Bobby Bennett
Radio DJ Bobby Bennett was born on July 20, 1943 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. From a young age, Bennett knew that he wanted to be a radio DJ. Following high school, he enrolled in a broadcasting school in Pittsburgh.
In 1967, Bennett worked as a news reporter for Pittsburgh's WAMO-AM and WZUM radio stations. One year later, in 1968, he moved to WOL-AM in Washington, D.C., where he became known to radio fans as “The Mighty Burner” and hosted a show until 1980. Bennett then hosted a sports talk show on WTOP in the early 1980s, and served as program director for WHUR-FM from 1987 to 1992. After his time at WHUR, Bennett was hired as a morning talk show host at WXTR; and, in 1997, he became the host of an R&B radio show on WPFW-FM. In 2000, Bennett created the “Soul Street” channel for XM Satellite Radio, and served as its program director until 2010. During his career, he also was employed as a record executive and as a voice over narrator.
Bennett was the co-author of The Ultimate Soul Music Trivia Book: 501 Questions and Answers About Motown, Rhythym & Blues, and More, which was published in 1997. In 1988, Bennett was presented with several awards from Washington, D.C., Maryland and Pennsylvania. In 1972, he was named Billboard magazine’s R&B Disc Jockey of the Year, and, in 1973, was recognized as Disc Jockey of the Year by the Gavin Report.
Bennett passed away on September 8, 2015 at age 72.
A2014.188
Male
9/10/2014
Bennett
Married
Dilworth Elementary School
Westinghouse Academy
Gladstone High School
Bobby
Pittsburgh
BEN07
May
Pennsylvania
Cancun, Mexico
Man Don’t Pay No Overtime And I Don’t Do None.

Florida
7/20/1943
Punta Gorda
United States
Rib Eye Steak
9/8/2015
Radio dj Bobby Bennett (1943 - 2015 ) worked at several radio stations in Washington, D.C. from the 1960s to the 1990s. He also created the 'Soul Street' channel for XM Satellite Radio, and served as its program director for seven years.
WAMO-AM
WZUM
WOL-AM
WTOP
WHUR-FM
WXTR
WPFW-FM
Sirius XM Radio, Inc.
Capitol Records, Inc.
Blue
Tape: 1 Story: 1 - Slating of Bobby Bennett's interview
Tape: 1 Story: 2 - Bobby Bennett lists his favorites
Tape: 1 Story: 3 - Bobby Bennett describes his mother's family background
Tape: 1 Story: 4 - Bobby Bennett recalls his relationship with his maternal grandparents
Tape: 1 Story: 5 - Bobby Bennett describes his maternal grandmother
Tape: 1 Story: 6 - Bobby Bennett recalls his mother's occupation
Tape: 1 Story: 7 - Bobby Bennett describes his father's family background
Tape: 1 Story: 8 - Bobby Bennett describes his father's personality and occupation
Tape: 1 Story: 9 - Bobby Bennett recalls how his parents met
Tape: 1 Story: 10 - Bobby Bennett talks about his father's military service
Tape: 2 Story: 1 - Bobby Bennett recalls his father's duty in the Korean War
Tape: 2 Story: 2 - Bobby Bennett describes his parents' personalities and who he takes after
Tape: 2 Story: 3 - Bobby Bennett recalls his family's reaction to his aspirations of becoming a disc jockey
Tape: 2 Story: 4 - Bobby Bennett describes his brothers, pt. 1
Tape: 2 Story: 5 - Bobby Bennett describes his brothers, pt. 2
Tape: 2 Story: 6 - Bobby Bennett describes his earliest childhood memory
Tape: 2 Story: 7 - Bobby Bennett recalls living in a housing project in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Tape: 2 Story: 8 - Bobby Bennett remembers his early encounters with segregation
Tape: 2 Story: 9 - Bobby Bennett remembers his favorite high school teacher
Tape: 2 Story: 10 - Bobby Bennett recalls the fashionable clothing of his childhood
