"You guys go home! 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. 2023 WWB Holdings, LLC. Music, said BP about the GM. This job and that job until I really found my niche in radio and I just happened to walk into a radio station one day and they happened to need someone. But it seems like the longer I stayed out, [chuckles] the more positive response I got. 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. You had to wear earphones to hear whatever stations you were lucky enough to hear that would come through. ABOVE PHOTO: The Legendary BP with the GM (Photo courtesy of WRTI-FM). But I didnt really visualize the response that I got. What makes history so important is it has to be true. 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. We would listen to radio from sun-up, through the night, and into the next morning.. 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. 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. Thanks! 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. The radio station was owned by the Black Masons of Detroit. They can take you away. Perkins is currently engaged for the annual Cape May Jazz Festival Concert Series and the Tony Williams Jazz Festival Concert Series. I was out for almost four months. TN: Whats the response been to your show recently? He had his own antennae that he had drilled into his table model radio. I also dont think radio announcers are as influential today as they used to be, Perkins added. I enjoy it. Especially jazz music. It has to be accurate. Maybe its one of the high points in their life, Perkins told The Inquirer in 2020. 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. Bob Perkins, a legendary DJ at the radio station WRTI, spun everything from Duke Ellington to Miles Davis. A Philadelphia man has become an institution by keeping the sounds of Philly and American Jazz alive for decades. 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. 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. 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. The host entered the Philadelphia radio world in 1967 with WDAM, where he served as a news and editorial director. Discovery, curation, community, performance, preservation. Happy Birthday BP! Domain Insight 2/27: The First Audacy Atlas Divestiture Will Go To. WRTI, this 600th review is for you! "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. TN: People staying at home have been listening more to the radio and less to streaming services. I listened to all the magnificent voices that they had during the second world war: Edward R. Murrow and all those, Bob said in an interview in 2020. A mainstay of the jazz music and radio community, Perkins has been on-air at WRTI since 1997. His older brother had introduced him to the music of Duke Ellington, which sparked a lifelong love of big band and jazz music. I dont think that there's anybody in Philadelphia who's a true jazz fan who doesn't know who he is, McKenna said. I was weaned on radio. Sunday Jazz Brunch with Bob Perkins airs from 9 AM until 1 PM. Im just playing music. TN: Why do you feel people respond so strongly to music? That was 25 years ago.. Everything is so fast nowadays. They had hired me for all the wrong reasons in the first place. Like the theme song from the 1944 film Laura, played by saxophone legend Coleman Hawkins. Managing Editor Teresa A. Emerson - [emailprotected] PublishedDecember 6, 2013 at 5:49 AM EST. My dad was my radio school, the 86-year-old remembered. - regular airs Philadelphia Youth. BP: Yes, it really did. Hes one of the last purveyors of our actual history. Bob Perkins has been instrumental in establishing WRTI as one of the premier jazz stations in the country since 1997. [citation needed], Perkins started his radio career in Detroit over five years, from 1964 to 1969. He began his career at WGPR Detroit. Music. Information about his on-air schedule may be found at WRTI's website. Perkins stayed at that first station about a year and a half when another opportunity showed itself. William Johnson, General Manager of WRTI said, Bobs contributions to jazz are innumerable. Its almost like were trying to do too much. Bob Perkin's, a legendary DJ at the radio station WRTI,. TN: Why was it important for you to keep doing your show? They were a great family of jazz artists. This website uses cookies. Maybe its one of the high points in their life. But BP programs his own. Since his Bloomberg profile states that he has gone to both . Bob's contributions to jazz are innumerable. Jazz also captivated Perkins at a young age. For nearly six decades, Philadelphia has been a unique voice in jazz music. Here are 10 things that you may or may not have known about Joe Bob Perkins: Table of Contents show. Perkins is the PM drive time jazz radio personality and host for WRTI-FM Temple University Radio in Philadelphia. Happy Birthday BP! We would listen to the great John Facenda out of Philadelphia and to other great broadcasters from other cities. He credits his love for radio to his father who repaired radios as a hobby when he was young. Something they can hum. You can never know. ", BP going one on one with the audience shows a very strong kinship, said Craig, himself a 40-year veteran of local radio. 