Watch this informative interview led by LA newsman Tony Valdez and find out how he got his first job in radio, how his dedications started and when he started a drive in show in 1955, right as Elvis first records came out. Silence falls over the studio when Luna is asked about Laboe's death. Join Art as he takes your requests, Live, Monday through Friday. He points out that the station honored the anniversary of The Notorious B.I.G.s death by discussing the rappers legend on-air, and playing one of his songs each hour. In 2015, the nonprofit online radio station DubLab turned the tables on Mr. Laboe, the man who was a conduit for so many on-air dedications, giving his fans an opportunity to call in and dedicate . Laboe later returned to the Los Angeles airwaves on another station. All rights reserved. Even by the overheated standards of terrestrial radio, it felt forced. Radio Legend Art Laboe on Doing Business with Bob Hope, Hanging with Elvis and Today's Talk Talent (Q&A) On Nov. 10, the man who first played rock 'n' roll on a west coast station will be . He was known for his "oldies but goodies" catchphrase and decades of work on terrestrial radio. LOS ANGELES -- Art Laboe, the pioneering radio DJ who read heartfelt song dedications to generations of loyal listeners and was credited with helping end segregation in Southern California during an eight-decade broadcast career, has died. Over the years, people have come to trust Art, and he's earned their trust, and that's why he's so central to so many people's lives.''. Being Mexican American myself we were always at these huge family gatherings and like, big barbeques and different birthdays and celebrations. Though she once aspired to be a sideline sports reporter on TV, after her time on the COD shows, Luna was convinced her calling was radio. Laboe, born Arthur Egnoian in 1925, got into radio before they called announcers DJs. Eventually, he landed a job as a radio announcer at KSAN in San Francisco and adopted the name Art Laboe after a boss suggested he take the last name of a secretary to sound more American. Dick Smothers, best known as one-half of the Smothers Brothers comedy duo, guest-hosted mornings on Genesis Communications news/talk WWBA Tampa (820) on Monday, Feb 11. Laboe, who hosted a show on Los Angeles radio station KDAY, died Friday of pneumonia, according to a statement on his Facebook page. In 2015, iHeartMedia's KHHT-FM (92.3) dropped Laboe's syndicated oldies show after the station abruptly switched to a hip-hop format, sparking angry protest in Los Angeles. Art Laboe, a radio DJ whose career ran for 79 years, died Friday at his Palm Springs home of pneumonia. Read More FILE - DJ Art Laboe sits in his studio and talks about his 75 years in the radio business on Oct. 9, 2018, in Palm Springs, Calif. Laboe, a pioneering disc jockey who hosted a . After decades on air, Laboes legacy now includes a passing of the torch to Old School Becky Lu. LOS ANGELES, June 4, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- 93.5 KDAY-FM radio, SoCal's home of original hip-hop and R&B and the leading media brand under Meruelo Media, proudly welcomes and announces LA's Iconic . Luna's takeover of the historic show is not only significant because she is a person of color, but also due to the rarity of women DJs on the radio in the United States. Ive also heard them play old DJ Quik. Listen to free internet radio, news, sports, music, and podcasts. Find him online at passionweiss.com, follow him on Twitter and also check out his archives.]. California and Arizona inmates would send in their own dedications and ask Laboe for updates from family. He was 97. In 2015, iHeartMedias KHHT-FM dropped Laboes syndicated oldies show after the station abruptly switched to a hip-hop format sparking angry protests in Los Angeles. Art Laboe, a disc jockey for more than 50 years, hosts his Art Laboe Valentine's Super Love Jam concert in Glendale, Ariz., on Feb. 13, 2009. And don't miss Art Laboe's Sunday Special, Sundays, 6pm til midnight. (JC Olivera) In 1957, he started Original Sound Record Inc . Congratulations banners still hang on the walls, from when the show celebrated one of Laboe's many anniversaries of being on the radio. His show was picked up by Old School 104.7. 1, which stayed on the Billboards Top 100 chart for 183 weeks. Joanna Morones, who produces The Art Laboe Connection and worked with Laboe for over 20 years, said seeing him less due to the pandemic somehow helped her cope with the loss. Art Laboe is responsible for many "firsts" in the radio and record business. Here is someone who gave a voice to the most humble of us all through music, Alcaraz said. Eliana Perez covers the eastern Coachella Valley. Laboe, who hosted a show on Los Angeles radio station KDAY, died Friday of pneumonia, according to a statement on his Facebook page. Listen for free on iHeart! He is just embraced and beloved by the creative community, says McNeil. Market data provided by Factset. 