I dont know how they do it. William Johnson, General Manager of WRTI said, Bobs contributions to jazz are innumerable. He was known for his laid-back and mellow style. He has a very comforting presence on the air. 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. Read More. I was weaned on radio. I dont know why music is so much more powerful than some other entity. Believe it or not, I next ended up at Power 99. Robert Bob Perkins (born December 6, 1933) is an American radio personality. My father must have been listening to radio from the very start. They were a great family of jazz artists. He announced his retirement from weeknight shows in April. 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. When WHYY dropped its music programming to concentrate on news and information, Perkins moved uptown. And I listened to these magnificent voices not knowing that one day I would be doing what they were doing. This website uses cookies. 2/17/2019. 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. But theres something about music. His fathers illness is what really led to radio becoming an important part of the Perkins household. Like the theme song from the 1944 film Laura, played by saxophone legend Coleman Hawkins. 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. Once Mom made transition, I decided to go for it, and so I packed my bags, and I was off to Detroit. Bob Perkin's, a legendary DJ at the radio station WRTI,. His salvation was radio, Perkins said. Wait two seconds and you'll hear about yet another award bestowed on "Ol' BP," as he calls himself. BP: No, I just put out the music. On this show he would play a record by Dick Haymes or Doris Day or Rosemary Clooney. Do you have any anecdotes about BP you'd like to share? He fell ill around 1940 with rheumatoid arthritis, and was forced to leave his job as an elevator operator. 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). He later joined WHYY with a weekend jazz show before landing at WRTI. I couldnt leave Mom Perkins to go chasing after radio, he said. Listener-supported. I enjoy it. News was almost like a religion back in the day. BP with jazz pianist McCoy Tyner at WRTI in 2015. But I mimicked what I thought the great guys Id grown up with would do, and I got away with it for years., READ MORE: Talking all that jazz with WRTI legend Bob Perkins. I leaned on them when I got into radio until I got my own sea legs and could navigate on my own.. A young BP with his brother Joe. 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. You can touch a button and get any answer to any question that you have. His stories are not secondhand.. "People say, You ought to give it up, man, go retire somewhere. Why? It gives you a feeling of a time gone by, a past era where jazz was the music of the day.. Mr. Perkins in 2006. Jazz host Bob Perkins in his office at WRTI. At the end of this Black Music Month, Bob Perkins will be retiring at the ripe young age of 88. 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. His last weeknight show on WRTI is Thursday, Jun 30, from 6 to 9 p.m., but he will continue to host Sunday Jazz Brunch from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. [8] Philadelphia honored him in 2017 when he was inducted in Philadelphia Music Walk of Fame.[9]. 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. 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 | 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. And hopefully its working. Learn More about Joe Bob Perkins' net worth. 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. 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. Its not the same. You know, its magic that Ive been around that long and people have that much confidence in me. The interview has been edited for brevity and clarity. Five days a week, on WRTI, "BP with the GM" (that's Bob Perkins with the Good Music), plays jazz with a connoisseur's ear and an infectious sense of joy. 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. You had to wear earphones to hear whatever stations you were lucky enough to hear that would come through. Perkins had a five-year relationship with The Philadelphia Tribune, where he wrote commentary on government, society and public affairs. Bob Perkins's Phone Number and Email. Perkins credits his father for being the one who gave him the love for radio. He was too ill to work; he had rheumatoid arthritis. Im waiting for my doc to give me clearance to return to work so that I can keep putting out that good GM . Electronics and technology are magnificent. 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. They were doing quite well, raising their families, Perkins said. Please let Bob know in the comments section below. 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. Please enter your username or email address to reset your password. He announced his retirement from weeknight shows in April. 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. It was always in the back of my mind, like a latent dream, that maybe one day, Id get into radio.. His show is an oasis, a source of comfort as listeners cope with the challenges of life during a pandemic. They don't think that it's accessible to younger people. TN: It sounds like being a DJ is something you were always meant to do. Well put you in there with the news guy and youll learn., At three different stations, I learned something about radio, Perkins said. Bell Building I also dont think radio announcers are as influential today as they used to be, Perkins added. Since his Bloomberg profile states that he has gone to both . I'm a general assignment breaking news reporter. 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. 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. "He is a gentleman, a kind soul, and every bit as nice in person as you hear on-air. Perkins, a longtime jazz DJ, will continue hosting his weekly "Sunday Jazz Brunch show. Bob in the mid '60s - a seasoned veteran on the job for one year at WGPR in Detroit. And I would sit with him and we would listen. BP broke into the radio business in 1964 when he landed an on-air job in Detroit. Box 18869, Philadelphia, PA 19119 - Phone (215) 848-7864 - Fax (215) 848-7893 We cant eat our dinner without you. Since I turned 65, he reports with a tone more of irony than self-pity, its been one thing after another. Or when times are not tight and everythings loose? I was a war baby. I looked around, and I found a station that wanted a newsman. In 2007, he was recognized with a proclamation by Philadelphia Mayor John Street, Philadelphia City Council and the Pennsylvania House of Representatives. He is one of the few DJs at WRTI, or any radio station in existence nowadays, allowed such a luxury. 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. My father just loved to have the radio on. Perkins is currently engaged for the annual Cape May Jazz Festival Concert Series and the Tony Williams Jazz Festival Concert Series. He had his own antennae that he had drilled into his table model radio. BP broke into radio in Detroit on WGPR/WCHB/WCHD in 1964. 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. He is a jazz program host and DJ for WRTI. 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 . 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. I try not to ad-lib and talk about what is going on. Liked by Joe Bob Perkins. 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. Perkins stayed at that first station about a year and a half when another opportunity showed itself. Perkins. Michael Tanenbaum 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. In celebration of Women's History Month, we're shining a spotlight on the female hosts of WRTI. Sunday Jazz Brunch with Bob Perkins airs from 9 AM until 1 PM. How is someone out there feeling? 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. Perkins spoke about the evolution of radio. TN: Have you made any changes to your playlist, in light of whats happening? The great alto saxophonist and jazz icon Charlie "Yardbird" Parker was only 34 years old when he died in 1955. His older brother had introduced him to the music of Duke Ellington, which sparked a lifelong love of big band and jazz music. 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. I try to ameliorate that and take the rough edges off if I can, with the music. 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. Classical music and jazz public media. Lance also advises stations, talent and brands on digital content strategies, programming integrations, and brand extensions. And it is. Radio has changed dramatically over the years, [particularly] with all the new technology, he said. [1] His radio career began in 1964 in Detroit, Michigan. Bobs staying power is a testament to his greatness. You can also hear the GM on Sunday Jazz Brunch with BP from 9 am to 1 pm. We would listen to radio from sun-up, through the night, and into the next morning.. WRTI listeners will still be able to join him for Sunday Jazz Brunch, from 9 AM to 1 PM. 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. His Sunday 'Jazz Brunch' show will continue. I was out for almost four months. I think I have some wisdom to impart.. In 2016, he was awarded a bronze plaque on Philadelphia Music Alliance's Walk of Fame on the Avenue of the Arts. BP: Well, I still like it. Saxophonist Larry McKenna has been listening to him for 40 years. I think its magic, the music I play. Hear Bob on Sundays from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. for Sunday Jazz Brunch. It took Perkins a little while to break into radio. (Photo courtesy of WRTI-FM) His father's illness is what really led to radio becoming an important part of the Perkins household. Bob Perkins, a legendary DJ at the radio station WRTI, spun everything from Duke Ellington to Miles Davis. All rights reserved. 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