Longtime oldies DJ Art Laboe dies
Los Angeles: Art Laboe, the pioneering DJ credited with helping end segregation in Southern California, has died. He was 97
Laboe died on Friday night after catching pneumonia, said Joanna Morones, a spokesperson for Laboe's production company, Dart Entertainment.
Laboe's last show was produced last week and broadcast on Sunday night.
Born Arthur Egnoian in Salt Lake City to an Armenian-American family, he grew up during the Great Depression.
After serving in World War II, he changed his last name to Laboe, moved to Los Angeles and became one of the first DJs to play rhythm and blues and rock-n-roll in California.
The Armenian-American is credited with helping end segregation in Southern California by organising live DJ shows that attracted young whites, blacks and Latinos who danced to rock-n-roll.
He built a multi-generational following by airing decades of goodnight dedications to inmates and others from loved ones on his syndicated Art Laboe Connection Show , which he hosted into his 90s.