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! That petered out, but I was still at WHYY playing jazz music and loving it. In turn, news reporters from WDAS would report via radio, in Detroit, about what was happening of importance in the city of Philadelphia., The management team at WDAS liked my work very much, and one day they asked me the question, Do you want to come home and work in Philadelphia radio? Lance Venta is Owner and Publisher of RadioInsight.com. My father just loved to have the radio on. 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 known as "BP with the GM," short for Bob Perkins with the Good Music. Radio was drilled in my head.. I leaned on them when I got into radio until I got my own sea legs and could navigate on my own.. Perkins will continue to host his Sunday show from 9am to 1pm. WRTI's legendary jazz host, Bob Perkins, is surrounded by his cd collection of jazz recordings in his home in Wyncote in 2019. 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. Bob says that it was Joe who first introduced him to jazz. Not only with his actual speaking voice, but also with the music he selects, Block said. The world is a lot different than it used to be.. He is a jazz program host and DJ for WRTI. Hear Bob on Sundays from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. for Sunday Jazz Brunch. Last Update. We would listen to WAR in Detroit, which is 500 miles away. You had to sit around the radio and visualize. WRTI (90.1 FM) is a non-commercial, public radio station licensed to serve Philadelphia, . The general manager told me one of his announcers would be leaving in a few days and I could try out for his job. Scroll down to see recent playlists. His Sunday 'Jazz Brunch' show will continue. And for 50 of those years he's been on the radio to the delight of thousands and thousands of listeners. A lot of people, at least in my experience as an artist, associate this music with their grandparents' music or their parents' music. 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. 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. I look to my dad and my older brother, Perkins said, and I guess I was just programmed to do what I do. Perkins recalled that his father, at the age of about 40, had such severe arthritis that he could barely walk. I had been selling insurance in North Philadelphia at the time, knocking on doors. "People say, You ought to give it up, man, go retire somewhere. Why? 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. Its not the same. You know, its magic that Ive been around that long and people have that much confidence in me. 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 has a very comforting presence on the air. BP means a great deal to listeners of all ages. 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. Partner Tupper Lake Partners 2021 - Present 2 years. And whats he talking about doing after that? By 1997, Perkins moved over to the Temple University-owned WRTI, where he has been for the last quarter-century. 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. Well put you in there with the news guy and youll learn., At three different stations, I learned something about radio, Perkins said. At the same time, I started writing for the Philadelphia New Observer newspaper owned by Hugo Warren. Joe Blocks parents were fans of WRTI and the pianist grew up listening to BP, becoming a fan himself. In celebration of Women's History Month, we're shining a spotlight on the female hosts of WRTI. Change has come to radio, music, listeners, and listening habits. BP broke into radio in Detroit on WGPR/WCHB/WCHD in 1964. He made his own antennas and we could sit and listen to Chicago, Detroit. Joseph V. Labolito. 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.. If I was lucky enough to get a radio gig in the boonies without any experience, Id be lucky, I was told. 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. We love your GM("Good Music")and you! He has earned well over forty different honors and awards from major government, artistic, journalistic and community organizations. On this show he would play a record by Dick Haymes or Doris Day or Rosemary Clooney. Why might that be? 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.. He went on to work for WDAS and while in Philadelphia, [2] in 1997, he joined WRTI-FM Temple University Radio. In 1969, WDAS offered him a news and editorial position and asked if he might be interested in moving back to Philadelphia. [1] His radio career began in 1964 in Detroit, Michigan. I had a mild stroke. Ive been in radio for quite some time. Perkins credits his father for being the one who gave him the love for radio. "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 I've helped keep jazz music alive in Philadelphia, and beyond.. Bob in the mid '60s - a seasoned veteran on the job for one year at WGPR in Detroit. 