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
USA
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
<a href="https://da.thehistorymakers.org/story/667573">Tape: 1 Story: 1 - Slating of Bobby Bennett's interview</a>
<a href="https://da.thehistorymakers.org/story/667574">Tape: 1 Story: 2 - Bobby Bennett lists his favorites</a>
<a href="https://da.thehistorymakers.org/story/667575">Tape: 1 Story: 3 - Bobby Bennett describes his mother's family background</a>
<a href="https://da.thehistorymakers.org/story/667576">Tape: 1 Story: 4 - Bobby Bennett recalls his relationship with his maternal grandparents</a>
<a href="https://da.thehistorymakers.org/story/667577">Tape: 1 Story: 5 - Bobby Bennett describes his maternal grandmother</a>
<a href="https://da.thehistorymakers.org/story/667578">Tape: 1 Story: 6 - Bobby Bennett recalls his mother's occupation</a>
<a href="https://da.thehistorymakers.org/story/667579">Tape: 1 Story: 7 - Bobby Bennett describes his father's family background</a>
<a href="https://da.thehistorymakers.org/story/667580">Tape: 1 Story: 8 - Bobby Bennett describes his father's personality and occupation</a>
<a href="https://da.thehistorymakers.org/story/667581">Tape: 1 Story: 9 - Bobby Bennett recalls how his parents met</a>
<a href="https://da.thehistorymakers.org/story/667582">Tape: 1 Story: 10 - Bobby Bennett talks about his father's military service</a>
<a href="https://da.thehistorymakers.org/story/667583">Tape: 2 Story: 1 - Bobby Bennett recalls his father's duty in the Korean War</a>
<a href="https://da.thehistorymakers.org/story/667584">Tape: 2 Story: 2 - Bobby Bennett describes his parents' personalities and who he takes after</a>
<a href="https://da.thehistorymakers.org/story/667585">Tape: 2 Story: 3 - Bobby Bennett recalls his family's reaction to his aspirations of becoming a disc jockey</a>
<a href="https://da.thehistorymakers.org/story/667586">Tape: 2 Story: 4 - Bobby Bennett describes his brothers, pt. 1</a>
<a href="https://da.thehistorymakers.org/story/667587">Tape: 2 Story: 5 - Bobby Bennett describes his brothers, pt. 2</a>
<a href="https://da.thehistorymakers.org/story/667588">Tape: 2 Story: 6 - Bobby Bennett describes his earliest childhood memory</a>
<a href="https://da.thehistorymakers.org/story/667589">Tape: 2 Story: 7 - Bobby Bennett recalls living in a housing project in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania</a>
<a href="https://da.thehistorymakers.org/story/667590">Tape: 2 Story: 8 - Bobby Bennett remembers his early encounters with segregation</a>
<a href="https://da.thehistorymakers.org/story/667591">Tape: 2 Story: 9 - Bobby Bennett remembers his favorite high school teacher</a>
<a href="https://da.thehistorymakers.org/story/667592">Tape: 2 Story: 10 - Bobby Bennett recalls the fashionable clothing of his childhood</a>
<a href="https://da.thehistorymakers.org/story/667593">Tape: 2 Story: 11 - Bobby Bennett describes his maternal great uncle</a>
<a href="https://da.thehistorymakers.org/story/667594">Tape: 2 Story: 12 - Bobby Bennett recalls his early interest in baseball, pt. 1</a>
<a href="https://da.thehistorymakers.org/story/667595">Tape: 3 Story: 1 - Bobby Bennett remembers being scouted by the St. Louis Cardinals</a>
<a href="https://da.thehistorymakers.org/story/667596">Tape: 3 Story: 2 - Bobby Bennett recalls the high schools he attended in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania</a>
<a href="https://da.thehistorymakers.org/story/667597">Tape: 3 Story: 3 - Bobby Bennett remembers playing basketball</a>
<a href="https://da.thehistorymakers.org/story/667598">Tape: 3 Story: 4 - Bobby Bennett recalls his early interest in becoming a disc jockey</a>
<a href="https://da.thehistorymakers.org/story/667599">Tape: 3 Story: 5 - Bobby Bennett talks about the music scene in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania</a>
<a href="https://da.thehistorymakers.org/story/667600">Tape: 3 Story: 6 - Bobby Bennett talks about the influence of the Pittsburgh Courier</a>
<a href="https://da.thehistorymakers.org/story/667601">Tape: 3 Story: 7 - Bobby Bennett remembers his challenges at Gladstone High School in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania</a>
<a href="https://da.thehistorymakers.org/story/667602">Tape: 3 Story: 8 - Bobby Bennett recalls his high school activities</a>
<a href="https://da.thehistorymakers.org/story/667603">Tape: 3 Story: 9 - Bobby Bennett describes WAMO Radio in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania</a>
