Washington DC Radio Legend Bobby Bennett passes at 72

Story by AllAccess.com, DCRTV, and I
Link: http://kirktanter.blogspot.com/2015/09/bobby-bennett-rollicking-dj-in-district.html

Marshall Robert Payne III (aka Bobby “The Mighty Burner” Bennett) has passed away. The 72 year old Pittsburgh native died yesterday evening, September 8th in the Punta Gorda area of Florida, where he had retired. Bennett had just retired to the Sunshine State just a few short years ago.

BENNETT had been in a coma since JULY after suffering a stroke.



The Bobby Bennett Story –

Radio DJ Bobby Bennett was born Robert Payne 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 Washington DC and began working at WOL-AM, 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 a very popular R&B oldies radio show on WPFW-FM, where he caught the ear of the Programming brass at the new XM Satellite Radio.

In 2000, newly formed XM Satellite Radio hired Bennett to Program a Fifties and Sixties Soul-Oldies channel called “Soul Street”. I was Bobby's Original Soul Street Production Director and also as a Soul Street Air Personality. I found Bobby to be hard working; serious about his favorite music; and detailed about the presentation of a 1950's and 1960's radio station.

Bobby was full of history about the radio business and expressive about the people who ran it. A walking radio encyclopedia....especially Black Radio. He was incredible funny and known for that high squeeky laugh.

Bobby Bennett brought many of the legendary Soul acts into the New York Avenue XM Satellite building, including James Brown. When James Brown came into the building to see Bobby, all work stopped for nearly all the radio operations. Clearly a highlight for XM. I will miss my buddy and those two years working hand and hand.

Bennett served as the "Soul Street" Program Director until 2010, when Sirius Satellite Radio (XM's main and only competitor) drop "Soul Street" from its new line-up shortly after it bought XM.

During his career, Bennett also was employed as a Record Executive, Voice-Over Narrator, and a highly-touted Concert Voice-Over Artist - whom would close his concert commercials with his popular 'extended' phrase of: "BEEE THERRRREE". His excitement in his unique delivery made you want to be there at all those concerts.

Bennett was also an author. He co-authored "THE ULTIMATE SOUL MUSIC TRIVIA BOOK": 501 Questions and Answers About MOTOWN, Rhythm & Blues, and More, published in 1997.

Robert Payne (aka Bobby Bennett) is survived by his wife CONNIE, his son ERIC, daughter AMY, and his Grandchildren.

Funeral arrangements are pending.
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Links: https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/obituaries/bobby-bennett-rollicking-dj-in-the-district-dies-at-72/2015/09/12/3fc5a8d8-5768-11e5-b8c9-944725fcd3b9_story.html
http://www.thehistorymakers.com/biography/bobby-bennett
http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/satellite-radio-listeners-rankled-by-xm-sirius-merger-20081121
http://www.allaccess.com/net-news/archive/story/145369/radio-and-music-industry-veteran-bobby-bennett-has
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Story below by AllAccess.com
10 Questions with ... Bobby Bennett
September 18, 2007

1) What was your first job in radio? Early influences?
My first job was at WAMO AM in Pittsburgh, doing news. I worked with air personalities Al Gee and Sir Walter

2) What led you to a career in radio? Was there a defining moment that made you realize "this is it?"
I loved music and enjoyed talking with people. I won a "student of the week" award in high school, and one of the prizes was a visit to the local radio station (WAMO) to be on the air. After that, I knew that radio was my calling.

3) If you were just starting out in radio, knowing now what you didn't know then, would you still do it?
Yes, but I would probably go into TV.

4) Where do you see the industry and yourself five years from now?
I see myself living on the beach at my home in Florida, and communicating with students at Colleges and Universities about the industry that I have made my living in all these years.

5) What do you see as the biggest changes in the Satellite industry since you first started at XM?
Acceptance by the general public as well as the radio industry. We at XM have grown from 0 to eight-and-a-half million subscribers in six years and continue to grow. I think the public realizes that Satellite Radio offers so much more than is available on AM or FM radio.

6) What is the one truth that has held constant throughout your career?
The one thing that I have always tried to do throughout my career, is give the public the best performance I have every day I'm on the air.

7) What kind of difference has Jon Zellner made since he joined XM Radio?
Jon has given us the benefit of his leadership in the Programming Department, but he has let us run our channels in our own way.

8) Of all the skills you have gained through the years, is there an area you'd like to improve?
There is always room for improvement, no matter who you are, but to look at one particular area to improve on, I can't say. I have been pretty happy with the direction my career has taken.

9) How do you see the industry's perception of Satellite radio changing in the future?
I think that the industry will accept Satellite radio just like Cable TV has been accepted.

10) As you look back over your career ... any regrets? Missed opportunities?
Not really, like most people I would like to make more money, but other than that I have no regrets.


Bonus Questions

What would people who think they know Bobby Bennett be surprised to find out?

That I am a sports junkie ... especially golf!
Do you still do and enjoy your voiceover work?

Absolutely, I started doing voiceovers back in the '70s when there weren't that many black voices doing them, and it has been a wonderful experience. With the technology that we have now, I can work from home, and that makes it even easier
What's was the toughest part of changing over from terrestrial radio to satellite radio?

It was very easy, the best part is, we can venture into an area of music that we couldn't dare do on FM radio. In other words, we can play the entire Temptations catalog not just a few songs that were top 10 on the Billboard Hot 100.
How large is the music library for the soul oldies channel you are now in charge of? Does it change from year-to-year?

We currently have about 4,000 songs in our catalog. We may add a song every now and then as they come available,
Describe your favorite meal?

Seafood gumbo.
- See more at: http://www.allaccess.com/urban/10-questions/archive/4089-10-questions-with-bobby-bennett#sthash.LGsrMVBg.dpuf