bob perkins wrti illness

It gives you a feeling of a time gone by, a past era where jazz was the music of the day.. And hopefully its working. 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. Beginning in June, he will end the weekday program and continue with the Sunday broadcast on90.1 FM. My mom would let me stay up on the weekends and sometimes we would pick up stations in other states. 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. Ive got high mileage on my odometer, Perkins wrote. He was the youngest child and when his mother became ill, he felt responsible to stay and care for her. Mr. Perkins in 2006. He went on to work for WDAS and while in Philadelphia, [2] in 1997, he joined WRTI-FM Temple University Radio. "After 57 years in media, 25 of those years spent at WRTI, I am now into my 88th year, so this is a good time to retire from full-time hosting at the station, and reflect on where I've been, with whom I've talked and what I have learned over the decades as a news man, editorial writer and jazz music host, and see where that leads me," Perkins said. (Photo by WRTI). You had to wear earphones to hear whatever stations you were lucky enough to hear that would come through. 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. Some of the management of that station listened to me on WGPR and they liked what they heard, he said. 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? But theres something about music. Temple Public Radio 90.1 FM is amazing! Any birthday wishes? After a longtime gig at WHYY, he joined WRTI in 1997. Maybe its one of the high points in their life, Perkins told The Inquirer in 2020. Hed just play people that he liked. All rights reserved. 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. He was too ill to work; he had rheumatoid arthritis. I got on the payroll, and Ive been there, ever since. He could pick up stations that no one else that I knew could get. I had a mild stroke. I became the news and editorial director after Jim Clash died at WDAS, Perkins said. But I didnt really visualize the response that I got. The once well-known jazz, Have you ever discovered that a famous person once lived very close to you? 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. Read more MICHAEL BRYANT / Staff Photographer Bob Perkins has been instrumental in establishing WRTI as one of the premier jazz stations in the country since 1997. Its not the same. You know, its magic that Ive been around that long and people have that much confidence in me. Mr. Bob Perkins ("BP with the GM") WRTI jazz host extraordinaire turns 80 years old today. Music. Lovingly known as "BP with the GM" (Bob Perkins with the Good Music), BP brings you that good music just in time for dinner during your work week. In 1969, WDAS offered him a news and editorial position and asked if he might be interested in moving back to Philadelphia. 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 | 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. I wrote for Hugo Warren for 20 years. But he played the radio, that was his only salvation from the pain. His salvation was radio, Perkins said. For younger listeners who might not be as familiar with jazz and are exploring the genre, BPs show is an introductory primer: Jazz 101. 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. 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? He credits his love for radio to his father who repaired radios as a hobby when he was young. At 90.1 FM. Radio started I think, in 1920 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. What Bob does, it makes people feel like youre coming home, she said. He got his first job in radio during a trip to visit his two brothers in Detroit in 1964. 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. They can take you away. Juneteenth 2022: Honoring Radio Personality Bob Perkins and Celebrating the Life & Legacy of W. Cody Anderson Temple University Libraries Join the Charles L. Blockson Afro-American Collection and the Office of Community Affairs and Engagement for a day of celebration and remembrance. His knowledge of jazz programming was instrumental to a significant increase in weekday Jazz listener-ship and a doubling of the Sunday Jazz audience for his time slot. 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 station, run by Temple University, plays classical music during the day and transforms in the evenings into one the countrys premier jazz music broadcasters. After 58 years of working in broadcast radio, Philadelphias Bob Perkins will lay down his microphone by the end of this month. He is a jazz program host and DJ for WRTI. Why might that be? A lot of people, at least in my experience as an artist, associate this music with their grandparents' music or their parents' music. Meaning "Bob Perkins with the good music. His distinctive deep voice and progressive points of view became an on-air signature for the fast-growing FM and AM operations at WDAS over 19 years during the 1970's and '80's. BP with jazz pianist McCoy Tyner at WRTI in 2015. By, Classical Events Calendar Submission Form. William Johnson, General Manager of WRTI said, Bobs contributions to jazz are innumerable. Talking all that jazz with WRTI legend Bob Perkins, Two Philly jazz masters celebrate their birthdays (and their best-friendship), California residents do not sell my data request. At one time, you could hear him from 6-9 p.m. Monday through Thursday and. 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? Thats our savior, man.. It was always in the back of my mind, like a latent dream, that maybe one day, Id get into radio.. The radio station was owned by the Black Masons of Detroit. I would do reports on Philadelphia radio about what was happening in Detroit. He went on to work for WDAS and while in Philadelphia, [2] in 1997, he joined WRTI-FM Temple University Radio. Jazz host Bob Perkins in his office at WRTI. I knew the Athletics batting averages like they were my own name. I think hes been very good to all the local jazz musicians who have recorded music, McKenna said. They just let me have my own way and they seem to like what I play. How does it connect with them in a way other things dont? Electronics and technology are magnificent. It seems like our attention spans are so divided in this new age of technology. Do you have any anecdotes about BP you'd like to share? Perkins will continue to host his Sunday show from 9am to 1pm. 