<a href="https://da.thehistorymakers.org/story/667604">Tape: 3 Story: 10 - Bobby Bennett remembers his early work in the radio industry</a>
<a href="https://da.thehistorymakers.org/story/667605">Tape: 4 Story: 1 - Bobby Bennett remembers working at WZUM Radio in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania</a>
<a href="https://da.thehistorymakers.org/story/667606">Tape: 4 Story: 2 - Bobby Bennett talks about the movie 'Get on Up'</a>
<a href="https://da.thehistorymakers.org/story/667607">Tape: 4 Story: 3 - Bobby Bennett talks about movies about the African American music industry</a>
<a href="https://da.thehistorymakers.org/story/667608">Tape: 4 Story: 4 - Bobby Bennett remembers transitioning to WOL Radio in Washington, D.C.</a>
<a href="https://da.thehistorymakers.org/story/667609">Tape: 4 Story: 5 - Bobby Bennett recalls Al Germany's guidance and advice</a>
<a href="https://da.thehistorymakers.org/story/667610">Tape: 4 Story: 6 - Bobby Bennett remembers receiving a draft deferment</a>
<a href="https://da.thehistorymakers.org/story/667611">Tape: 4 Story: 7 - Bobby Bennett talks about Petey Greene</a>
<a href="https://da.thehistorymakers.org/story/667612">Tape: 4 Story: 8 - Bobby Bennett recalls his disc jockey contemporaries</a>
<a href="https://da.thehistorymakers.org/story/667613">Tape: 4 Story: 9 - Bobby Bennett remembers being given the nickname The Mighty Burner</a>
<a href="https://da.thehistorymakers.org/story/667614">Tape: 5 Story: 1 - Bobby Bennett talks about his time as an afternoon radio host</a>
<a href="https://da.thehistorymakers.org/story/667615">Tape: 5 Story: 2 - Bobby Bennett recalls singers that he enjoyed working with, pt. 1</a>
<a href="https://da.thehistorymakers.org/story/667616">Tape: 5 Story: 3 - Bobby Bennett recalls singers that he enjoyed working with, pt. 2</a>
<a href="https://da.thehistorymakers.org/story/667617">Tape: 5 Story: 4 - Bobby Bennett remembers the decline of Sly Stone, pt. 1</a>
<a href="https://da.thehistorymakers.org/story/667618">Tape: 5 Story: 5 - Bobby Bennett remembers the decline of Sly Stone, pt. 2</a>
<a href="https://da.thehistorymakers.org/story/667619">Tape: 5 Story: 6 - Bobby Bennett talks about maintaining his integrity in the radio industry</a>
<a href="https://da.thehistorymakers.org/story/667620">Tape: 5 Story: 7 - Bobby Bennett describes WOL Radio's place in the changing radio industry</a>
<a href="https://da.thehistorymakers.org/story/667621">Tape: 6 Story: 1 - Bobby Bennett recalls his coworkers at WHUR Radio in Washington, D.C.</a>
<a href="https://da.thehistorymakers.org/story/667622">Tape: 6 Story: 2 - Bobby Bennett remembers his friendship with Chuck Brown</a>
<a href="https://da.thehistorymakers.org/story/667623">Tape: 6 Story: 3 - Bobby Bennett describes his work experiences after leaving WOL Radio</a>
<a href="https://da.thehistorymakers.org/story/667624">Tape: 6 Story: 4 - Bobby Bennett recalls working at Capitol Records in New York City</a>
<a href="https://da.thehistorymakers.org/story/667625">Tape: 6 Story: 5 - Bobby Bennett remembers joining WXTR Radio in Washington, D.C.</a>
<a href="https://da.thehistorymakers.org/story/667626">Tape: 6 Story: 6 - Bobby Bennett describes his experiences at WXTR Radio</a>
<a href="https://da.thehistorymakers.org/story/667627">Tape: 6 Story: 7 - Bobby Bennett remembers hosting cruise concerts</a>
<a href="https://da.thehistorymakers.org/story/667628">Tape: 6 Story: 8 - Bobby Bennett talks about go-go music</a>
<a href="https://da.thehistorymakers.org/story/667629">Tape: 6 Story: 9 - Bobby Bennett remembers working at XM Satellite Radio, Inc.</a>
<a href="https://da.thehistorymakers.org/story/667630">Tape: 7 Story: 1 - Bobby Bennett talks about the future of radio</a>
<a href="https://da.thehistorymakers.org/story/667631">Tape: 7 Story: 2 - Bobby Bennett recalls moving from Washington, D.C. to Punta Gorda, Florida</a>
<a href="https://da.thehistorymakers.org/story/667632">Tape: 7 Story: 3 - Bobby Bennett reflects upon his life</a>
<a href="https://da.thehistorymakers.org/story/667633">Tape: 7 Story: 4 - Bobby Bennett describes his hopes and concerns for the African American community</a>
<a href="https://da.thehistorymakers.org/story/667634">Tape: 7 Story: 5 - Bobby Bennett talks about his family</a>
<a href="https://da.thehistorymakers.org/story/667635">Tape: 7 Story: 6 - Bobby Bennett reflects upon his legacy</a>
<a href="https://da.thehistorymakers.org/story/667636">Tape: 7 Story: 7 - Bobby Bennett describes how he would like to be remembered</a>
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4$6
4$9
