In 1969, WDAS offered him a news and editorial position and asked if he might be interested in moving back to Philadelphia. 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. Perkins was also one of Pennsylvania's favorite night-time jazz listeners, in the Philadelphia area. BP talks about Charlie Parker back in 2020 with WRTI's Susan Lewis: His presence is felt throughout the city. 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. Music has brought us through some very challenging times.. Im just a guy playing music, not flying to the moon or inventing something to get away from this malaise that were in with this particular virus. After establishing himself on Detroit radio in news and jazz, Perkins returned to Philly in 1969 and became WDAS-FM's news/editorial director while hosting a jazz show at WHYY-FM. I met saxophonist Sam Reed well before he became a legendary figure on the Philadelphia jazz scene. I [then] looked up and I saw a sign that read WGPR-FM. Im waiting for my doc to give me clearance to return to work so that I can keep putting out that good GM . Read More. 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. I went to a radio school through my father. And for 50 of those years he's been on the radio to the delight of thousands and thousands of listeners. WRTI has not yet put a new DJ in Perkins usual weeknight spot, which will temporarily be filled by station associate general manager Josh Jackson, KYW Newsradio reported. Particularly for older listeners, he gives them the comfort of something familiar, and makes them remember that this music that he's playing was the soundtrack to a lot of their lives. The music Perkins plays can summon Proustian recollections of a first kiss, a dance at the Savoy Ballroom or a joyful reunion after a long absence. WRTI, this 600th review is for you! 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. In 1988, big changes came to WDAS, and I was amongst the first of the old group of employees to be let go, he continued. Its a rallying cry. 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. News was almost like a religion back in the day. Mr. Perkins in 2006. 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. Meaning "Bob Perkins with the good music. Philadelphia,PA19122 USA. The great alto saxophonist and jazz icon Charlie "Yardbird" Parker was only 34 years old when he died in 1955. 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. Managing Editor Teresa A. Emerson - [emailprotected] His show will come to an end June 30, but he says this wont be the last his fans hear from him. Previously, Bob was a Board Member at Jazz Bridge and also held positions at Data Site, Unisys, WDAS Fm. BP: No, I just put out the music. He was known for his laid-back and mellow style. A Philadelphia man has become an institution by keeping the sounds of Philly and American Jazz alive for decades. You can touch a button and get any answer to any question that you have. BP's last WRTI weeknight shift is on Thursday, June 30th from 6 to 9 PM. "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.. WRTI's legendary jazz host, Bob Perkins, is surrounded by his cd collection of jazz recordings in his home in Wyncote in 2019. "People say, You ought to give it up, man, go retire somewhere. Why? 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. Bob Perkins, WRTI DJ has been spinning music in Philadelphia since 1969. The general manager told me one of his announcers would be leaving in a few days and I could try out for his job. This was in the mid-1920s., My father was kind of a genius in handling his radio, Perkins continued. Perkins recalled that his father, at the age of about 40, had such severe arthritis that he could barely walk. William Johnson, General Manager of WRTI said, Bobs contributions to jazz are innumerable. 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. Last Update. I was out for about four months. Bob received a Master of Science degree degree from Nazareth College. Remember, I came up as a war baby. He currently hosts from 6-9pm Monday through Thursday, and from . Hes one of the last purveyors of our actual history. Perkins was born and raised in South Philadelphia and currently lives in Glenside, Pennsylvania, with his wife Sheila. I think hes been very good to all the local jazz musicians who have recorded music, McKenna said. Ive got high mileage on my odometer, Perkins wrote. He wasn't doing well at, Classical Events Calendar Submission Form. Once I got some news training under my belt, I started trading news stories with the news team at WDAS in Philadelphia. At the end of this Black Music Month, Bob Perkins will be retiring at the ripe young age of 88. 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. He makes it interesting and inclusive for everybody.. 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. Bob Perkins has been instrumental in establishing WRTI as one of the premier jazz stations in the country since 1997. Once Mom made transition, I decided to go for it, and so I packed my bags, and I was off to Detroit. That was 25 years ago.. Perkins. And it is. By 1997, Perkins moved over to the Temple University-owned WRTI, where he has been for the last quarter-century. He is one of the few DJs at WRTI, or any radio station in existence nowadays, allowed such a luxury. Not only with his actual speaking voice, but also with the music he selects, Block said. Hear Bob on Sundays from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. for Sunday Jazz Brunch. Copyright 2022 RadioInsight / RadioBB Networks. 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! How does it connect with them in a way other things dont? I like melody. 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. TN: People staying at home have been listening more to the radio and less to streaming services. He was inducted into the Broadcast Pioneers of Philadelphia Hall of Fame in 2003. And he knows the history of the music so well. He was the youngest child and when his mother became ill, he felt responsible to stay and care for her. 