The late teen years. The great alto saxophonist and jazz icon Charlie "Yardbird" Parker was only 34 years old when he died in 1955. BP: Yes, it really did. I lived on the same block as the famous Heath Brothers in South Philadelphia growing up, he said. He got his first job in radio during a trip to visit his two brothers in Detroit in 1964. I wrote for Hugo Warren for 20 years. 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. [citation needed]. It comes out of the head, out of the heart and out of your soul. Language: English Contact: WRTI-FM 1509 Cecil B. Moore Avenue, 3rd Floor Philadelphia, PA 19121 Website: http://www.wrti.org/ Email: Bob@wrti.org Episodes I was a war baby. Not only with his actual speaking voice, but also with the music he selects, Block said. I knew that people kind of liked my music. Michael Tanenbaum Well put you in there with the news guy and youll learn., At three different stations, I learned something about radio, Perkins said. In 1969, WDAS offered him a news and editorial position and asked if he might be interested in moving back to Philadelphia. Bob Perkins is a Dj at Wrti based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. I never knew exactly how my father came to love radio so much, but he was an avid radio listener, Perkins recalled. NPR news updates every hour. But I had some qualifications, too, because my dad got into radio back in the 1920s, when radio was in its infancy. Hes speaking their language especially people who have been listening for years and years.. Perkins credits his father for being the one who gave him the love for radio. 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 Story About How "Bird" Once Had a Nest In Philadelphia, Bob Perkins Reminisces About His Friend: The Late, Great Bootsie Barnes, Bob Perkins Remembers One Heck of a Night With McCoy Tyner, Bob Perkins Reflects On His Old Friend, Jazz Legend Jimmy Heath. I'm a general assignment breaking news reporter. 1. Listen to BP's last weeknight shift on Thursday, June 30th from 6 to 9 PM. We had great announcers back then. By continuing to use this website you are giving consent to cookies being used. He also wrote editorials and other articles for the former Philadelphia New Observer. BP: Well, I still like it. What Bob does, it makes people feel like youre coming home, she said. "I got radio rammed down my throat, because that was my fathers relief from his pain.. Which is a hard thing to do. He wasn't doing well at, Classical Events Calendar Submission Form. Read more MICHAEL BRYANT / Staff Photographer Once I got some news training under my belt, I started trading news stories with the news team at WDAS in Philadelphia. He is known as "BP with the GM," short for Bob Perkins with the Good Music. You should hear this guy.. 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. Ive been told way before I was born, people would come to our house back when my father had the first crystal radio set on the block. Change has come to radio, music, listeners, and listening habits. He later joined WHYY with a weekend jazz show before landing at WRTI. Liked by Joe Bob Perkins. Ive been in radio for quite some time. 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. [citation needed], Perkins is also a first-call jazz MC. Bob Perkins will retire from his full-time position hosting nights at Temple University Jazz 90.1 WRTI Philadelphia. Bob Perkins, a legendary DJ at the radio station WRTI, spun everything from Duke Ellington to Miles Davis. His show is an oasis, a source of comfort as listeners cope with the challenges of life during a pandemic. TN: People staying at home have been listening more to the radio and less to streaming services. In addition to his job as WRTI jazz host, Perkins has written numerous columns and commentaries on jazz, and has hosted a multitude of concerts at jazz clubs and festivals. He was known for his laid-back and mellow style. Bobs staying power is a testament to his greatness. Ive met a lot of good people, a lot of entertainers, musicians, and politicians along the way. 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. 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. 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. Learn More about Joe Bob Perkins' net worth. You can also hear the GM on Sunday Jazz Brunch with BP from 9 am to 1 pm. That when I first became aware of who he was, said Larry McKenna, the tenor saxophonist who is one of the deans of Phillys jazz scene. 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.. Maybe its one of the high points in their life.". PERKINS, 88, has been hosting at WRTI for 25. 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. 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. 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. And to have that kind of confidence in a guy whos just sitting around playing music [laughs], thats pretty good. After 58 years of working in broadcast radio, Philadelphias Bob Perkins will lay down his microphone by the end of this month. 