'Oldies but Goodies': Longtime oldies DJ Art Laboe, 97, dies

Art Laboe, a pioneering disc jockey who hosted a syndicated oldies show for decades, has died

Obit Art Laboe (Copyright 2019 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.)

Art Laboe, the pioneering DJ credited with helping end segregation in Southern California, has died. He was 97.

Laboe died 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 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 organizing live DJ shows that attracted young white people, Black people and Latinos who danced to rock-n-roll.

He built a multigenerational 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.