We are sending our love, today, to the family of beloved SoCal radio host Art Laboe. Art passed away at the age of 97, after catching pneumonia. Laboe is credited with helping end segregation in Southern California by organizing live shows at drive-ins that attracted crowds of all races. He was born Arthur Egnoian to an American-Armenian family in Salt Lake City. He later moved to California to attend Stanford. After serving in the Navy during World War II, Art landed a job at KSAN in San Francisco and adopted the on-air name, Art Laboe.
Pioneering disc jockey, songwriter and record producer Art Laboe coined the term, “Oldies but goodies” and taught many of us in LA that “Sunday’s are for oldies.”
Watch this informative interview led by LA newsman Tony Valdez and find out how he got his first job in radio, how his dedications started and when he started a drive in show in 1955, right as Elvis’ first records came out. Rest in peace to a legend... This dedication goes out to Art Laboe from your LA radio fans, thank you for the memories.