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. They just let me have my own way and they seem to like what I play. We love your GM ("Good Music . Scroll down to see recent playlists. The jazz hosts show offers a break from the stresses of COVID-19. 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. Perkins stayed at that first station about a year and a half when another opportunity showed itself. I never knew exactly how my father came to love radio so much, but he was an avid radio listener, Perkins recalled. Thats our savior, man.. They were doing quite well, raising their families, Perkins said. Sunday Jazz Brunch with Bob Perkins airs from 9 AM until 1 PM. This music conjures up some beautiful memories. For younger listeners who might not be as familiar with jazz and are exploring the genre, BPs show is an introductory primer: Jazz 101. I had been selling insurance in North Philadelphia at the time, knocking on doors. I was out for almost four months. Beginning in June, he will end the weekday program and continue with the Sunday broadcast on90.1 FM. He has attended two White House Presidential news conferences - one of Gerald Ford's and one of Jimmy Carter's. He has earned well over forty different honors and awards from major government, artistic, journalistic and community organizations. 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. NPR news updates every hour. 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? We cant eat our dinner without you. And people do forget. 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. Hed just play people that he liked. BP: Yes, it really did. 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. announced his retirement from weeknight shows in April, California residents do not sell my data request. You can never know. It's kind of an honor when you are played on his program., For Lovett Hines, Artistic Director and Founder of the Music Education Program of the Philadelphia Clef Club of Jazz & Performing Arts, BP represents a sense of history. It was typically BP in tone. Friday evenings at 10 PM, veteran WRTI jazz host J. Michael Harrison presents The Bridge, exploring the merging platforms of popular music and jazz. TN: Why do you feel people respond so strongly to music? 1101 W. Montgomery Avenue 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. Classical music and jazz public media. People say, You ought to give it up, man, go retire somewhere. Why? He was known for his laid-back and mellow style. Please let Bob know in the comments section below. I became the news and editorial director after Jim Clash died at WDAS, Perkins said. 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. A few Philadelphia artists were sprinkled into the evening, including Perkins longtime friend, saxophonist Bootsie Barnes, and vocalist Phyllis Chapell, who dedicated her latest album to BP. 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. Temple Now:The official source for Temple news.Copyright 2015, Temple University. So when I came back I got these emails saying, Oh, were glad youre back. I save all my emails. 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 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. Am I going to capture their imagination today? Take a look at this photo album of Mr. Perkins through the years. Temple Public Radio 90.1 FM is amazing! 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. Saxophonist Larry McKenna has been listening to him for 40 years. Im just playing music. Especially jazz music. Have Your Say - WRTI's Bob Perkins 97 views Aug 17, 2020 4 Dislike Share Save MLTV - Main Line Network 2.72K subscribers Hosts Anne Minicozzi and Diana Robertson welcome radio personality. He wanted to share his obsession. He had his own antennae that he had drilled into his table model radio. 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. We spoke with him about his show, the power of radio and the beauty of jazz. I was weaned on radio. I guess along with fast food came fast everything fast cars, fast thoughts, fast relationships. As of 1997, Perkins landed at WRTI-FM. My mom would let me stay up on the weekends and sometimes we would pick up stations in other states. Since I turned 65, he reports with a tone more of irony than self-pity, its been one thing after another. BP was awarded the 2002 Mellon Jazz Community Award. Bob Perkins will retire from his full-time position hosting nights at Temple University Jazz 90.1 WRTI Philadelphia. A survey of the playlist from one of his last shows before his stroke is a ramble through classic jazz interpretations of American Songbook standards. 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. But the idea stayed in the back of my mind., To work in radio, I was told Id have to go work in the boonies (the boondocks) and get the mistakes out, Perkins continued. The world wasnt moving quite as fast. The thing I liked about what Bob did was that he didnt call it a jazz show. Perkins has received a number of accolades for his decades-long career, including an induction into the Broadcast Pioneers of Philadelphia Hall of Fame in 2003. Ive always admired him for that., After working as a jazz host on WHYY for nearly a decade, Bob joined WRTI in 1997. A lot of people, at least in my experience as an artist, associate this music with their grandparents' music or their parents' music. By, Classical Events Calendar Submission Form. Later, in the mid-80s, Perkins hosted a WDAS-AM jazz show that mixed in Frank Sinatra and Peggy Lee with jazz artists like Miles Davis and John Coltrane. 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. His father built homemade antennas that could pick up broadcasts from hundreds of miles away and the two would sit and listen together. About to host his talk show on WDAS in the mid '70s. He is genuine, a real original.. 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 | In addition to his job as jazz host, BP writes numerous columns and commentaries on jazz for local publications in Philadelphia. 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