Radio Pioneer Art Laboe dead at 97

art laboa pioneering radio voice who coined one of his most famous phrases, died after suffering from pneumonia.

The famous jockey widely credited with coining the phrase “Oldies but goodies” died Friday night at his Palm Springs home…according to a representative for Art’s Productions. We were told he was diagnosed with pneumonia two weeks ago.

We’re told he had close friends by his side when he passed away — and generations of his fans, especially on the West Coast, remember the man who revolutionized radio broadcasting.

Art was only 18 years old when he got his first gig on KSAN in San Francisco. During the Second World War he began to receive requests and gifts… A new concept of disc knights at that time. He later moved to Los Angeles and had an enormous social impact on the city.

He has staged live DJ performances in an indoor movie theater…where he will play rock ‘n’ roll and attract young audiences of white, black and Latino fans. His shows were very popular, and some preferred to help him end segregation in SoCal.

Art went on to become a record producer and promoter of concerts and even owned a few radio stations. And when you talk about marathon careers…the last art group radio show was produced last week, and it aired Sunday night.

He was 97 years old.