Radio icon Art Laboe has died

A popular radio DJ in Southern California, Art Laboe, has passed away at the age of 97. In addition to his popularity as a radio personality, he helped end segregation in the Socal area.

A spokesperson for Laboe’s production company, Joanna Morones, said Laboe died on Friday night after he caught pneumonia, according to The Hollywood Reporter. His final show was pre-taped last week and aired last night. Born Arthur Egnoian in Salt Lake City, Laboe changed his name for the radio.

“My favorite place to be is behind that microphone,” Laboe previously said. “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.”

In a time when people were still listening to Big Band music and crooners like Frank Sinatra, Laboe would host DJ shows at drive ins that played a new genre of music rapidly gaining popularity: rock-n-roll. It brought out teenagers of all ages and races, and his shows are credited as one of the reasons Southern California desegregated.

He’s also known for the saying “oldies, but goodies,” which became popular after he released a compilation album Oldies But Goodies: Vol. 1. The album had an astonishing 183-week run on the Billboard Top 100 chart.

He had a baritone voice and would have people call in dedications of tunes old and new. He was a comfortable, familiar presence to many and developed a large following in the Mexican American community.

His dedications often gave families the chance to talk to their relatives in jail by sending songs and messages to them. Inmates would also send dedications to Laboe and also ask for family news.

In a 2018 interview with The Associated Press, he talked about his disdain for racism. “I don’t judge,” he said. “I like people.”

He started his radio career in 1943 in San Francisco when he was 18 years old. Over the course of his career he remained immensely successful. Laboe eventually owned radio stations in two states (California and Arizona).