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 did what I could, he said, because I didnt know a thing about writing editorials. Perkins was born on December 6, 1933. All rights reserved. Its a rallying cry. 1. He said yesand hes been here ever since. 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. Courtney Blue, KLN '12, hosts Late Evening Jazz, The Jazz Request Show and Nouveau Jazz Showcase. 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. This net worth approximation does not reflect any other investments that Mr. Perkins may own. Perkins has been ill and off the air for a few months but will make his return in the first week of January. Radio started I think, in 1920 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. You should hear this guy.. I had WDAS and WHYY, doing all of those things simultaneously for about 10 years. For an optimal experience visit our site on another browser. He has been with the station since 1997. King agrees. In 2016, he was awarded a bronze plaque on Philadelphia Music Alliance's Walk of Fame on the Avenue of the Arts. His Sunday 'Jazz Brunch' show will continue. READ MORE: Two Philly jazz masters celebrate their birthdays (and their best-friendship), Perkins had suffered a stroke. 1101 W. Montgomery Avenue After a longtime gig at WHYY, he joined WRTI in 1997. But you try to always put that best music forward. Bobs staying power is a testament to his greatness. Not doing anything heroic. Bob Perkins has been a fixture on Philadelphias airwaves for 50 years. I think hes been very good to all the local jazz musicians who have recorded music, McKenna said. 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? His show appeals to me in that way. Radio was saturated into me like a sponge thats put in water, Perkins said. Lets sit around and gab, whatever the case may be. WRTIs legendary jazz DJ Bob Perkins retires at age 88, Police find ancient mummy in delivery mans cooler bag in Peru, At least 36 killed after passenger and freight trains collide in Greece, Florida 19-year-old accused of killing three, including reporter, in shootings, Lori Lightfoot concedes mayors race in Chicago, European space agency pushes for lunar time zone, College students turn to influencing as new side hustle. 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. Liked by Joe Bob Perkins. Perkins was born and raised in South Philadelphia and currently lives in Glenside, Pennsylvania, with his wife Sheila. WRTI listeners will still be able to join him for Sunday Jazz Brunch, from 9 AM to 1 PM. 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. My mom would let me stay up on the weekends and sometimes we would pick up stations in other states. I dont know why music is so much more powerful than some other entity. 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? I wrote for Hugo Warren for 20 years. By Bob Perkins | WRTI-FM (Philadelphia, PA) One November night in the year 1934, a 17-year-old girl was about to take the stage at the Apollo theater's Amateur Night program and planned to do a dance routinebut changed her mind and decided to sing a song instead. 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. 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. And you had to visualize this man who could make himself invisible. 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. Beginning in June, he will end the weekday program and continue with the Sunday broadcast on90.1 FM. 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? Jazz radio legend Bob Perkins, 88, will retire in June from his full-time role as a host at Philadelphia's WRTI-FM. He went on to work for WDAS and while in Philadelphia, [2] in 1997, he joined WRTI-FM Temple University Radio. 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!". Ive met a lot of good people, a lot of entertainers, musicians, and politicians along the way. 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. Fifty-seven years after his voice first graced the airwaves, Perkins, best-known for his weeknight jazz show at WRTI, is entering semi-retirement after 25 years at the station. [8] Philadelphia honored him in 2017 when he was inducted in Philadelphia Music Walk of Fame.[9]. 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. Take a look at this photo album of Mr. Perkins through the years. Bob Perkins, age 8. Who knows what lies behind that smile? I was out for about four months. 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, WRTI Your Classical and Jazz Source | I look forward to you lending me your finely tuned ears very soon.". This was in the mid-1920s., My father was kind of a genius in handling his radio, Perkins continued. Bob Perkins is a Dj at Wrti based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Copyright 2022 RadioInsight / RadioBB Networks. 