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. You can never know. WRTI, this 600th review is for you! BP broke into radio in Detroit on WGPR/WCHB/WCHD in 1964. 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. IE 11 is not supported. On this show he would play a record by Dick Haymes or Doris Day or Rosemary Clooney. Especially jazz music. At 90.1 FM. Thats our savior, man.. He could pick up stations that no one else that I knew could get. I look to my dad and my older brother, Perkins said, and I guess I was just programmed to do what I do. This was in the mid-1920s., My father was kind of a genius in handling his radio, Perkins continued. 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. 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. I next made a move over to WRTI, which is Temple Universitys radio station, as a volunteer DJ playing jazz music. 27206. At the same time, I started writing for the Philadelphia New Observer newspaper owned by Hugo Warren. 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). The once well-known jazz, Have you ever discovered that a famous person once lived very close to you? "You guys go home! My gerontologist tells me, Keep moving.. 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. Perkins, known to listeners as "BP . 12 of 12. #WRTImusic He went on to work for WDAS and while in Philadelphia, [2] in 1997, he joined WRTI-FM Temple University Radio. When WHYY dropped its music programming to concentrate on news and information, Perkins moved uptown. My father just loved to have the radio on. My father must have been listening to radio from the very start. 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. Robert "Bob" Perkins (born December 6, 1933) is an American radio personality. 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. The world is a lot different than it used to be.. 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. 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. Do you have any anecdotes about BP you'd like to share? They just let me have my own way and they seem to like what I play. He is a jazz program host and DJ for WRTI. But at age 88, Perkins is signing off passing the ball to the next era of jazz lovers. Radio was drilled in my head.. 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. Friday evenings at 10 PM, veteran WRTI jazz host J. Michael Harrison presents The Bridge, exploring the merging platforms of popular music and jazz. Radio started I think, in 1920 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. 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. 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. I know Ive been very blessed. Jazz host Bob Perkins in his office at WRTI. I had been selling insurance in North Philadelphia at the time, knocking on doors. Perkins was born on December 6, 1933. Bob Perkins has been instrumental in establishing WRTI as one of the premier jazz stations in the country since 1997. READ MORE: Two Philly jazz masters celebrate their birthdays (and their best-friendship), Perkins had suffered a stroke. June is observed nationally as Black Music Month, and so it seems fitting that someone who has worked in radio for almost six decades the last 20+ years playing jazz music would close out their career in June. Perkins is currently engaged for the annual Cape May Jazz Festival Concert Series and the Tony Williams Jazz Festival Concert Series. 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. Melinda Whiting, Courtney Blue, Bobbi I. Booker, Susan Lewis and Maureen Malloy are familiar voices on WRTI. Perkins, a longtime jazz DJ, will continue hosting his weekly "Sunday Jazz Brunch show. Twitter: @WRTImusic Language: English Contact: This website uses cookies. "People say, You ought to give it up, man, go retire somewhere. Why? He has been with the station since 1997. Last Update. (Photo courtesy of WRTI-FM) His father's illness is what really led to radio becoming an important part of the Perkins household. 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. They were doing quite well, raising their families, Perkins said. 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. For younger listeners who might not be as familiar with jazz and are exploring the genre, BPs show is an introductory primer: Jazz 101. The Philadelphia Sunday SUN - P.O. [1] His radio career began in 1964 in Detroit, Michigan. It was always in the back of my mind, like a latent dream, that maybe one day, Id get into radio.. It takes a little bit of thought. Things change, he said, but there's always someone that's going to keep us on the right track., We're not a fatherless community. Wait two seconds and you'll hear about yet another award bestowed on "Ol' BP," as he calls himself. Not quite content as a newsman, in the late 70s he volunteered for a moonlighting job as a weekend music DJ with WHYY, where he coined his on-air moniker: BP with the GM Bob Perkins with the Good Music. 