2023 FOX News Network, LLC. Art Laboe, the pioneering radio DJ who read heartfelt song dedications to generations of loyal listeners and was credited with helping end segregation in . Born Arthur Egnoian in Salt Lake City to an Armenian-American family, Laboe grew up during the Great Depression in a Mormon household run by a single mom. Legendary Art Laboe hosts "Love Zone," Weekday evenings from 9PM until 12midnight. People appreciate it, Luna said. LOS ANGELES (CNS) - Memorial services were pending today for Southern California radio pioneer Art Laboe, who spent seven decades behind a microphone, brought rock 'n roll to the West Coast and coined the phrase ``Oldies but Goodies.''. PALM SPRINGS, Calif. Art Laboe, the pioneering radio DJ credited with helping end segregation in Southern California, has died. The Art Laboe Show. 0. "From there, my love for music really grew, because it's always been a part of me. FOX REUNITE AT NEW YORK COMIC CON PANEL. Laboe died Friday night after catching pneumonia . While Laboe is something of an L.A. phenomenon he was hosting events in El Monte before many of his listeners were born his reach extends beyond the Southland. Listen to top radio stations, music, news, podcasts, sports, talk, and comedy shows. Laboe is credited with helping end segregation in Southern California by organizing live shows at drive-ins that attracted crowds of all races. Laboe was often tapped by Hollywood as a consultant and music producer. Laboe moved his show to 93.5 KDAY after his iHeartRadio-owned home station, Hot 92.3, changed formats in 2015. The station has a connection to Laboe, too. Market data provided by Factset. I mean, they look scary," Nogales said. Laboe's reliance on cohorts of sound instead of race led to a subtle revolution: It helped to desegregate venues that featured rock and its sonic brethren. Art Laboe, a pioneering US DJ credited with coining the phrase "oldies, but goodies", has died, aged 97. . As a DJ for KXLA in Los Angeles, Laboe bought station time and hosted live overnight music shows from drive-ins where he would meet underground rockabilly and R&B musicians. Thank you to our dedicated fans that have listened through the decades and made The Art Laboe Connection a family tradition, he said. I think he realized the real positive impact he was having on families who were separated through incarceration, says McNeill. The Art Laboe Connection does have to meet certain music criteria of our flagship station Hot 92.3. While those with an Internet connection can tune in via stations like Fresno's KOKO 94.3, the absence Art Laboe Connection from the local, terrestrial market is still a loss felt far beyond the soul hits and disco jams that made evening traffic slightly more bearable. The next song played wont be shark repellent; its going to be consistent with your expectations.. Mark Frosty McNeill, who co-founded the L.A.-based Internet radio station more than 15 years ago, surmises that Laboe is the common, influential link between both Dublab's roster of DJs and many of the locals who tune into their broadcasts. Laboe is credited with helping end segregation in Southern California by organizing live DJ shows at drive-in eateries that attracted white, Black and Latino listeners who danced to rock n roll and shocked an older generation still listening to Frank Sinatra and Big Band music. Luna had some knowledge of the work since she'd taken broadcasting classes at College of the Desert. ], Like us on Facebook at LAWeeklyMusic I think that, for me, that helped. This is partially true. About R Dub! The new station deserves time to find its own voice and tone, but it would be wise to dig deeper than Truffle Butter. Plenty of regional stars with mainstream potential are out there. I have one of the best jobs in the world, playing the music, interacting with our listeners, doing their dedications and connecting them with their loved ones! His sister sent him his first radio when he was 8 years old. All your favorite music, podcasts, and radio stations available for free. Roger Campos (DJ, Funkmosphere) My favorite memory of Art Laboe was sometime . The radio legend is credited with pioneering industry standards such as audience requests and song dedications, and he is believed to be the first DJ to play rock 'n roll tunes on Los Angeles radio. iHeart. He moved to California, attended Stanford University and served in the U.S. Navy during World War II. I mean, the phones just went crazy with people calling in, saying they were sorry and they too felt like they lost somebody, because Art's voice was part of their lives., It felt like a void, really, Luna said. (Pictured: Art Laboe at the 2008 Hollywood Christmas Parade). For on-air promo, the Burbank-based 92.3 recruited rappers to hurl subliminal shade at Power 106 as though it wasnt a matter of them wanting to kiss the ring of iHeartRadio, the corporate behemoth formerly known as Clear Channel. Discover thousands of live and local AM and FM radio stations near you and from cities all over the world. In 1957, he started Original Sound Record Inc., and in 1958 he released the compilation album "Oldies But Goodies: Vol. . Top 20 Golden Age Hip-Hop Albums Though Laboe was Armenian American, his work was appreciated by people of a variety of backgrounds. Add this radio's widget to your website. Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. Art Laboe and rock n roll musician Chuck Berry pose for a portrait in circa 1975. Around that time, as a new generation of acts began to overshadow the 1940s and 50s musical pioneers, Laboe saw an opportunity to tap into nostalgia with compilation albums of early hits from the rock, R&B and doo-wop eras. The Art Laboe Day ceremony will take place at 10:30 a.m. Saturday at Union Walk, 11127 Ramona Blvd., a new 62-unit townhouse development built on part of the site of the former Legion Stadium. Listen to Jennifer Jones Lee on Wake Up Call, Bill Handel Morning Show, Gary and Shannon, John and Ken, Tim Conway Jr, Coast to Coast AM, KFI News and more on KFI AM 640! Read More FILE - DJ Art Laboe sits in his studio and talks about his 75 years in the radio business on Oct. 9, 2018, in Palm Springs, Calif. Laboe, a pioneering disc jockey who hosted a . On Location: February 24, 2023. The 20 Sexiest Songs of All Time. My favorite place to be is behind that microphone, Laboe said at the time of the 79-year anniversary in September. Laboe began his career in San Francisco in the early 1940s, then bounced among a host of stations across the state, primarily in Southern California. Lalo Alcaraz, a syndicated cartoonist and television writer who grew up listening to Laboe in San Diego, said the DJ maintained a strong following among Mexican Americans for generations because he always played Latino, white and Black artists together on his shows. Laboe also didnt appear to judge listeners who asked for dedications for loved ones in prison, Alcaraz said. What Laboe understates is the sheer amount of hustle it took to actually gain the respect of broadcasters as a young man and even just get the Scrivner's show on air. He was one of the first DJs to play rock n roll and R&B on West Coast radio stations. Legal Statement. This dedication goes out to Art Laboe from your LA radio fans, thank you for the memories. He marked 79 years on the air, "the longest continuing period of broadcast service" of any U.S. DJ, in September, according to his website. "I dont judge," Laboe said in a 2018 interview with the Associated Press at his Palm Springs studio in California. Telephone: (877) 440-1047. Art passed away at the age of 97, after catching pneumonia. Listen to Jennifer Jones Lee on Wake Up Call, Bill Handel Morning Show, Gary and Shannon, John and Ken, Tim Conway Jr, Coast to Coast AM, KFI News and more on KFI AM 640! He was 97. His radio shows gave the families of incarcerated loved ones, in particular, a platform to speak to their relatives by dedicating songs and sending messages and updates. This article originally appeared on Palm Springs Desert Sun: Taking over for Art Laboe was a natural fit for Old School Becky Lu. Cars jammed Sunset Boulevard where Laboe broadcast his show, and advertisers jumped to get a piece of the action. Thats why we sought him out.. I like people., He often told a story about a woman who came by the studio so her toddler could tell her father, who was serving time for a violent crime, Daddy, I love you., It was the first time he had heard his babys voice, Laboe said. "And I havent let go since," Laboe said. He later began hosting wildly popular dance shows in El Monte. Laboe was also known for his live concerts that attracted top acts, but were beloved by audiences simply for seeing the famed DJ in person. As a DJ for KXLA in Los Angeles, Laboe bought station time and hosted live overnight music shows from drive-ins where hed meet underground rockabilly and R&B musicians. So was my mom! Both Garay and McNeill emphasize the dedications that serve as messages to people behind bars. Laboe's shows broadcast on a handful of stations in California, Arizona, Nevada and New Mexico. He remembers when dedications came from local listeners, then included callers from other states. Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. Now it's Laboe's turn to be on the receiving end of the dedications. He wrote it on a little Post-It, she said. Top Songs. Though the stations playlist has mostly not yet reflected it, Wynter envisions Real 92.3 as a more purist alternative. Born Arthur Egnoian in Salt Lake City to a Mormon Armenian-American family, Laboe grew up during the Great Depression in a household run by a single mom.