongly to music? Over the years, he met the likes of President Jimmy Carter and touched the lives of everyday listeners and renowned musicians. 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. Radio was saturated into me like a sponge thats put in water, Perkins said. I stayed over there about two years, but it really wasnt a good fit. "I got radio rammed down my throat, because that was my fathers relief from his pain.. Music, said BP about the GM. A mainstay of the jazz music and radio community, Perkins has been on-air at WRTI since 1997. TN: Have you made any changes to your playlist, in light of whats happening? You can also hear the GM on Sunday Jazz Brunch with BP from 9 am to 1 pm. 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 | 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. [citation needed], Perkins is also a first-call jazz MC. Am I going to capture their imagination today? 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!. By 1997, Perkins moved over to the Temple University-owned WRTI, where he has been for the last quarter-century. I knew that people kind of liked my music. New Temple Press book celebrates Philadelphias Italian legacy, Hundreds of Temple community members gather to celebrate the life of Sergeant Christopher Fitzgerald with his family, Temples Lenfest Center increases job opportunities for the North Philadelphia community, Globally connected campus: A presidential visit to Temple Rome, Whats the best way for an athlete to build their brand? Perkins had a five-year relationship with The Philadelphia Tribune, where he wrote commentary on government, society and public affairs. PERKINS, 88, has been hosting at WRTI for 25. 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. 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 guess along with fast food came fast everything fast cars, fast thoughts, fast relationships. Hes one of the last purveyors of our actual history. You can never know. At 90.1 FM. Hed just play people that he liked. 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. 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. 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. I leaned on them when I got into radio until I got my own sea legs and could navigate on my own.. Not only with his actual speaking voice, but also with the music he selects, Block said. 1 photo. Bob received a Master of Science degree degree from Nazareth College. Apple Tea Whats Cookin? It was a small station. I did a good music program over there for twenty years. Managing Editor Teresa A. Emerson - [emailprotected] 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. The thing I liked about what Bob did was that he didnt call it a jazz show. You had to wear earphones to hear whatever stations you were lucky enough to hear that would come through. He is one of the few DJs at WRTI, or any radio station in existence nowadays, allowed such a luxury. Mr. Bob Perkins ("BP with the GM") WRTI jazz host extraordinaire turns 80 years old today. A Philadelphia man has become an institution by keeping the sounds of Philly and American Jazz alive for decades. Thats the magic part about this thing called music. 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. I never knew exactly how my father came to love radio so much, but he was an avid radio listener, Perkins recalled. I was out for about four months. I wrote for Hugo Warren for 20 years. Change has come to radio, music, listeners, and listening habits. But he played the radio, that was his only salvation from the pain. His Sunday 'Jazz Brunch' show will continue. I think it would be silly to have me programming for a jazz historian.. 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!". Learn More about Joe Bob Perkins' net worth. Wdas and while in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania a guy whos just sitting around playing music laughs. 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