Legendary Broadcaster Art Laboe Gone At 97
• We are deeply saddened to report the passing of pioneering radio icon, Art Laboe, the man who is credited for creating the Oldies format and who coined and trademarked the phrase “Oldies But Goodies™,” died peacefully at his home in Palm Springs, CA on Friday night, October 7, 2022 after a brief bout of pneumonia. He was 97 years old. Just last month Laboe had celebrated 79 years as a radio performer, marking the longest continuous period of broadcasting service.
Laboe’s career path was pretty much set at the age of 8 when his sister Lillian gave him his first radio. By the time he turned 12, Art had built his own amateur radio station, and six short years later — September 23, 1943 an 18-year-old Art Laboe began his professional radio career at KSAN/San Francisco – and the rest, is radio history.
In connection with his radio shows, Laboe presented, promoted, and hosted concerts throughout California, Nevada and Arizona. On October 8, 2022, the 19th Art Laboe Show LIVE concert was held at Glen Helen Amphitheater in San Bernardino, CA — the longest-standing annual event at the venue.
In 1957, Laboe launched Original Sound Record, Inc. and in 1958 released Oldies But Goodies, Volume 1, which stayed on the Billboard Hot 100 for 183 weeks! In 1958 The Art Laboe Show was heard on KPOP (now KTNQ) and was also live on KTLA-TV/Los Angeles from Scrivner’s Drive-In. The dance show, featuring live performances, was rated #1 on Saturday afternoons then moved to primetime on Tuesday evenings from the KTLA studios.
In 1972, Hal Rosenberg, the manager of K-Earth 101 came to see Art at his nightclub, which was located at Ciro’s (now the Comedy Store) on the Sunset Strip. Rosenberg saw the Art Laboe Club was packed full of people in the right age group he was trying to reach as an audience and he decided to put Art on the air live from his own club and it turned K-Earth into the first all-“Oldies” station. In 1976, Art bought KRLA/Los Angeles with a famous partner — Bob Hope. Art (pictured at KRLA) programmed KRLA from 49th place in a 65-rated-station market to #1 within a year. Oh, and he also did the AM and PM drive shows.
We are told that Laboe’s legacy will endure as his team will continue to produce his current nightly request and dedication syndicated radio show, The Art Laboe Connection, which is heard on Sunday nights on Meruelo Media’s 93.5 KDAY/Los Angeles, and weeknights from 9-midnight on KOCP/Oxnard, KQIE/Riverside,KMRJ/Palm Springs, and many stations throughout the Southwest. Laboe’s final show was produced last week and broadcast Sunday night. Laboe’s humanitarian work will also continue through his Art Laboe Foundation. A memorial service will be announced later.
“My favorite place to be is behind that microphone,” Laboe once commented. “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! Thank you to our dedicated fans that have listened through the decades and made The Art Laboe Connection a family tradition.” [Huge thanks and hugs to Joanna L. Morones]
• “KDAY Nation and Los Angeles radio mourn the passing of Art Laboe,” said Haz Montana, VP of Audio Brands for Meruelo Media. “Our whole staff and community are sharing great memories tonight with music and mixes celebrating all the great jams that Art broke and celebrating with dedications. Monday afternoon KDAY host PJ Butta went wall-to-wall with listener calls, and KDAY APD Naythan “Showtime” Rodriguez was spinning all the great jams that Art Laboe was known for.”
Otto Padron, President/CEO of Meruelo Media, a huge Art Laboe fan, commented, “Art Laboe to us is our Vin Scully of radio. Art was a colossal presence in LA and an irreplaceable part of the 93.5 KDAY family. Meruelo Media, KDAY Nation, and our sister station Power 106 send our deepest condolences to Art’s family. His passing leaves a huge hole in the community, and his legacy of connecting to generations of Angelinos with heartfelt dedications connected to the soul of LA, which cannot be replaced. Rest in Peace, Art Laboe.”
• Our friends at Benztown have made available an Audio Tribute to Art Laboe, written, voiced and produced by Royce Stevenson.