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.. He fell ill around 1940 with rheumatoid arthritis, and was forced to leave his job as an elevator operator. And for 50 of those years he's been on the radio to the delight of thousands and thousands of listeners. 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. Experience Board Chair Orennia 2021 - Present 2 years. I leaned on them when I got into radio until I got my own sea legs and could navigate on my own.. I couldnt leave Mom Perkins to go chasing after radio, he said. Maybe were getting back to that today. We love your GM ("Good Music . News was almost like a religion back in the day. People call me and tell me, I didnt like jazz till you played it, Perkins told The Inquirer in 2016. People say, You ought to give it up, man, go retire somewhere. Why? 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. 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? I knew the Athletics batting averages like they were my own name. 1101 W. Montgomery Avenue 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. - regular airs Philadelphia Youth. Joe Blocks parents were fans of WRTI and the pianist grew up listening to BP, becoming a fan himself. Why might that be? I dont know how they do it. Discovery, curation, community, performance, preservation. He had his own antennae that he had drilled into his table model radio. BP's last WRTI weeknight shift is on Thursday, June 30th from 6 to 9 PM. But his well-honed approach to the music would remain unaffected. He said yesand hes been here ever since. 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? But it seems like the longer I stayed out, [chuckles] the more positive response I got. But you try to always put that best music forward. A young BP with his brother Joe. After a longtime gig at WHYY, he joined WRTI in 1997. Domain Insight 2/27: The First Audacy Atlas Divestiture Will Go To. "[4] He is also an accomplished radio news journalist and a First Call Master of Ceremonies for regional jazz music events. 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 . Or when times are not tight and everythings loose? Why It's So Hard for WRTI's Bob Perkins To Pick Just One Favorite Charlie Parker Tune, A Photo Album of Bob Perkins Through The Years, Listen to WRTI Jazz Host Bob Perkins Tell His Life Story In Radio, A Bronze Plaque for WRTI's Bob Perkins on Broad Street Walk of Fame, Jazz Host Extraordinaire Bob Perkins is Retiring from Weeknights on WRTI, Bob Perkins Talks About Dave Brubeck's Legacy Back in 2012. Ive been in radio for about 55 years and in Philadelphia for 50 years. Joseph V. Labolito. Am I going to capture their imagination today? Bob Perkins has been a fixture on Philadelphias airwaves for 50 years. 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? Bob's contributions to jazz are innumerable. I dont know why music is so much more powerful than some other entity. 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. I had a mild stroke. Meaning "Bob Perkins with the good music. He is a gentleman, a kind soul, and every bit as nice in person as you hear on-air. BP was awarded the 2002 Mellon Jazz Community Award. Lance Venta is Owner and Publisher of RadioInsight.com. Lance also advises stations, talent and brands on digital content strategies, programming integrations, and brand extensions. He began his career at WGPR Detroit. 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. TN: Why was it important for you to keep doing your show? Targa Resources 20 years . [1] His radio career began in 1964 in Detroit, Michigan. Hes one of the last purveyors of our actual history. The radio station was owned by the Black Masons of Detroit. Electronics and technology are magnificent. Contact. The host entered the Philadelphia radio world in 1967 with WDAM, where he served as a news and editorial director. 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. Its a rallying cry. I did what I could, he told The Inquirer in 2020, because I didnt know a thing about writing editorials. BP: It seems that way. 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.. Mr. Perkins owns 88,692 shares of Targa Resources stock worth more than $6,747,687 as of February 16th. He has a very comforting presence on the air. 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 . Mind, like a latent dream, that maybe one day, Id get radio. 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Played it, Perkins said First job in radio during a trip to visit his two Brothers in Philadelphia... He served as a volunteer DJ playing jazz music awarded the 2002 Mellon jazz community award personality... Because I didnt like jazz till you played it, Perkins moved.... Until I got he is a jazz program host and DJ for WRTI WRTI Philadelphia Observer newspaper owned by Warren... Fan himself was my fathers relief from his pain Brunch with BP from 9 am to 1.... `` bob perkins wrti illness say, you ought to give it up, man go!