I met saxophonist Sam Reed well before he became a legendary figure on the Philadelphia jazz scene. My gerontologist tells me, Keep moving.. Jazz radio legend Bob Perkins, 88, will retire in June from his full-time role as a host at Philadelphia's WRTI-FM. 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. Jazz host Bob Perkins in his office at WRTI. Read More. His show will come to an end June 30, but he says this wont be the last his fans hear from him. Ive got high mileage on my odometer, Perkins wrote. I next made a move over to WRTI, which is Temple Universitys radio station, as a volunteer DJ playing jazz music. 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!". Someone can think of something and express it in a musical form and without hitting any sour notes and make it sound melodic, where you can tap your foot or you can close your eyes and dream on it. And all the while, you weren't aware of ituntil that person moved away, and, During a recent interview, saxophone great Larry Mckenna was right on target when he shared that often in other cities, when people found out he was from, When a dynamic figure in any walk of life departs, writers and just plain folks, usually try to recall certain events about the departed in which they may, When I was a kid growing up in South Philly, there was an older fellow down the block who was trying to play an alto saxophone. His Sunday 'Jazz Brunch' show will continue. He makes it interesting and inclusive for everybody.. By, Classical Events Calendar Submission Form. 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. Targa Resources 20 years . By continuing to use this website you are giving consent to cookies being used. I never knew exactly how my father came to love radio so much, but he was an avid radio listener, Perkins recalled. 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. But you try to always put that best music forward. 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. Maybe its one of the high points in their life. BP: People, they never call me, seemingly. Perkins has been ill and off the air for a few months but will make his return in the first week of January. Thats our savior, man.. Listen to BP's last weeknight shift on Thursday, June 30th from 6 to 9 PM. As of 1997, Perkins landed at WRTI-FM. Bob is jazz radio, David Conant, former general manager at WRTI, told The Inquirer in 2016. His older brother had introduced him to the music of Duke Ellington, which sparked a lifelong love of big band and jazz music. News was almost like a religion back in the day. It has to be accurate. Please remove or replace such wording and instead of making proclamations about a subject's importance, use facts and attribution to demonstrate that importance. I think because of them, thats where my love of jazz music was solidified.. Ive been in radio for about 55 years and in Philadelphia for 50 years. I met him when he was a frequent visitor to the 900, One November night in the year 1934, a 17-year-old girl was about to take the stage at the Apollo theaters Amateur Night program and planned to do a, Many years ago, a group of teenage musicians decided to form a small jazz band in South Phillythey went on to become high-profile players in the jazz, 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, I believe the year was 1983 when I was asked if Id like to emcee a concert at the Academy of Music, headlined by Dave Brubeck and his sons and the Modern, Some folkseven jazz fanswouldnt know that 'Robert Chudnick' was the real name of the musician whose handle was Red Rodney. I dont know why music is so much more powerful than some other entity. And the only way you can make it accurate is you have to be there, he said. Perkins then moved to public radio station WHYY to host a weekend jazz music show before joining WRTI. Perkins spoke about the evolution of radio. 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. All the girls belong to me!". 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. 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. 1101 W. Montgomery Avenue 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. Meaning "Bob Perkins with the good music. He was inducted into the Broadcast Pioneers of Philadelphia Hall of Fame in 2003. At 90.1 FM. 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. 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 is a jazz program host and DJ for WRTI. "I got radio rammed down my throat, because that was my fathers relief from his pain.. 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. They were very kind at WDAS, and they also allowed me to moonlight at WHYY-FM. READ MORE: Two Philly jazz masters celebrate their birthdays (and their best-friendship), Perkins had suffered a stroke. He went on to work for WDAS and while in Philadelphia, [2] in 1997, he joined WRTI-FM Temple University Radio. He got his first job in radio during a trip to visit his two brothers in Detroit in 1964. But on the other side of the coin, technology can be very dangerous.. Bob Perkins' first radio gig at WGPR-FM in Detroit, 1964. Which is a hard thing to do. TN: Why was it important for you to keep doing your show? Bob Perkins will retire from his full-time position hosting nights at Temple University Jazz 90.1 WRTI Philadelphia. A young BP with his brother Joe. Hear Bob on Sundays from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. for Sunday Jazz Brunch. 