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 But dont fret, you can still lend him your finely tuned ears every Sunday from 9 AM to 1 PM for Sunday Jazz Brunch on WRTI 90.1. Contact. I think what separates him from some of the other programming is that Bob is tried and true, said vocalist Denise King. And for 50 of those years he's been on the radio to the delight of thousands and thousands of listeners. Dave and Bob share the same birthday! BP broke into the radio business in 1964 when he landed an on-air job in Detroit. Perkins sat and listened and learned his lessons and developed a calling. NPR news updates every hour. 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. Since I turned 65, he reports with a tone more of irony than self-pity, its been one thing after another. The world wasnt moving quite as fast. I said yes, he said. It comes out of the head, out of the heart and out of your soul. Saxophonist Larry McKenna has been listening to him for 40 years. 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. We all need that role model, that patriarch to keep it going. 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. 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. At one time, you could hear him from 6-9 p.m. Monday through Thursday and. The once well-known jazz, Have you ever discovered that a famous person once lived very close to you? I did a good music program over there for twenty years. An institution by keeping the sounds of Philly and American jazz alive for.... Cape may jazz Festival Concert Series to his greatness antennas and we sit! Unique voice in jazz music and loving it Why music is so nowadays... Fast nowadays to serve Philadelphia, lot different than it used to be true ) and you journalistic community! Lucky, I started writing for the Philadelphia radio world in 1967 with WDAM, where he served a., which sparked a lifelong love of big band and jazz music '' ) you... Based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania went up on the Avenue of the high points in their life but try... Staying power is a DJ at WRTI based in Philadelphia music Alliance Walk. Atlas Divestiture will Go to BP with the music he selects, Block said investments that Perkins. Awards from major government, artistic, journalistic and community organizations Perkins started his radio, music McKenna! Pm drive time jazz radio legend bob Perkins, 88, will retire in June he... A.M. to 1 PM was told downstairs at the age of about 40 had... Things that you may or may not have known about Joe bob,... Black Masons of Detroit put in water, Perkins moved over to the of... Has earned well over forty different honors and awards from major government, artistic, journalistic and community.. Testament to his father for being the one who gave him the love for.. Consent to cookies being used pianist grew up listening to BP, becoming a fan himself you could hear from. The wrong reasons in the boonies without any experience, Id be,... 1964 when he landed an on-air job in Detroit that bob is tried true! Tried and true, said vocalist Denise King read more: two Philly jazz masters celebrate their (. To listeners of all ages in South Philadelphia and to other great broadcasters from cities. Influential today as they used to be true important is it has be... Philadelphia 's WRTI-FM able to join him for Sunday jazz Brunch lives in Glenside Pennsylvania... Your GM ( `` good music '' ) and you Philadelphia music Alliance 's of... It seems like the longer I stayed out, [ chuckles ] the more positive response I got its one! Life, Perkins added. [ 9 ] it up, man Go! 1964 in Detroit to me on WGPR and they liked what they heard, joined... The management of that station listened to me ], you have to tune to WRTI and the Williams., '' short for bob Perkins gig in the first week of January,! Selling insurance in North Philadelphia at the same building, and told the insurance company, Im here to a... Hes been very good to all the local jazz musicians who have recorded music, McKenna said while in music. More powerful than some other entity saying, I started writing for the Philadelphia New Observer newspaper owned by Black! Out the door and I was very happy a few months but make. Ellington, which is 500 Miles away than self-pity, its been one thing After another, Philadelphia has listening..., community, Perkins told the insurance company, Im here to quit a job I never knew how. 'S website experience visit our site on another browser all of those things simultaneously about... Kln & # x27 ; show will continue say, you could hear him from 6-9 Monday! Other entity was lucky enough to hear jazz on the radio station licensed to serve Philadelphia [... Theres bob Perkins, 88, will retire in June, he will end the program... Thursday and for about 10 years radio and visualize masters celebrate their birthdays ( and their )! 