Art Laboe, the pioneering radio DJ who read heartfelt song dedications to generations of devoted listeners, has passed away. He was 97.
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According to Joanna Morones, a spokesperson for Laboe's production company, Laboe died Friday night at home in Palm Springs, California, after contracting pneumonia.
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Pic Credit: Google
Laboe is credited with assisting in the abolition of segregation in Southern California by organizing live DJ shows at drive-in restaurants
Pic Credit: Google
Pic Credit: Google
Pic Credit: Google
His baritone voice invited listeners to call in dedications and request a '50s-era rock 'n' roll love ballad or an Alicia Keys rhythm and blues song.
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His radio shows, in particular, provided a platform for families of incarcerated loved ones to communicate with their relatives by dedicating songs
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He frequently told the story of a woman who came by the studio with her toddler so she could tell her father, who was serving time for a violent crime, "Daddy, I love you."
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"It was his first time hearing his baby's voice," Laboe explained. "And this tough, tough-as-nails guy burst into tears."
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