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. Ive met a lot of good people, a lot of entertainers, musicians, and politicians along the way. I was weaned on radio. Bob Perkins has been a fixture on Philadelphias airwaves for 50 years. "You guys go home! He said yesand hes been here ever since. And you had to visualize this man who could make himself invisible. I dont think that there's anybody in Philadelphia who's a true jazz fan who doesn't know who he is, McKenna said. You had to sit around the radio and visualize. All rights reserved. Contact. Thanks! I dont know how they do it. 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. You dont know whos listening, how many people: could be one, could be 10,000. And for 50 of those years he's been on the radio to the delight of thousands and thousands of listeners. I like melody. Detroit was wide open. 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. He has attended two White House Presidential news conferences - one of Gerald Ford's and one of Jimmy Carter's. 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. Went to Texas A&M University. In addition to his radio duties, Perkins has written jazz columns for multiple publications over the years and has hosted concerts at jazz clubs and festivals. Discovery, curation, community, performance, preservation. I said yes, he said. It took Perkins a little while to break into radio. He announced his retirement from weeknight shows in April. TN: It sounds like being a DJ is something you were always meant to do. "People say, You ought to give it up, man, go retire somewhere. Why? In 1969, his hometown of Philadelphia beckoned him back with a gig at rhythm-and-blues station WDAS, where he worked for the next 19 years. I was a war baby. I went to a radio school through my father. NPR news updates every hour. Scroll down to see recent playlists. Something they can hum. Courtney Blue, KLN '12, hosts Late Evening Jazz, The Jazz Request Show and Nouveau Jazz Showcase. 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's last WRTI weeknight shift is on Thursday, June 30th from 6 to 9 PM. I knew the Athletics batting averages like they were my own name. 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. You had to wear earphones to hear whatever stations you were lucky enough to hear that would come through. 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. 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. Thats a long time. Perkins' jazz show has been broadcast Monday through Thursday from 6-9 p.m. and from 9 a.m.-1 p.m. on Sundays. 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. #WRTImusic Hes one of the last purveyors of our actual history. And Ive been a newsman, editorial writer, disc jockeyI guess just about everything with the spoken word in radio. WRTI listeners will still be able to join him for Sunday Jazz Brunch, from 9 AM to 1 PM. Managing Editor Teresa A. Emerson - [emailprotected] They were a great family of jazz artists. The thing I liked about what Bob did was that he didnt call it a jazz show. Bob received a Master of Science degree degree from Nazareth College. ), I remember telling my friends about it, McKenna adds. I couldnt leave Mom Perkins to go chasing after radio, he said. He later joined WHYY with a weekend jazz show before landing at WRTI. Once I got some news training under my belt, I started trading news stories with the news team at WDAS in Philadelphia. Change has come to radio, music, listeners, and listening habits. I also dont think radio announcers are as influential today as they used to be, Perkins added. 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. Bob in the mid '60s - a seasoned veteran on the job for one year at WGPR in Detroit. 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. 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. Im waiting for my doc to give me clearance to return to work so that I can keep putting out that good GM . 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. 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. Beginning in June, he will end the weekday program and continue with the Sunday broadcast on, Fans mourn death of legendary Philly radio host Sid Mark, Questlove, The Balvenie award first scholarship for PhD in Creativity at University of the Arts, Philadelphia Film Society to host series of family-friendly movie screenings, Eagles name Alex Tanney QB coach, plus other coaching staff updates, The food you eat impacts the health of your eyes, Construction of Penn's Landing park over I-95 finally approved to begin, PennDOT says, Joanna McClinton becomes first woman elected as speaker of Pa. House, Rocco's Italian Sausage, a cult favorite at Home Depot stores in Philly, to expand in Bucks County, Low-calorie sweetener tied to higher risk of heart attack and stroke, study finds. 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. 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