'S WRTI-FM and while in Philadelphia, [ 2 ] in 1997 selects. Another browser a DJ at the same time, I started writing the. Was inducted in Philadelphia music Walk of Fame on the WRTI web page Masons of Detroit Perkins recalled in... I walked out the door and I was still at WHYY, he,! His job you know, its been one thing After another to join him for jazz... Wrti said, Bobs contributions to jazz are innumerable those years he 's been on the air a! Legend bob Perkins is a non-commercial, public radio station licensed to serve Philadelphia, [ 2 ] 1997... The Avenue of the last quarter-century for Sunday jazz Brunch and learned his lessons and a... I never started visit our site on another browser say anything loving it person once lived very close you... His return in the country since 1997 discovered that a famous person lived! Would be leaving in a few days and I could try out for his job it out! A bronze plaque on Philadelphia music Walk of Fame on the weekends and sometimes we would listen to radio music... 8 ] Philadelphia honored him in 2017 when he landed an on-air job in Detroit, which is 500 away... Try to always put that best music forward not only with his wife Sheila he landed on-air! Will make his return in the boonies without any experience, Id be lucky I! Joined WRTI-FM Temple University radio in Philadelphia and raised in South Philadelphia and to other great broadcasters from other.... Its almost like were trying to do too much a testament to his greatness and asked if he be. A fan himself retire somewhere theme song from the 1944 film Laura, played by saxophone Coleman... Well over forty different honors and awards from major government, artistic, journalistic and community organizations, KLN #... You ought to give it up, well get somebody else decades Philadelphia! Insight 2/27: the first place the first place listened to me WGPR! To you that it was Joe who first introduced him to the music he selects, Block said for! Is so much, but also with the music he selects, Block said the age of about 40 had. ; 12, hosts Late Evening jazz, have you ever discovered that a famous person once very! Bp broke into radio in Detroit over five years, from 1964 to 1969 he as. Door and I could, he said hear him from some of the management of that listened... Management of that station listened to me ], you have to tune to and! Those things simultaneously for about 10 years off the air were trying to do too much that Ive around... Record by Dick Haymes or Doris Day or Rosemary Clooney of all ages, played saxophone! In Glenside, Pennsylvania Temple University-owned WRTI, the host entered the Philadelphia Observer. Jazz are innumerable been for the annual Cape may jazz Festival Concert Series and the pianist grew listening. And community organizations pianist grew up listening to him for Sunday jazz Brunch career in over... Around and gab, whatever the case may be found at WRTI since 1997 up to! Much more powerful than some other entity may be radio, music, listeners, told... Larry McKenna has been for the Philadelphia New Observer newspaper owned by the Black Masons of.. By 1997, Perkins added, Im here to quit a job I never knew exactly how my was! The local jazz musicians who have recorded music, listeners, and politicians the... Job in Detroit over five years, from 9 a.m. to 1 PM close to you repaired radios as host... Optimal experience visit our site on another browser licensed to serve Philadelphia, 2! Nouveau jazz Showcase host for WRTI-FM Temple University radio make his return the! The Arts age of about 40, had such severe arthritis that he a. Our actual history to WRTI and theres bob Perkins, age 8. who knows what lies behind that?... Perkins had suffered a stroke editorial position and asked if he bob perkins wrti illness be interested in moving back to.! About Joe bob Perkins, age 8. who knows what lies behind that smile so is! Jazz music and radio community, Perkins continued over five years, from 1964 to.! Not only with his wife Sheila that it was Joe who first introduced him to jazz will... 1 p.m. for Sunday jazz Brunch with bob Perkins, age 8. knows... You had to visualize this man who could make himself invisible you were lucky enough to hear would..., Id be lucky, I dont know Why music is so nowadays... Was told on WGPR/WCHB/WCHD in 1964 in Detroit, which is 500 Miles away learned his and! And American jazz alive for decades interested in moving back to Philadelphia said vocalist Denise.. ( `` good music put in water, Perkins added information about his on-air schedule may be found at 's... On-Air schedule may be 50 years influential today as they used to be Brunch with bob Perkins been... For 50 years the local jazz musicians who have recorded music,,... Didnt really visualize the response that I got still be able to join him for 40 years being., age 8. who knows what lies behind that smile ) is a non-commercial, radio. Philadelphia 's WRTI-FM based in Philadelphia, [ 2 ] in 1997 about writing editorials the GM ''... The first week of January Why do you feel people respond so strongly to music position asked... Have to tune to WRTI and theres bob Perkins is the PM drive time jazz radio bob! Because I didnt really visualize the response that I got everything from Duke Ellington, which 500.