Tape: 2 Story: 11 - Bobby Bennett describes his maternal great uncle
Tape: 2 Story: 12 - Bobby Bennett recalls his early interest in baseball, pt. 1
Tape: 3 Story: 1 - Bobby Bennett remembers being scouted by the St. Louis Cardinals
Tape: 3 Story: 2 - Bobby Bennett recalls the high schools he attended in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Tape: 3 Story: 3 - Bobby Bennett remembers playing basketball
Tape: 3 Story: 4 - Bobby Bennett recalls his early interest in becoming a disc jockey
Tape: 3 Story: 5 - Bobby Bennett talks about the music scene in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Tape: 3 Story: 6 - Bobby Bennett talks about the influence of the Pittsburgh Courier
Tape: 3 Story: 7 - Bobby Bennett remembers his challenges at Gladstone High School in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Tape: 3 Story: 8 - Bobby Bennett recalls his high school activities
Tape: 3 Story: 9 - Bobby Bennett describes WAMO Radio in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Tape: 3 Story: 10 - Bobby Bennett remembers his early work in the radio industry
Tape: 4 Story: 1 - Bobby Bennett remembers working at WZUM Radio in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Tape: 4 Story: 2 - Bobby Bennett talks about the movie 'Get on Up'
Tape: 4 Story: 3 - Bobby Bennett talks about movies about the African American music industry
Tape: 4 Story: 4 - Bobby Bennett remembers transitioning to WOL Radio in Washington, D.C.
Tape: 4 Story: 5 - Bobby Bennett recalls Al Germany's guidance and advice
Tape: 4 Story: 6 - Bobby Bennett remembers receiving a draft deferment
Tape: 4 Story: 7 - Bobby Bennett talks about Petey Greene
Tape: 4 Story: 8 - Bobby Bennett recalls his disc jockey contemporaries
Tape: 4 Story: 9 - Bobby Bennett remembers being given the nickname The Mighty Burner
Tape: 5 Story: 1 - Bobby Bennett talks about his time as an afternoon radio host
Tape: 5 Story: 2 - Bobby Bennett recalls singers that he enjoyed working with, pt. 1
Tape: 5 Story: 3 - Bobby Bennett recalls singers that he enjoyed working with, pt. 2
Tape: 5 Story: 4 - Bobby Bennett remembers the decline of Sly Stone, pt. 1
Tape: 5 Story: 5 - Bobby Bennett remembers the decline of Sly Stone, pt. 2
Tape: 5 Story: 6 - Bobby Bennett talks about maintaining his integrity in the radio industry
Tape: 5 Story: 7 - Bobby Bennett describes WOL Radio's place in the changing radio industry
Tape: 6 Story: 1 - Bobby Bennett recalls his coworkers at WHUR Radio in Washington, D.C.
Tape: 6 Story: 2 - Bobby Bennett remembers his friendship with Chuck Brown
Tape: 6 Story: 3 - Bobby Bennett describes his work experiences after leaving WOL Radio
Tape: 6 Story: 4 - Bobby Bennett recalls working at Capitol Records in New York City
Tape: 6 Story: 5 - Bobby Bennett remembers joining WXTR Radio in Washington, D.C.
Tape: 6 Story: 6 - Bobby Bennett describes his experiences at WXTR Radio
Tape: 6 Story: 7 - Bobby Bennett remembers hosting cruise concerts
Tape: 6 Story: 8 - Bobby Bennett talks about go-go music
Tape: 6 Story: 9 - Bobby Bennett remembers working at XM Satellite Radio, Inc.
Tape: 7 Story: 1 - Bobby Bennett talks about the future of radio
Tape: 7 Story: 2 - Bobby Bennett recalls moving from Washington, D.C. to Punta Gorda, Florida
Tape: 7 Story: 3 - Bobby Bennett reflects upon his life
Tape: 7 Story: 4 - Bobby Bennett describes his hopes and concerns for the African American community
Tape: 7 Story: 5 - Bobby Bennett talks about his family
Tape: 7 Story: 6 - Bobby Bennett reflects upon his legacy
Tape: 7 Story: 7 - Bobby Bennett describes how he would like to be remembered
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