WLS PERSONALITY ART ROBERTS PASSES AWAY.

It is with deep regret that I report the passing of one of
America's true great Radio Personalities.
Art Roberts passed away on March 6, 2002. (ed by QRZ) Art Roberts, started at WLS in 1960.  In 1962 he replaced Dick Bionde, another Chicago personality.  He took over the 9pm to 12 Midnight slot.  (Art received an 80 share, something that has never been duplicated to this day! This means 8 out of ten radios were tuned to Art Roberts on WLS)!! (Fact per Gene Taylor Program Director)

WLS Radio 890's  Clear Channel 50,000 Watt "blowtorch" was heard during those days in all 50 States, and (last track I Had 37 Countries). During the hours of 9pm til Midnight, Art had maximum exposure across the United States.  As a result, many of us "grew up" listening to Art.  

It was a different time, and a different kind of broadcasting during those early years.  It was not uncommon for a person to apply for a job at a radio station, with a Ham Ticket, and a First Phone,
(Remember those Animal's?) and be hired hired on the spot.  On the way out, management might have said something like, oh, by the way, what was your name?

As a result of Arts work, and his high standards of broadcasting, many of us became Amateurs as a stepping stone to "The other side of Radio", Broadcasting!

While Art was not an amateur, he most likely was responsible for many of us getting our ticket in our early teens.

Art was a wonderful person both on, and off the air.

Those of us who knew him or listened to him will miss him.  Those of you who did not know him or never heard him, will never know what you missed.

Rest in Peace Art, in that  Giant Broadcast booth in the sky... and THANKS,  for the good impressions you left behind! Thanks for giving me the enthusiasm to earn my Amateur License...   R.Hummel WA9ZTY.  Sent on Robs behalf by bcradio1

Excelsior!

 

On March 6, 2002 at 10:30 PM Art Roberts signed off to join the radio station WGOD/KGOD. Dad rocked and rolled for two generations. He also had a love for R&B, Jazz and Country. In fact he loved all types of music. He told me that I had to appreciate all music and to listen to what the music had to say. I followed a little in my dad’s footsteps and did mobile DJ for five years. I learned to appreciate his talent even more. He is going to be missed dearly by not only his family, but friends, fellow co-workers, new DJ’s just learning about him and his many, many fans.

FYI  ...lArt

 

above was from Dahleen

as a note of interest the following will take you to the famous pix pose of Art.
http://www.artroberts.com/artbeatles.jpg

73,

Art.

 

Sorry to hear that Art Roberts has passed away. Art, as I recall, was one of the original "WLS Swinging Seven." I don't remember all of them (K9FI mentions some of them in another post on this subject), but Art was special.

I remember his sign off very well, "Excelsior, This Has Been a Work of Art!" He truly was the "Broadcasters, broadcaster!"

K2OC/7
Sierra Vista, AZ

 

I am sorry to hear this. Art will be missed. He was a great addition to the many air personalities that have come out of chicago. I have listened to Art for years. I don't thing anyone can ever fill those shoes.


Sincerley
John McGrath
W9JCM

 

In the great night time AM radio wasteland that was Northeast Texas when I was growing up there in the early 60's (yes, that was a long time ago...), WLS was THE station we all listened to. I am sorry to hear of Art's passing. His voice, and that of Dick, Dex, etc., the music they played, and all those great WLS station break jingles and identifiers, are synonymous with my memories of being a teen ager.

Thanks for the memories, Art!

Steve N6RUV

 

Marshall,

I want to thank you for the post on Art Roberts. I grew up listening to Art on WLS at night. My parents would let me phone him once a month to say hi and request a song. As I grew older I had the pleasure of meeting him on one of my trips to Michigan. He was one of the main reasons that I got into broadcasting at an early age.

I also enjoyed the link to the photo with him and the Beatles. He sent me a nice photo back in the 60's of him in the studio of WLS. I had it for the longest time, however through the years it was misplaced.

He will be missed but not forgotten. Excelsior !

 

I grew up in Morton, Illinois, just outside of Peoria.  As such, the local AM rock station was WIRL, with WLS just reachable during the daytime.  I preferred WLS during the late 60's and early 70's, and my best friend and I experimented with a variety of wire antennas in our yards to enable us to hear WLS better, much to the consternation of our mothers.  This type of experimenting with radio propagation and antennas led to me getting into AM DX'ing, then shortwave radio.  My parents thought I was nuts, but they tolerated my radios and the ensuing late-night listening sessions.  Guess they thought it was a phase that would go away.  Many years later, I make my living from electronics and love my various radios.  Just last night I tuned over to WLS, and it was loud and clear into eastern Pennsylvania.  Now my wife and kids think I'm nuts.

john
KE3QG

BTW - for those who knew and loved WLS, there is an interesting website dedicated to the history of the station at http://www.wlshistory.com/

 

I too remember Art and his significance to the AM community.  He was the "Jocks Jock".  Back then there were no "oldies but goodies".  Nobody wanted to miss his late nite show.  I remember falling to sleep at night listening to his show. He had a great crew to work with in Larry "Uncle Lar" Lujack; "Little Snotnose Tommy" and his shinny new dime, Dick Biondi (Remember how he got fired).  "W LLLLLLLLLL SSSSSSS in CHICAGO!" will live on with each new format and new jockey, But Art Roberts set the cornerstone and set the bar for DJ's now and forever to be measured by.  There is no doubt in my mind either, that he is still spinning those platters in the Great Broadcast Booth in the sky!
Dale K9TTT

 

I had the pleasure of meeting Art many years ago while I was in college. He was kind enough to grant me an interview for my college radio station. To this day I fondly remember my 15 minutes of fame in front of one of the best.

Thank you Art.

K9SO

 

Does anyone remember if Art was ever with WIND the 560 kc station I believe out of Chicago. I used to Fall asleep listening to that station as my sisters old radio's glowing tubes acted as my nitelite. that'd be about 1956-7. Later I listened to Biondi and Him as well on WLS. They were all Outstanding!

 

I lived in the southern Chicago suburbs as a teenager, and how well I remember Art Roberts.  When I was a sophomore in high school (1966-67) my parents dragged me off on a family vacation to Colorado Springs.  I can remember taking my transistor radio along.  I tried to listen to WLS every chance I got, in the car, by the pool, during every activity.  Most of the time those WLS powerhouse watts brought the station right to me, saving me from total teenage boredom with family activities.

Art Roberts, Clark Weber and other DJs would come to some of our school dances and events and sign autographs (Homewood-Flossmoor High School--the original one before it split into two divisions).  WLS was a huge part of our teen years.  I always wanted to be one of the guest teenage DJ's, but I had parental opposition about going downtown especially at night.  I tried to call in request songs and dedications when I was supposed to be doing homework.  And when I missed 3 weeks of school due to flu and pneumonia, WLS helped my day move along.

When we would go to the beach on Lake Michigan, almost every radio there was tuned to WLS.  My husband grew up in St. Louis and he can remember listening to WLS before St. Louis got KSHE (another subject), and he can mimic those Rt. 30 dragstrip ads--Sunday, Sunday, Sunday...Drag racing capital of Chicagoland!  There was also a song that purportedly mentioned every high school in the U.S. and DJ collages that were like skits on the air.

Art Roberts every night.  May he have a golden microphone in heaven. **89 WLS in Chicago**

 

From 1961 thru 1965 I was a DJ at rocker WFLI in Chattanooga, TN, and I can tell you ALL the DJs (and Combo guys) at our station listened to WLS all the time. What great days those were! My favorites were Art Roberts & Dick Biondi.

Ed