A Conversation with Bob Perkins and J. Michael Harrison, Part 2

Join us for the second part of this conversation, continued from our Juneteenth celebrations, with Bob Perkins and WRTI music host and producer J. Michael Harrison. 

About the speakers: 

Bob Perkins, also known as "BP with the GM," (translation: "Bob Perkins with the Good Music"), has been in the broadcasting industry for more than five decades as an on-air host, and is now commonly referred to as a Philadelphia jazz radio legend.  

BP broke into the radio business in 1964 when he landed an on-air job in Detroit. 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. After a longtime gig at WHYY, he joined WRTI in 1997.  

In addition to his job as jazz host, BP writes numerous columns and commentaries on jazz for local publications in Philadelphia. He also hosts concerts at jazz clubs and at regional festivals.  

BP was awarded the 2002 Mellon Jazz Community Award. And in 2007, he was honored with a proclamation for his outstanding contributions to Philadelphia's jazz community by Mayor John Street, Philadelphia City Council, and the House of Representatives in Harrisburg. In 2016, he was awarded a bronze plaque on Philadelphia Music Alliance's Walk of Fame on the Avenue of the Arts.  

(from WRTI) 

J. Michael Harrison’s first radio show, WPEB’s “Is That Jazz” launched in June of 1993. In 1994 he began volunteering with WRTI as a production assistant. In 1996, J. Michael debuted his own program, The Bridge, which continues to air Friday evenings on WRTI. 

The Bridge was selected as Philadelphia Magazine’s "Best Radio Program” in 2002, and in 2007, the Philadelphia City Paper called it the “Best On-Air Reminder That Jazz Didn’t Die in 1965.” 

The Philadelphia Clef Club of Jazz and the Performing Arts made him a Stakeholder in 2016 and recently invited him to participate on their Advisory Board. J. Michael also recently joined the Rosenbach Museum’s Programing Committee. He was presented the Above & Beyond award for Outstanding Contributions to Arts & Culture by the People’s Emergency Center in 2017, that same year the Jazz Journalist Association named him a "Jazz Hero." 

Since 2008 he has taught a music journalism class at the University of the Arts and recently developed and premiered a new class, Philadelphia’s Musical Sound, as an undergraduate offering. 

(from WRTI) 

This program is presented in partnership with the Charles L. Blockson Collection of African-Americana and the African Diaspora at Penn State Special Collections Library. 

This program will be presented via Zoom and in person.

On the day of the program, use this link to join https://temple.zoom.us/j/91620070495

Our programs are geared toward a general audience and are open to all, including Temple students, faculty, staff, alumni, neighbors, and friends. Registration is encouraged.  

Contact Kaitlyn Semborski at kaitlyn.semborski@temple.edu with questions.