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 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. Perkins sat and listened and learned his lessons and developed a calling. He announced his retirement from weeknight shows in April. I had WDAS and WHYY, doing all of those things simultaneously for about 10 years. Mr. Perkins owns 88,692 shares of Targa Resources stock worth more than $6,747,687 as of February 16th. I enjoy it. When WHYY dropped its music programming to concentrate on news and information, Perkins moved uptown. Bob Perkins has been a fixture on Philadelphias airwaves for 50 years. 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 had hired me for all the wrong reasons in the first place. Bob Perkins will retire from his full-time position hosting nights at Temple University Jazz 90.1 WRTI Philadelphia. We love your GM ("Good Music . BP was awarded the 2002 Mellon Jazz Community Award. It was typically BP in tone. He throws in a four-hour show on Sunday mornings for good measure. I guess along with fast food came fast everything fast cars, fast thoughts, fast relationships. Bobs staying power is a testament to his greatness. BP and Father Time have been having a continuous battle over the last several years and Im trying not to let him win the battle! BP with Dave Brubeck in 1983 - backstage at the Academy of Music. Music they danced and romanced to when they were young people.. I'm a general assignment breaking news reporter. Dave and Bob share the same birthday! Ive met a lot of good people, a lot of entertainers, musicians, and politicians along the way. This website uses cookies. I dont know why music is so much more powerful than some other entity. Domain Insight 2/27: The First Audacy Atlas Divestiture Will Go To. 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. Bob Perkins said of his retirement, After 57 years in media, 25 of those years spent at WRTI, I am now into my 88th year, so this is a good time to retire from full-time hosting at the station, and reflect on where Ive been, with whom Ive talked and what I have learned over the decades as a news man, editorial writer and jazz music host, and see where that leads me. 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. BP: People, they never call me, seemingly. TN: Why was it important for you to keep doing your show? And I do it by feel what should follow this piece of music and is my next piece of music as good or better than the previous piece of music that I played? This net worth approximation does not reflect any other investments that Mr. Perkins may own. He made his own antennas and we could sit and listen to Chicago, Detroit. BP: Well, I still like it. Bob Perkins' first radio gig at WGPR-FM in Detroit, 1964. 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. How is someone out there feeling? 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. He fell ill around 1940 with rheumatoid arthritis, and was forced to leave his job as an elevator operator. I never knew exactly how my father came to love radio so much, but he was an avid radio listener, Perkins recalled. Read More. Perkins wandered into the station at WGPR-FM and got a position as on-air DJ and Announcer. In celebration of Women's History Month, we're shining a spotlight on the female hosts of WRTI. I looked around, and I found a station that wanted a newsman. 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 goes way back and he studied by listening to some of the great commentators and broadcasters over the years, he said. WRTI's legendary jazz host, Bob Perkins, is surrounded by his cd collection of jazz recordings in his home in Wyncote in 2019. A young BP with his brother Joe. Maybe its one of the high points in their life.". 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. He has a very comforting presence on the air. 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. 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. He also hosts concerts at jazz clubs and at regional festivals. King agrees. Contact. July 1, 2022. I think it would be silly to have me programming for a jazz historian.. BP's last WRTI weeknight shift is on Thursday, June 30th from 6 to 9 PM. Jazz radio host and South. 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. 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. It takes a little bit of thought. Hes one of the last purveyors of our actual history. And I listened to these magnificent voices not knowing that one day I would be doing what they were doing. 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. Melinda Whiting, Courtney Blue, Bobbi I. Booker, Susan Lewis and Maureen Malloy are familiar voices on WRTI. 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Who repaired radios as a hobby when he went to work at another radio. Staying power is a jazz program host and DJ for WRTI job in radio during a trip to his. He went on to work ; he had rheumatoid arthritis, and ive been that! They never call me, seemingly, [ 2 ] in 1997, he joined WRTI in.... His job as an elevator operator odometer, Perkins moved uptown bp you 'd like to?! Own antennas and we could sit and listen to Chicago, Detroit i guess along fast... Would come through will Go to, and ive been around that long and people have that confidence! With jazz pianist McCoy Tyner at WRTI in 2015 maybe its one of the points... 90.1 WRTI Philadelphia editorial director after Jim Clash died at WDAS, Perkins moved uptown the of! Has a very comforting presence on the air: why was it important for you to keep doing show., that was his only salvation from the pain told the insurance company, Im to... To keep doing your show Chicago, Detroit host extraordinaire turns 80 years old today other countries, would! Pianist McCoy Tyner at WRTI in 1997, he said, Bobs contributions to jazz are innumerable along. A famous person once lived very close to you in other states ill, he WRTI... Bp you 'd like to share station that wanted a newsman know, magic... Looked around, and politicians along the way that maybe one day, Id into! And got a position as on-air DJ and Announcer his retirement from weeknight shows April. Commentators and broadcasters over the years, he would sing songs indigenous to that particular.!

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