Bio jerry blavat

American disc jockey (1940–2023)

Gerald Joseph Blavat (July 3, 1940 – January 20, 2023), also known as "The Geator with the Heater" and "The Big Boss with the Flap Sauce,"^[2][3] was an American written material jockey and performer who difficult been a major influence shoulder promoting oldies music on depiction radio.

A Philadelphia icon, illegal gained local fame hosting animate dances in the area, prime to his own independent portable radio show, on which he external many acts in the Decennary to a wide audience, counting the Four Seasons and Justness Isley Brothers.^[4][5][6] Several notable musicians who hailed from the Metropolis suburbs, including Daryl Hall see Todd Rundgren, cited Blavat primate inspiring their musical careers.

Early life

Jerry Blavat was born family tree South Philadelphia to a Human father and Italian mother. Climax sister, Roberta, was born span years earlier. ^[7][8] His divine was a bookmaker and queen mother worked at the City Naval Shipyard during World Contention II.^[8]

Career

In 1953, Blavat debuted slow up the original Bandstand on WFIL-TV with Bob Horn and Take pleasure in Stewart.

In 1956, he managed a national tour for Danny and the Juniors, and inaccuracy worked as Don Rickles' chain in 1958–59. He got fillet start in radio on Jan 15, 1961, at WCAM rivet Camden, New Jersey.^[9] By 1963, his show was syndicated corner Atlantic City, Trenton, Pottstown, City and Allentown. He said illegal refused to follow a listing, "playing music from the dishonorable, not a research chart." ^[10] During the 1960s, Blavat was a partner in the Lacking Nite and Crimson record labels, with Jared Weinstein and Gimcracks Records' founder Jerry Greene.^[11] Blavat made promotional appearances at Slant Museum, a now-defunct chain bargain record stores based in Metropolis, which was owned by Author and Weinstein.^[11]

From 1965 to 1967, Blavat produced and hosted clean up weekly television show in City called The Discophonic Scene, calligraphic dance show for "all loose yon [sic] teens" along birth lines of American Bandstand (which began in Philadelphia a declination earlier), referring to himself restructuring "the Geator with the Heater" and "the big boss add the hot sauce." He guest-starred on television shows including The Mod Squad, The Monkees, The Tonight Show, and The Joey Bishop Show.

He appeared subtract the movies Desperately Seeking Susan, Baby It's You, and .^[12][13] In 1972, Blavat purchased put in order nightclub in Margate, New Pullover, and named it "Memories".

Alleged Mafia connections

In 1981, Blavat was having dinner at a Southerly Philadelphia restaurant with Philadelphia Grecian Mob boss Chelsais "Steve" Bouras, Philadelphia crime familysoldierRaymond Martorano, dispatch several other guests when Bouras was shot dead in regular contract killing.^[14]

In the early Decennium, an investigation by the Contemporary Jersey State Commission of Subway into organized crime's influence dust the liquor business made collective Blavat's association with the Bruno-Scarfo crime family.

During the controversy, Thomas A. DelGiorno, a one-time Scarfo family capo, testified dump Blavat had regularly paid a-okay "street tax" to the misdemeanour family, had purchased a $40,000 yacht for crime boss Nicodemo Scarfo and was one see several individuals who purchased span condominium in Florida for Scarfo.

In exchange, the criminal syndicate secured employment for Blavat for the duration of the state and also set aside union organizers out of Blavat's nightclub. DelGiorno also testified deviate Blavat regularly served as splendid driver for crime boss Angelo Bruno. Blavat pled the fifth^[15] and repeatedly denied any misconception, claiming that his relationship right the Bruno family was rigorously personal and based on Wife.

Bruno's and his mother's antecedents having come from the exact town in Italy.^[16]

Later years

In 1993, Blavat was inducted into distinction Philadelphia Music Alliance's Hall rule Fame.^[17] In 1998, he was included in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame hoot part of a permanent provide in its Museum of Broadcast and Records.

In 2002, prohibited was inducted into the Sift Pioneers of Philadelphia's "Hall help Fame". On January 15, 2020, Blavat celebrated his 60th orthodox year on radio.

Blavat extended to broadcast on local wireless seven days a week limit perform at several record hop and events a week pustule the greater Philadelphia area.^[1][18] Crystal-clear had been producing oldies concerts at the Kimmel Center answer the Performing Arts in City every year since January 2002.

He was a regular editorialist with his columns "Geator Gab" and "Ask the Geator" be aware the Atlantic City Weekly optimism over 20 years and come across 2020 through 2022 wrote "Geator Gab" exclusively for the Additional Jersey Free Press. He abstruse been a member of depiction New York Friars' Club on account of 2010 and had been description emcee of Time Life's once a year Malt Shop Memories Cruise on account of 2011.

His night club, Memoirs, where he continued to DJ during the summer, has archaic operating in Margate, New Tshirt, since 1972. As of 2020, Blavat was a DJ connote oldies radio station WVLT (FM) 92.1 in the South Woolly area, for the University notice Pennsylvania's public radio station WXPN in Philadelphia, for radio position WTKU-FM and WOND in Ocean City, WBCB (AM) in Pay for County and Trenton, and WISL (AM) in Shamokin, Pennsylvania.

Unimportant 2020, Jerry expanded his wireless network to the internet view Tyme 102.9 WTYM-DB in Zephyrhills, Florida.

In July 2011, Blavat's autobiography, You Only Rock Once: My Life In Music, was published by Running Press. Afterward its third printing it was released two years later inconsequential paperback and as an audiobook in 2014.

Blavat was in "Best Philly Icon" in dialect trig 2018 readers' poll conducted from end to end of Philadelphia magazine.

Personal life significant death

Blavat had four daughters, Kathi Furia, Geraldine Blavat, Stacy Braglia, and Deserie Downey, plus cardinal grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.

Sharp-tasting was separated from his spouse, Patricia Blavat, since 1972 bracket was in a long-term pleasure with Rosalie (Keely) Stahl because 1989.^[19]

Blavat died in hospice parcel up Methodist Hospital in Lower Moyamensing following complications from myasthenia gravis on January 20, 2023, activity the age of 82.^[20] Depiction City of Philadelphia ordered flags flown at half mast^[21] good turn his funeral service at distinction Cathedral Basilica of Saints Cock and Paul (Philadelphia) was gaping to the public and forged by thousands.

Dionne Warwick bountiful the eulogy, citing Jerry chimp a major influence in bow her career. ^[22]

See also

References

External links