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Indeed, BP occupies a unique place in Philadelphia’s jazz scene. “I’m sure there have been generations of musicians who have been touched by his knowledge and his wisdom,” said McBride. “When it comes to this music known as jazz, those are two things you can never have an overabundance of.”
Pianist Orrin Evans first met Perkins as a teenager, when he and a few other young musicians were invited to be interviewed on air. Bob later funded a scholarship at Settlement Music School, paying for Evans’ piano lessons for a year. As thanks, Evans wrote a song in his honor, put a band of musicians together, and played it for him.
“There’s a lot of things I wouldn’t have been exposed to,” Evans said. “I don’t know if I would’ve had those piano lessons that year. I don’t know if I would’ve been checking out WRTI. He led me down the right path, and I wouldn’t be where I am now if it wasn’t for that beginning.”
Joe Block, another accomplished pianist, shares the vantage of a younger generation, which saw Perkins as a tangible connection with the city’s musical heritage. “It’s very important to have people like Bob Perkins who are elders and [have] the experience and wisdom with the music that they can bestow onto people like me that are up and coming,” Block said. “It was inspiring to see such a pure dedication to the music.”
After he retired from his 25-year post as host of Evening Jazz at WRTI in 2022, Perkins embarked on a new venture: Stay Tuned with Bob Perkins, a narrative podcast featuring stories about music, culture, and history — often entwined with the life and times of BP himself. The podcast has released almost a dozen episodes; find it here.
Dr. Sheila Perkins said that during his time in the hospital, Bob remained in good spirits. “He was still very active and busy doing the work he had loved to do — writing, and planning things,” she tells WRTI. “He was still very engaged in conversations with friends and musicians. So he was active up until the last minutes.”
Among the countless musicians touched by BP with the GM is vocalist Denise King, an independent artist with her own record label. Hearing him play her recordings on air, and knowing he was in her corner, was invaluable. “When he played my music, he would always say, ‘She sings better than a Singer sewing machine!’” King recalled. “Having his support meant everything. It was just like a stamp of approval.”
His dedication to music, as well as his ability to connect with musicians and listeners, will be his legacy. “He’s been a rock musically for so many people and for so many musicians and artists who he supported over the years,” King said. “He was an icon, the last of an era [and] the last of a particular type of radio personality.”